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Show i A STORY OF THREE j j Dy MARTHA M. WILLIAM3. gi E (CO 1151. by Mn'lurt Niwtptptr SynJlct ' H Alfiireiin snt swinging and siugit.R I it the top of her young voice: I "1 wish I had er ginger cake, I wish I I hml er dime; I I wish I Innl er new tl' cents ter gUc I dnl gal er mine." I "Why so sinfully lavish, Krctly?" Reiitou called to her from tlie hlnukel . ho lomigeii on twenty nrds away, j "Why not offer something possible to I mere men nud mortals? A led apple. I for Institute. I might he equal lo i that." j Pretty wns light, lithe, a seventeen- I year-old iniii . tilled with the "beau I ty of tlie iled" found only al such ij age. r.ei.inii her father's chum, I found her misiIv diverting, lie was' nt Tip T fur i he hot weather, nnd glad of iiu.wlimg that made his rille more bctmibie ' "You thoiialii I was dad's little t,lrh j wearing n tiu.er m her uiouib at d expecting ex-pecting in he kissed when her fac und her In,. I. were clean," Frelty hurst out f i em the height of a wide swoop. "Hm I e forgiven ou for disappoint in,' me so being a Chrlt-tlnn-mlndeil person." Renton countered. coun-tered. Thereat I'retly giggled. "Want me to loll ou something?" she asked. l win niieiner or no. i nei imw Acklcn a pig aguliist n popy, before I ever saw jou. llml you'd fall dead In love wlih me -In about three duys." "Who won the bet?" Renton interrupted. inter-rupted. I rctty stopiied the swing dead. "We have to ask you tlmt," she siihl. mislilng the leust bit. "Rube Rays the puppy's mine wnnts !" bring It right oxer lo me but I suy not though I niu't quite rendy to let him have the pig" cistlng down eyelids that shmveil dark-fringed hlsties iigalnsi the soft color of her cheeks. "Let n e. I'retly much of a draw, I llilnk, I'.enti n said, musingly. '.'I hnte In sn It.. hut yen lose. If tyiybod.v ilues, h) helng too old. If e had met earlier, suy when you were ten oi iheienbout, I never could have rcsistcii you." ' "Yes, yen could. I wns uglier then Huiti homi'-imulc slu all snaggly-toothed snaggly-toothed innl Tt edited as a turkey egg und rlghi ilowii stiinging in arms and I well, eeiWheie, because : ran and plned .s,v hard. There's u lot In feeding Miur-elf, let me tell you. I folihd llml out when I swn'pped green apples ami iniuly for meat nud breHil ami thliiKs. "1 have been mercifully spared, Hull Is plnln. Rut tell me how did Rab I live through the suuggly-looth am grei'ii-nijple epoch?" Renton askei with nn'alr of keen detachment. Fret ty shook her ttst nt him, crying "HaUJ Lawsy me! Why I he's case haMlened was that sort his own sel I do reckon we were the toughe lookln', rnggedest pair of colls lint eer romped In any pasture. "I nlwiiyi He lilm at any sorl o inaik." she .said. "Rut not when we'n hunting birds or squirrels or lalililtc I nluiivs shut my e,es as I pull tin trig.ei "I seel Vou bne mercy on lle dirge1 s of sorls," Renton buhl re-lletiiNei) re-lletiiNei) : "Rut how11 about men?" l'reli laughed n laugh of sparkling imiliee, saying : "Oh ! 1 let them take what's coming to. them If they hjiwu't got gumption enough to step out of raiige". ' "llml Anything personal In thtt?" Renton- asked. Instantly Frefty"wns all wide-eyed Innocence. "How could .there be?" she nsked. "You're same as vat-cfiiAtedJjiwiTH.beat.-frh:nd" .: "Raf that doesn make nr 'in' tnmu'- Re.nton-answervil,' his vojee sodijenr sinilnedT I,ie gofuV Jerkily, strelcliect.'a mtt at KrotfyVaM pent the 8wJn(t.-aaHJIjiK.Hlf jOHb liHtl 'M ,lts ropes., '.Itwn's .a foOllsh "exprll "menthe wintdd '(& fi'tarthV lieu f fobi hfer supreme, spolse. Also hnzsirfloife-i rope.s. like nffectldns, ' wear tlirough luitlertoo gretlenslon. To lils.hor, rorriie !i:finf a iifCf crftc'kllmf hqjpj'l-i saw 'one irl'g.'f frand.of .thqhugivhenyier J-culile glV. pajt, -and sniljle'pjy.' un I wind. .Tfif "niofion.VuV Will outward w lieuMf-prajlJJjB-ut' the down-sweep Hit-re would' be further breaking'. ,j;en. If tbp whole cable did not part a deep' list sfitewlse "vJotiltf nit'on a full, n' deadly fall", for, this girl child whom he knew suddenly held his heart. In her two bunds.- Pully he si, led the blanket spied nUo a tall joiilh running on winged feet. ' Renton "hiiil, already seized the bhiiifcet but he would never have kr.iwn where to hold It effectually. RuVie moved Instinctively to the right spt', chiiiflng. now and then at tho flgun Hi ulr. Kivtty sensed tho diin-ger diin-ger with hoyii dluii.!5d liniids she clung to the sonid side of the cable. Rut the power of weight ami mass tore loose Iter grlj she catapulted forward, downward to ertuln death, It seemed. Rut eii'th w.ic not to slay her. Ruhu und Renton held the blanket taut, but It was Rabe who ensed It nt the exact instant to save l'retty from n dangerous rebound. Her face was white, hut she hiughed as si,,- sciifont on earth. Renton fell like n mtirfleer he could not meet her ejes. Hill RnU aflwr one look wnll.ul prwiplintely'' away, -snjlng oer Ids Hhnuliler.v "Tvyo's company, three o.'cOWl " ; .; ' . " -i, , "You can never, forgive me." Heji-,ton Heji-,ton begafi. "Never." KreMy eclntsl, l"Sn I'll have to .even rhlngs siyng. gravntlng you yf the rest of'ly.oui life! What d'ye say to It?" "Yesr-aml "Yesr-aml thnnk you I" Renton'' returnee meekly. |