Show 7 1 q r theara the gray Y haired aired woman VOM n tg by WINIFRED D DUNBAR u N a AR ri copyright 1921 western newspaper union come here girl dont look at me ns as if IE I 1 were a dragon I 1 elsie went forward and looked at aless ingleby with tin an expression of so much mingled hatred and admiration that the elder woman flushed flashed her hiie teeth tind her eyes twinkled exactly as they diet did in the posters with which almost every billboard in the united states had been decorated at one time or another she went forward defiantly but a moment later somehow she found that she was crying upon miss Ingle bys shoulder while the singer caressed her tind patted herhalt gently so 1 I have stolen her beau away from her and she wants wanti him back whispered miss magleby Ingle Iagle by byi that so dearle dearie elsie raised her head bead 1 I mindia igind if if you meant to marry tom 1 she sobbed how old are you child inquired miss aliss ingleby I 1 twenty said elsie defiantly antl and tom torn toni Is twenty five and you must lie be nearly thirty said elsie so I 1 know now you dont mean to marry tom and we were to be married at christmas and now now he wont speak to me the match between elsie lennon arid tom banks was approved by all 01 kentville Kent ville for tom was a rising young business man of the town and eldies father old major lennon who kept the hie summer hotel had been one ot of the first settlers and they had been sweethearts tor for years never you mind you shall have your tom again whispered miss ingleby encouragingly but it seemed a harder problem than miss ingleby had expected she had doi not meant to load lead tom on but a boman oman of the world often forgets that the light interchange of repartee a and lad badinage may be the cut and thrust of mortal earnest to an inexperienced young man it was tom who furnished her with her opportunity that evening when they sat together on the piazza miss ingleby he be said 1 I want to tell you som something you are going away on thursday but I 1 dont wan want t you to go out of my life you have made me love you love you she exclaimed why you are nothing but a boy 1 1 I I am aim twenty five he answered sullenly 1 I know you may be a year or to older than I 1 ambut where love exists age does not count I 1 mr banks listen to me said the singer do you think it the part of nil an honorable man love to one vonian when you sotire nal nfl e engaged to another no I 1 dont he cried but how bow can one help whom one lovearl loves on thursday morning I 1 win will give yuu you my answer she answered elsie dreaded the evening meal there were but three other guests at abat season her father and herself int ot at a table facing miss ingleby and tom who had boarded at the hotel ever since their engagement en the door opened and a woman cattle came ina gray haired woman with wrinkles kles round her ber eyes arid and mouth and pallid cheeks she was dressed in a plain black suit of antiquated cut slie she was just a motherly mo theirly looking body of forty odd years the major looked up nil and stared hard who Is that Els elsbet let he whispered as she seated herself hersel fat at toms table miss ingleby stammered the girl in amazement the rest of th emeal was passed lu in absolute absolu ie silence eldies eyes took in every detail of the incident she saw the expression of amazement that crept into toms eyes saw him attempt to speak choke and at last rise arid and hurry from the room and miss ingleby brave miss iriss ingleby who had bad Et riPped herself naked of her little artifices to save another woman sat there unconcerned tho cynosure of all eyes making a cour courageous a ageous show of f eating until the last course was served then slie blie went ent to hs her room there elsie found her afterward she blie understood that the elder woman had made atonement for her offense why did you do it whispered lisle elsie because anaw answered ered miss mis ingleby slowly 1 I was young once and sweet und ind lano innocent cerit like you she kissed her bier goodby good by arid and none of them saw tuy heir again but on the piazza elsie found f tom walking like a madman when he saw her he be came humbly up to her elsie he said you know what sort of LL a fool I 1 have been I 1 suppose we can be the same to each other oilier again i but it you will give me ft a chancia chance perhaps we vre can be more tom ahe whispered d and she knew that from that moment here hera would be the bt ronger souil that the innocence of bouth had yielded to the knowledge of maturity that the sheltering shelter lne love the she bore tom vas mins immeasurably stronger than the adoration which was gone forever fore |