The McCook tribune., 1891-03-27

posite to my win
dow for the coming
'of some other person. His counte-
nance was expressive of vacant insipid-
Tty, his gait irregular and his manner
confused. His dress was nondescript
very effective, no doubt but quite in
appropriated either to business :occupa-
ton or to the pursuit of legitimate
gpleasure.
He paced backward and forward
from corner to corner with an air of
self satisfaction ludicrous to behold.
Sometimes he stroked the corner of a
very pale mustachea at others he bit
the fingers of his curiously tinted gloves
and after waiting some time / noticed
that his step quickened, q sickly smile
passed over his face, and he advanced
with an extended hand toward a
young lady who was approaching
quietly.
4 sweet little creature she was, too.
Her innocent face wore a pleasedex-
preston, and she blushed a little as
she recognized the man. She was by no
n1eaDs beautiful; but she was tastefully
;appareied. Her quiet dress contrasted
strangely with his dandy gaudiness,
stnd there was aquiet attractiveness in
her erbearinggeneraily, which interested
,nne very much. She could not have
been more than sixteen, think; and
4 looked from her to her companion.
INT.1,-1 tf,nr- lnx-nrc2 IA
exceedingly. She gave him her hand
with Il confinding smile-a dainty lit
tie hand it was. He raised it to his
lips,
This act of gallantry convinced me
OF itself that there was something
wrong. No gentleman would have at
tempted such breach OF etiquette in
the public street.
They passed from my sight together,
and | could not resist the notion that
their meeting was a secret one-that
her friends knew nothing of her ac-
Q,aaintance with this Adonis, toward
whose face her eyes turned lovingly.
was sorry Tor her and wondered how
lt would all end. Would she discover
her error, or did she love him despite
ali obstacles; and was it in his power
10 make her happy?
a few hours later they passed my
window again. The same quiet con-
sidence seemed to exist between them.
He had evidently eXerted his utmost
power of fascination. Her hand rest
sd upon his arm, and she was listen
Ing intently to his conversation. They
ip2rted at the spot where they had
met, and his last words were uttered
III that peculiar whisper which is so
MACK more easily overheard than the
ordinary tone of voice. caught the
F9llowing words: Remember, dar-
ling, Wednesday, at IL. The South
eastern station"
Was it an elopement he was plan
f1inge [ thought SO. She was con-
fused, but | saw that she assented to
hts desire and was loath to part from
,hiin then; but at last she tore herself
away and walked thoughtfully down
the street, turning once round and
SIushing very much when she saw that
Ess was watching her retreating foot
steps.
: Wednesday at II! This was Mon
day evening. But after all, why
sfH0nM the assignation interest me?
Wha1 had to do with it except that
4 had much sympathy with the girl
when | noticed the gratifed, selfish
satisfaction with which he passed
rapidly in an opposite direction.
TH1ere is strange fatality about
coincidence The next morning being
Tuesday I had an appointment at
Holloway; and, as | usually do on
such occasions, took the tramway.
Having business on hand had quite
forgotten, for the first time, my inter-
EST in the couple had seen the day
before.
NY thoughts in fact, were very wan
de11ng ones. They always are during
these short journeys, for the number
OF strange people, the variety of indi-
vidual taste expressed in their appar
al, and the curious remarks and
snatches of broken conversation
(which all the passengers must over
k,earI, help to create q sort of chaos
IN my mind and send me doing physl
,caI'E and mentally.
Upon entering the car was follow
ed by two ladies, who seated them
selves opposite to me and thus at
fracted my attention.
One Of these ladies was past the
middle age, a widow apparently. The
other was some years her Junior, but her
face wore a patient air of resignation
and composure which led me to Judge
that she also had lost her husband
several years.
Her face seemed to be strangely
familiar to me- Yet to the best of my
knowledge, we had never met before.
Where could | have seen that face?
She whispered something to her
friend l did not overhear; fragment
of conversation that had been inter-
rzlpted by entering the car, probably.
Then she was silent a moment, and
aafterward( still addressing her friend)
She made q second remark, and
heard these words quite plainly:
Uneasy about Ethel-frequently-
IN the evening"
The words made no impression on
me at the moment, but they occurred
TO me shot time afterwards. |
think the words impressed themselves
s;son my mind at the instant of my
recognition of the lady's features.
There was q strong resemblance be-
ko., +b;c ladu and tho yOunu Uirl 7