San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-09-06
AT THE MOUNTAINS.
by CARRIE Il. REwEY.


bring YOU to the mountains this bless
ed day? III they could have asked
me, OF all the world, whom l would
most wish to see this minute, |
would have answered Nell Battsford.
And your brother?" he continued.
az lust saw him disappear down the
carriage road. Could he not remain?
Child, why don't you speak? Have
YOU no words OF welcome, after all
these years
I had turned to the speaker when
he first addressed me. He was stand
ine by q small rowboat, drawn up on
the beach of a little blue lake at K,
in front of the Mountain House,
handsome Bob Trueman, the artist.
[ answered slowly:
ooh, it all seems SO strange to see
YOU again, Bob, | was trying to real
ize!"
And, indeed, it did seem strange;
as il the great wheels of Time had
rolled backward, and | was picking
I'D the threads of a romance broken
Sour years before.
In the parting that he must have
witnessed between myself and another
on the beach, a few minutes before,
he had mistaken my husband, Lieu
tenant Norton, for an older brother
of nine whom he had once met
years before.
lieutenant Norton was handsome,
brilliant and accomplished, and |
was very proud of him. But physi-
calIy he much resembled my brother
Harry; and this was not the first time
one. had been mistaken for the other.
[ saw at once that Bob had made the
popular error, and the same instant
IN imp seemed to whisper in my ear,
"Fool him little while; it will be
such fun.
"And your cousin Maud l said,
addressing Bob again. II saw her
with you at dinner"
lieutenant Norton and l. arrived
K---just before dinner, and the
table at which we dined was close
to the hall door. [ had recognized
Bob and Maud clear down to the
other end Of the immense dining
hall.
Immediately after dinner Fred (my
husbaud) and [ retired to our rooms
COR few minutes hurried CONVERSE
zion, and then [ accompanied him
down TO the carriage, which was
waiting to convey him to the station,
for he must return to town by the
next igaiu to transact some business,
but was coming back to the hotel on
the evening train.
But to return to Bob and my men
ton of Maud.
yes, he replied, she is with me.
Poor girl! She has a terrible head
ache, and has lain down for a nap.
She told me not to call her at tea
time. [ say Nell, you and L must
take :; row on the lake. 1t is a glori-
Gus afternoon, and we can talk over
old times"
[ looked at the blue lake dancing
IN the aunlight. 1t was so tempting.
There were water-lilies on the other
Lido That shone like stars in the dis
tance, What could be the possible
harm Of rowing Il little while in
front q tie hotel, in broad daylight,
Cyan - 7 am married.
l looked down the carriage road
aud thought of Fred. But Fred was
uevcs biz Jealous; and, besides, he
enio7.d a Joke immensely. He
couldn't help but understand. He
couldn't seold. And if when l told
HIM about it, he added that perhaps
it might not have been quite right,
I would say l was $50 lonesome; and
never ai,opld have gone if YOU had
been he. which last clause would
contain word OF truth, anyway.
Besides l owed Bob an ola score
"A n.iic OF the past-which had new
or be-. pad; and there was Just
enough Indian in my composition to
wish by 1t, and this wOuld be
slch q sc,l opportunity.
So. i.a,crs 1 handy knew Whatof
Wa Z. su-. 1 had ued the strings /
ny E-.u-lst. was seated III the stem
of t. littie boat, and Bob had push
cd OF into the lake, and was taking