The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1891-04-02

ity, his gait irregular and his manner
confused. His dress was nondescript
very effective, no doubt but quite in
appropriate either to business ,occupa-
ton or to the pursuit OF legitimate
pleasure.
He paced backward and forward
from corner to corner with an air OF
self satisfaction ludicrous to behold.
Sometimes he stroked the corner Of
very pale mustache at others he bit
the fingers of his curiously tinted gloves
and after waiting some time noticed
that his step quickened, sickly smile
passed over his face, and he advanced
with an extended hand toward q
young lady who was approaching
quietly.
A sweet little creature she was, too.
! Her innocent face wore a pleasedex-
preston, and she blushed little as
she recognized the man. She was by no
means beautiful; but she was tastefully
appareled. Herquiet dress contrasted
strangely with his dandy gaudiness,
and there was aquet attractiveness in
her bearinggeneraily, which interested
me very much. She could not have
been more than sixteen, | think and
! looked from her to her companion.
Were they lovers? If so, / pitied her
exceedingly. She gave him her hand
with a continuing 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-
quaintance with this Adonis, toward
whose face her eyes turned lovingly.
| was sorry for her and wondered how
it would all end. Would she discover
her error, or did she love him despite
all Obstacles and was it in his power
to make her happy
A few hours later they passed my
window again. The same quiet con
iidence seemed to exist between them.
He had evidently exerted his utmost
power OF fascination. Her hand rest
ed upon his arm, and she was listen
ing intently to his conversation. They
parted at the spot where they had
met, and his last words were uttered
in that peculiar whisper which is so
much more easily overheard than the
ordinary tone of voice. | caught the
following words: Remember, dar-
ling Wednesday, at IL. The South
eastern station"
Was it an elopement he was plan
ningY l thought so. She was con
fused, but / saw that she assenued tt
his desire and was loath to part iron
him then; but at last she tore hersel
away and walked thoughtfully dow
the street, turning once round anC
blushing very much when she saw tina
he was watching her retreating foot
steps.
Wednesday at Ii! This was Mon
day evening. But after all, VIII,
should the assignation interest me
What had I to do with it except tina
| had much sympathy with the gil
when / noticed the gratified, selfisl
satisfaction with which he passe,
rapidly in an opposite direction.
There is strange fatality abou
Tuesday l had an appointment a
Holloway; and, as l usually do o.
such occasions, | took the tramway.
Having business on hand had quit
forgotten, for the first time, my inter
est in the couple had seen the da,
before.
My thoughts in fact, were very wan
dering ones. They always are durin
Il, fl,A I,a
of strange people, the variety of ind
vidual taste expressed in their appal
ell, and the curious remarks an
snatches of broken conversatio
- (which all the passengers must ovel
! hearl help to create a sort of chao
4 in my mind and send me doing phys
I cally and mentally.
Upon entering the car | was follow
ed by two ladies, who seated then
4 selves opposite to me and thus a
1 tracted my attention.
Z One of these ladies was past I'll
4 middle age, a widow apparently. III
q oUher was some years her junior, but h,
4 face wore Il patient air of resignatio
: and composure which led me to juds
q that she also had lost her husban
q several years.
y Her face seemed to be strange
q familiar to me. Yet to the best OF N
u knowledge, we had never met befor
Where could | have seen that face?
She whispered something to h
friend | did not overhear; a fragmel
of conversation that had been int
rupted by entering the car, probabl
Then she was silent a moment, al
afterward( still addressing her frien'
She made a second remark, and
heard these words quite plainly:
Uneasy about Ethel-frequently
in the evening,
The words made no impression {
me at the moment, but they occurr
to me q shot time afterwards.
think the words impressed themselv
upon my mind at the instant of n
recognition of the lady's features.
a There was a strong resemblance
D tween this lady and the young CIR
bal had scrutinized the evening ?
Ial. viously.
Or This lady was her mother, possibl
. Could the child indeed be Ethel up
. whose account anxiety was expires
y, ed?
&c. In that possibility was it my du
-, to interfere?
v, The next words made me more c.
les: tain that Ethel and my heroine we
- the same person.
"She will leave for the country
~ Il.