Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-07-20


CHAPTER v.
Pol-Hath there been such a time Q'd fain
know thaD,
That have positively said: otis So"
When II proved otherwisoi
Hamlet
Ilume-seal up your lips and give no word but
-mum
This business asketh silent secresyi
King Henry vi
Immediately after dinner North re-
turned TO his room with tho intention
Of writing 10 his New York colleagues,
notifying them of his arrival In u,
and giving them the benefit Of his opin-
ion as TO the probability Of his discover
ing Dennis o'Reilly himself, to say moth
ing Of his supposed clews.
Seated at the writing table, deliberat-
ing gravely before commencing the let
ter, he drew his cigar case from his
pocket, thinking that he might find in
spiration in a fragrant Havana, and
with IL came the envelope that he had
received from Mrs. Maynard's hand.
The sight OF II struck disagreeably upon
him. By this time his better Judgment,
having secured tardy hearing, was
severely condcmning the reckless spirit
that had led him to call on Mrs May
nard, and he had the good grace 10 be
heartily ashamed of himself for that
exploit. How he should make amends
for II was u question difficult enough un-
der any circumstances, but complicated
10 the extreme Of awkwardness by his
possession OF that letter-a letter which
Mrs. Maynard had evidently designed
for the pcrusal Of trusted and conf
dental friend, not of a total stranger.
With a growing sense OF his own en-
barrassing position, North laid the en-
velope as far IA possible from him on the
desk; and as he did so, his glance fell idly
upon one OF the books that were ranged
beneath the pigeon holes. In his first
hurried examination of the room he had
glanced through several OF the books
without finding anything that would
identify the owner; but he had over
looked this volume, which, as his eye
now rested upon it, seemed to wear
strangely familiar look.
lie drew II from its place and looked at
the title; II was copy of Don Quixote,
In the original. With growing excite
mcnt he turned To the fly leaf. There,
above date that carried him bacl, In
memory several years 10 his college
days at Harvard, he saw written by his
own hand the words collin, from
Allan" while underneath, In the dog
gercl in which undergraduates delight,
were scrawlcd few stanzas, the
authorship Of which rcmorseless mem
DRY Immediately fastened upon him.
The book dropped from his hands in
his agitation at this discovery. In tones
of incredulous amazcmcnt he exclaimed:
AT last the mystery is solved by
Jove! So my first suspicion was cor
rect, after all, Ollin, not Allan; the
similarity In sound deceived me; 1t was
Ollin North that he said"-his thoughts
suddenly revcrting IN the gentleman
with the Eyeglasses. Actually Noll,
my own twin-brotherl No wonder they
can't tell MS apart! Wen, | am aston
ished! should rs soon have expected
IN run against the man In the moon. or
any other person of doubtful existence,
rs 10 find Noll here. Why didn't he let
me know where he was? | hope he
doesn't lay any of Uncle Dicks sins at
my door! What II the old gentleman
was. always holding me up as u model
for Noll to initiate, ever since we were
in Snickerboclers, and calling me his
favoritc nephew and all that rubbish;
why, bless his heart Noll knew we'll
enough how | felt toward him, and !
don't believe there was ever the faintcst
shade of jealousy or even so much Us n
passing cloud between us up to the very
day we parted so suddenly! Let me see,
now, how long ago was that? We were