The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-03-19

AMkAys
lido my best to repress . smile, and 60
taking the book from her hand I retire
to the privacy of my sanctum, where {
proceed 10 inscribe my name In my larl
gest. manifest chirography. Idry IL care-
fully and return TO the reception room.
"Oh, how very kind Ia your my Wis
itor gushes again. II shall prize IL aa
long 40 / lvei Are you his sister,
i shake my head.
''Oh, not kis-wifer'
fancy nsternation in the sweet,
shrill, giriisn voice. Evidently the fact
of a better half would forever obscure
the fame Of the popular writer.
Again ! shake my head.
We're st. Adams ID not married" /
return, and the violet eyes dance with
delight. She IL pleased and does not at
tempt to conceal it.
"a ann his nearest friend" I added e
planatorily, nearer to him than any one
else"
And then I bow her ont and 60 back
to my work. Rnt all day long I am Wis
tied by thoughts OF the pretty college
girl, and j fall to wondering IL Brother
Tom paid his wager like o man OF honor.
The next day We're st. Albans' re-
ceives cards OF invitation TO several af-
fairs. The envelopes are all addressed
to Mr.. We're st. Adams, and gradually it
daw1s upon me that ! am universally
believed to be of the masculine gender.
It 10 amusing and provoking, but the
situation has its com~pensations. de-
cline every invitation in We're st. Adams
name and feel almost like an impostor
as / do so.
Day after day I am besieged by callers
who demand TO look upon the face of the
mysterious ST. Adams. OF course / re-
fuse everybody. I double Abby's wages
and station her in the small entrance
hall, with orders TO admit no one. / re-
ceive letters from my publishers re-
preaching me with my seclusion.
Don't be q hermit. my dear fellow"
says n of the letters from the august
head of the house; "a little society will
freshen You up, and besides you have
really made q hit in that last article, and
people are DESTROYS of meeting you. My
son, whom we have Just admitted TO the
Arm, Ii very anxious to meet YOU
And SO on until I feel the blood grow
cold within my veins at thought Of pos
sible complications.
Can I always preserve my incognita?
win they not besiege my den and ferret
the truth and me-out of 1t together? It
comes at last. One bright winter morn
ing Abby ushers into my presence q port
~ looking old gentleman, and with him
o man Of some 30 years, tall, dark, hand
some-just such q face as / love to por-
tray as the faces Of my heroes.
81 beg your pardonf"
with surprise.
"The servant showed us in here. We
are DESTROYS Of meeting Mr.. We're st.
Adams. We are of the publishing firm
of Anterior q Sons. wish to see Mr..
st. Adams In regard TO some especial
work. WIN you kindly request him 20
give us audience?
feel. my face growing red-redder-
reddest. I rise from my chair and mo-
tion them to be seated near. Iopen my
mouth to blurt forth the whole truth,
but some perverse imp seizes my tongue,
and instead I falter:
"You cannot see We're st. Adams to-
day, gentlemen. He's indisposed.n
So he 10, indeed, indispoeed to receive
visitors.
"You are Mrs. We're st. Adams, I pre-
sumo" he observes. And Lob, depths
Of infamyi ] am 30 embarrassed, so
overwhelmed with embarrassment mn
der the cool, steady gaze OF the younger
man that ] bow and mutter something
which sounds strangely like Eyes"
At that moment there is q curious bus
tie within the fiat where my little home
ID situated. An uproar all at once, and
in PUSHES Abby, wild and disheyeled,
and clings TO my arm like o mad crea-
ture.
"Oh, Miss We're! Miss vere?:' she
shrieks, ''the house is on hrei Come, let
rs get away, o. we shall be burned
aliveIs
It is all true. The FIRE has been burn
ing 90 long unsuspected that now it
breaks out with irresistible force, and
soon the whole building is in flames,
But long before then we are quite safe.
My two visitors bear my desk down
stairs between them, and while the elder
man keeps watch and ward oven ii out
side upon the street the younger returns
to me.
I'VE must get your husband out he
says eagerly. .sShow me his room, and
/ viii do my best TO save him."
MY husbandg' 7 falter feebIy. why,
I have NO husbandrs
.sThen who Is We're ST. AlbansT'
~ amir
So the truth Is told, and somehow I
feel better.
When we are all safe on terra frna,
my new friend turns to me and says in
low tone:
my name Is Tom Anterior. NY
young sister called to obtain We're ST.
Adams autograph. She is more than
half In love with the unknown and mys-
FERROUS We're. I shall take pleasure In
undeceiving her.
Then after a long pause, during which
he studies my slammed face attentively.
1n ad10. #a#%&I &g