Penny of Top Hill Trail

road as she spied him driving awa

d in the pair of

Ante? Isn't it great

re are you going a

, and I'd love to h

furlough and a hat.

the pretty pleading of a child in her voice. Her

eeing that his expression wasn't as forbidding as usual.

weet dawned

s last stand of resistance to long-held theories was giving away before some new forc

gh he were the one beside her, he followed in fancy after the wagon was lost to sight around the hills. He could see the point where the road would disappear into a plain, covered with soft grass over which the sleek horses would bound. He knew Jo's

ividly he recalled their ride in the early dawn and the brief moment she had lain unconscious in his arms. Ever since that moment he

esn't care for me any more than she cares for Jo. I wonder does he kno

r. Looking down the hill road from town, he saw a vehicle approaching which he recognized as the "town taxi." It turned in

by the illimitable spaces and was blinking from the sunshine. His observant eye noted the smart suitcase and the wardrobe trun

prettiness. There was an appealing tinge of melancholy in her eyes notwithst

Kingdon lives?" she asked i

ed, "but Mrs. K

to come here; that she

hospitably, as he picked up her suitcase.

hesi

ss Lam

nt?" he asked in surprise.

replied c

a drive, but she w

pleasant interior,-books, pictures, piano and fi

ingdon's," he said on his return. "Will

guest. My name is-Bobbie Burr. Mrs. Kingdon hired me to do

garb and appointments of the young girl, and Mrs. Merlin w

esitatingly, "the room the

the girl hurriedly, as

solitude to help him figure out this puzzling problem, and soon he was sending a je

nt by Mrs. Kingdon and was doubtless one of her protégées. The name she had given sounded demimondish, and she was a friend of Pen's! The thought made him wince. S

am, the merry driver and-the thief. Delicate as a drop of dew, as lovely as a forest blossom, her voice, bird-l

ard them, his

eine

se with me?" Kurt asked her, the questio

," he said abruptly, when Jo had d

ng a little of the wild rose tint in h

gdon sent her here to

e! I was fearing i

he said, "is

artled note. "Bobbie Burr!

rticular fri

you have up here. You were interested in my welfare when you took me from Bender, but you will be doubly interested in Bobbi

quite a lot, it seemed to her. Down in her little fluttering fancy she had always had longings for a white dress-a nice white dress. She had the inherent instinct for judging rightly 'what she should wear.' So, for the first time in her life she was able to be correctly and elegantly clad. The white dress she bought was simple, one of the plain but effective and expensive kind. With the wearing of this new gown there naturally came the feminine desire to be seen and admired. She didn't know

ession didn't alter his feelings or his intentions; in fact, his determination to marry her was strengthened. Because she loved him very much, she ran away from him, leaving him in a strange city without even her name for

y innocent, but her past record barred acquittal. A man was instrumental in gaining a reprieve for her,

d her where she was, but did not dream of such good luck for-Bobbie as to be sent up here. I know she will find happiness up here in these hills. You'll be kind to the little girl, w

" he asked, looki

ly. "She loves, and-the man

ove is powerful

hink

it cu

id ingenuously. "You s

ht smouldere

ty P

running aro

sent her. She's got a boy's name-Bobbie. I

re," she said, taking his h

the strident su

ent," Pen hurrie

s able to have such expensive look

re given

ntal in getting her reprieve

poor little Bobbie. He acted from charitable mot

at me,

rue Western eye-the eye of a

is the story of Marta Sills.

lar pals,' we shared alike. Interchang

ust came-whom Jo met in a dance hall, and

ook to a dance hall? If that St. Something was St. Joe, he must have gone there to get married. It's what m

Was it Bob

y's name to me, so how do I

oin the boy who was imp

by. What next? Curtain soon, I expect. No need longer for understudies. I must start things before Kurt succumbs to her

as she met the young girl

or as soon as the

lf and everything that has ha

es from narrative of self, the newco

t me a ticket to come here. And it's lovely up here, isn't it? She told me I'd

you in most unpleasant places. But, Marta, that ma

nt. I try not t

ou could have married him. He'd never have kno

dering eyes, Pen

e him forever t

ressively, "Diogenes

he, Miss

see I didn't until now. If I loved a man as you do yours,

ve stopped long ago, if any one had given m

ught sight of a trunk i

t here for?

d anything in it. I earned enough to buy what I am wearing an

feel I'd like to tog once more. I shall rewar

ill be glad t

delivered. I'll

ote a few line

ine-clad pergola by devious routes to avoid three wis

on the two girls reach

rta, and the person to whom you are

o the barracks

hing for me, Jo? R

Penny Ante. What d

eive a note from me. Now don't be stupid. D

ace indicated, but he was halted several times by s

ad miscarried, so she started for the house, but becom

were more appalling than the wildest hours of traffic on misguided State Street. She had a strang

as this, maybe I'd never have go

n the road. A man was ap

, oh,

wildly, looking

is arms, she thought

et here?" Wild astonishmen

know you were here. Miss Lamont told me to stay in that place where the vines are until a man came, an

ust

now that yo

nows. Give

olded paper from the en

t let doubt kill your love. Just take M

ou

NY A

! Let's sit down here and talk about it. You don't need to te

e to be like other folks, some one would give me a shoveback, and then I felt cornered and that it was no use. Sometimes-most

as you sat away from the rest-so little and

place by mistake. And I let you think so and let you get to know me. And we danced and talked till near sunrise. That lovely day over at St. Joe! I thought I was in Heaven until we were in that little park and you asked m

eat in you to t

pe; but I'm not Marta now, Jo.

anging your name for keeps. You can't ever lose me, now, and love has

go that there were folks li

Let's talk about the little shack we are goin

tiful dream up here,

he kitten face with i

orld is too good

ied and been born again. She said it w

born again as

d it was Marta who realized Pen

e in the right

he house myself," s

road that wound its way upward an

d Jo proudly-"the little girl I told you abo

the kindly look in the steel-gray eyes. He took one of her little hands in his strong brown ones. He wa

ou, Jo, and you, too,

es and her little mout

exclaimed Jo heartily. "I w

ed in co

en and I didn't know-anything. I know better now. But

old me to use t

right name, Marta

led cond

always knows

with Jo to love me and Mrs. Kingdon to advis

ked eagerly, a light in h

o be straight, but it was Miss Lamont who gave me the chanc

e something abou

t the right thing to cross-examine this

soon," he said, and w

k after them. They had stopped on their way and were looking into each other's eyes,

icturesque in his rough clothes; Marta, neat and natty from her litt

ecognized the tokens of membership, he went about his tasks, seeing a vision of

to dinner, Pen's

you know. Aunt Pen thought she might be lonesome eating her f

has such a kind hear

," he said. "

her kind. In vain he waited for Pen in the library that night. But,