Middletown transcript., 1893-09-09
Have you ever met him2''
"No. y I answered.

Have you ever met him?n
ssNo, 2 answered.
It was the truth, and nothing but
the truth; but it was not the whole
truth. At that moment, in the letter
case in my pocket carried the letter
had-found in the frame of the mirror
had bbught at auction. / believed II
to be the one Lefty had written to that
man. OF course, I was not sure. How
could 1 be until 1 had read it2
But was convinced that | could,
perhaps, give myself an opportunity
for noble self-sacrifice. l could clear
Whitmore's character, and, like the
advertising fortuneteller, 'reunite
those long separated" But was |
called upon to do it? I was in di'
lemma.
| kissed Letty's hand and arose from
| the seat beside her.
Twill you think it over little
| WHILE" 1 said, land answer me in a
day or twoP After all, am worth as
much as Whitmore, and you ought to
consider me also."
81 do,' she said, ST feel as if l
might be so happy if my conscience were
but clear"
hurried away. went to my hotel.
took the letter from the case, opened
it, and read it. 1t was brief and to the
point. 1t accepted an offer of mar
riage, and was signed, "Yours ever,
Lefty Linnet."
And was she to be his forever?
Knowing the trick fate had played
the man 1 could not speak Of him as !
otherwise would have done. He might
be broken-hearted for all I knew. /
felt as though ere rascal to keep
tire truth from Lefty.
AS I sat at my window thinking all
this over, the diligence, full of passen-
gers, stopped at the door below. The
usual number of English were among
the new arrivals, and particularly
noticed a fat gentleman, with case of
fishingrods, who exhibited perfectly
bald head when he took off his broad
straw hat to wipe his forehead.
met the man at dinner and liked
his looks. After supper, on the
veranda, we spoke, He inquired of
me if there was good fishing there
about, and I volunteered to show him
a stream said to be full of specimens
of the finny tribe beloved by anglers.
1t was as we stood beside this stream
that he produced his card-case and
offered me his card. I gave him mine
in return. But the moment l glanced
at his uttered cry of "Good heaven!"
and started as do the guilty people in
novels. Indeed, felt guilty.
l fancied as he stared at me in
astonishment that he could see his let
ter through the cloth of my coat as it
lay in my pocket. The interposition of
Providence seemed too evideut to
withstand. l nerved myself and spoke.
ssMr. Whitmore,' said, 81 believe
have carried letter addressed to
you about with me for a long time" !"
Letter of Introduction" asked he.
tive been abroad"
"a letter to you from lady," said |.
Then explained how I came by it,
and he laughed.
"I remember the Mirror" said he.
''Dear me, do you know,this is quite a
romantic affair, believe"
1 had taken the letter from the book
and given it to him by this time. l
think he did not notice that it had
cen cut open as he tore it across, and
when he had put on his eyeglasses and
read it, he burst into jolly roar of
laughter.
''It is too good to keep to myself, =
said he. tThat mirror came from --
hotel. One summer, six years ago, l
met gill there and fancied myself in
love with her-a sentimental creature
with blue eyes. was old enough not
to be bashful, b It / was. l proposed
to her by letter; said silence would be
received as a rejection of my suit. and
waited for an answer. Inever got one.
was pretty mad, and went off. Here
she has accepted me. Been thinking
I've Tilted her all this while. What a
position"
"But you can go to her and explain, :"
said 1.
"Well," he answered with another
jolly laugh. 81 ought to explain thai
I'm not the cad she must think me-.
But, really, had quite forgotten all
about her. didn't take it hard, and
then, I've wife and three childre'i.
two Of them twins; they're coming
down here to- -morrow-a wife ten times
better suited to me than what's her
name. l guess I'll let it go.'
saw him looking at me curiousiy
again. No doubt, my face expressed
great relief, and the next day L had llif
pleasure of pointing out to Lefty Lin
net, Mr.. Whitmofe, wife and family,
all fishing together on the river bank.
They've registered at my hotel, "
said l.
"a load is lifted from my heart, ~
said Lefty.
She put her haud in mine and
kissed it.