Show Daily Short Fiction Story I MISS MIS'S By CLARISSA MACKIE Copyright J 1916 1915 by the McClure l Newspaper Syndicate Vale Benson was fishing off Bass Bass Bass' Rocks when the he brisk little motor motorboat motorboat boat whisked under his very nose and darted away around the point There goes Miss 1 the Sailor Sailor he chuckled at the nickname given to O the saucy owner of the launch And by jove she's r nning off with my line The reel was spinning merrily merril and the line sang a tune as it ran tautly after the vanishing boat Vales Vale's hook and sinker were caught in the propeller of the little craft Hi there he shouted Miss did not turn around Hi there Miss 1 11 he hc yelled in desperation The brown head turned the hoat boat swung a wide circle and came about The line slackened a as the boat ap approached approached approached ap- ap and paused at t his liis feet teet A pair of big brown eyes looked looke up into his You called me me she asked sternly Why Why why yes you yes you are running off with my line lIneS he explained pointIng pointing pointing point point- ing downward Oh Oh l I didn't didat know know know-I I am very sor sorry or or- 1 ry ry- Can you come down and set get et i it off she asked crisply Ill try tr He clambered down th the rocks and stood b beside her realizing reali with a little shock of ot surprise that the girl was Vt wonderfullY good to loo look at she was rarely lovely ely under th the delicate coat of tan A brilliant color colo flushed her cheeks cheek It took him half an hour to disentangle disentangle dis dis- dis- dis I entangle the line from the propeller this was quite unnecessary for tor a ashe as sh she patiently explained to him if h he would only do thus and so it would woal come corns off but Vale Yale obstinately failed faile to do thus and so suddenly becoming v very r dense dens At last it was as off an and Miss 1 bad was free to pursue her way During the half hour Vale had learned that she lived in he the red gabled house at the he extreme point R Red d Gables hI he n muttered staring staling after her Why Wh that is where Freda Frake the writer lives I 1 suppose that is her secretary secretary ot or by byJoe Jove Jo its it's Miss Frake herself Doesn't look as though she could write such strong stories as Ive I've been buying from her for the past ten years Ten len years ears Wh Why ten years ago Miss Mis must have been In n pina- pina fores As Freda Frakes Frake's publisher I hereby appoint myself m a committee commute of one to call upon her It is mj my i bounden duty Quite contented at this prospect Vale resumed his fishing and ard did no not feel a qualm of disappointment w wren w en he trudged back to the hotel with an empty basket All that evening he dreamed o of Miss bad's brown eyes and flushed cheeks of or the dimple in her chin and the soft curve of her face How lovable she was And to think that she should turn out to be Freda Frake that mysterious writer write of fascinating romances whose stories stones h he had eagerly bought for his magazine mag mag- azine Cozine but whose personal identity was a mystery to him and his staff Tomorrow he told himself lt I will call can upon her Who Vho says there is no 1 g romance in this workaday da 1 worm unu When the morrow came it was a a. p perfect October day da with th the oc ocean an smother a-smother of white foam under a clear blue sky The wind blew f f fresh fesh freshly sh- sh ly and the walk out to the end atthe of at the Point brought the young oung nub- nub usher all too soon at the end of his Journey Red Gables Cables was surrounded by a high stone wall and the gate was opened by a a. servant in livery who directed him along a flagged walk to toa ton o oa a n pergola where purpling grapes were were hanging hanging In the sunshine Seated at a table under the vines was was an enormously stout woman writing rapidly in a leather covered book She glanced at the card the servant placed before her ind nd nd ll os mso with a cordial smile Mr Benson I 1 have always hoped hOlled to meet you some day she cried with outstretched hand Miss Frake he faltered Yes of ot course course but but how could you know me me she laughed Sit Hit down here James serve tea at once An hour later Vale took farewell of the popular authoress an and without t one glimpse of Miss he left Red ned Gables and wended his wa way down to the shore I I wonder what she meant by tellIng tellIng telling tell tell- ing me she lived at Red Gables he muttered resentfully as he passed a a. group of cosy little cottages cottages' on the sandy candy slope elope He glanced casually at the last one oie and stopped abruptly It was a a. white pointed cottage with a a. red roof root and window boxes glowing with late scarlet scarlet scar scar- let geraniums On the gate was the neat t sign Red Gables and coming down the steep steps was Miss bad herself a white duck hat on her brown head her dark darl eyes dancing with pleasure So this is R Red d Gables excl exclaimed Vale and then at her amused glance he went on recklessly Ive been heen calling on Miss Frake I Frake-I I tho thought ht you lived there Such a pity pity and and such a difference difference difference differ differ- ence she sighed Were not 2 bit literary at our Red Gables just Gables Gables Just everybody folks tolls folks I like everyday folks interrupted Vale enthusiastically easy to get on with nice of you she smiled as they went down to the shore Fathers Fathers Fathers Fath ers er's a painter painter painter-he's he's hes down there paintIng painting paint- paint Ing lug my boat That's mother in the white she's sh she's s 's holding the pot pot she's shea always around where fa faher fah P ii i er is I Vale saw a tall all bearded man in splashed paint overalls plying a abrush abrush abrush brush vigorously and near him stood a Ii slender little ittle woman holding a So jig ig pail pall of pal paint Oh Jean called the woman as the girl girt approached Benson thrilled at the name Tt it was his favorite of names for won bringing bringing bring bring- Coming mother And rm Im ing hug a sort of celebrity I I know mow it its It's S forbidden but he somehow waHeed into my life and I had to bring him along She laughed gaily and In Introduced Introduced In- In Vale and as her hert father swung around around the two men lear leaped toward each othe oth with outstretched hands Hammond exclaimed Vale hear hear- W Dick Ha Wale Benson Denson cried the painter where did you run across my girl Vale explained while Mrs Hammond Hammond Hammond Ham Ham- mond murmured dismay at Jeans Jean's daring clarine seafaring ways He st stayed to dinner and afterward talked to Jean Jeon In the tiny porch w while lle Mrs Hammond flammond played accompaniments accompaniments ments and her big husband sang pang Jn n a arich aIch arich rich rich Ich bass voice that thrilled hi Its Hs- 4 To think you should prove to be e eone one of fathers father's friends said Jean laughinglY You said your father fathel was a painter paint- paint er r but I did not dream he was the theamous famouS famoUS amous marine painter I am pr proud md to call all my friend he reminded ed her Oh dear Its It's nice to be plain everyday S folk tolk she p pouted Once upon a time I 1 s saw vr you you you-you you were only 5 6 then and I 1 was 11 15 You promised promise l to marry me he c teased her But Jean had vanished into the house ouse and he saw her no more that night ight But tomorrow is another day ay he told himself gaily as he went vent back aek to the hotel Tomorrow Is IB always another day for or lovers Tomorrow he would see Miss once more And the next ext day would be another day And then would come the great day when Jean can would agree to give up being I 1 plain lain loUts folks and to J agree marry a n cc- cc J Miss Freda Frake shall be the I bridesmaid he chuckles chuckle 1 |