The morning call., 1895-02-24
"You again? she asked.
The other shadow nodded.
"Why didn't YOU come in the cancer"


"Why didn't you come in the cancer"
because people see it.
1t struck her that her attitude was IN
conventional, and by a 1.-THE complicated
movement, whereof Charlie noticed only
the elegance and not the details, she swept
round and, sitting, looked up at him.
81 know who she was, she observed.
"She very nearly knew who you were.
You oughtn't to have come to the WIN
dow
''She thought was the ghost"
'You shouldn't reckon Oh people being
| foolish
Shouldn't? Yet I reckoned on your
of me in the water"
II wish l were an irregular man." said
! Charlie
| She was slowly turning down her sleeves,
and, ignoring his remark, said, with
! question in her tones:
| ada Wallace says that Willie Prime
says that everybody says that you're going
to marry that girl"
| 81 believe it's quite true"
| ooh p and she looked across the Pool.
'True that everybody says so,' added
| Charlie
| Suddenly she turned to him with a seri-
Gus face, or one that tried to be serious.
"Why do YOU Gomez" she asked.
"Why do I eat?' he returned.
"And yet you were angry the first time. "
"Nobody likes to be caught ranting out
| poetry-especially his own"
~ believe you were frightened-you
thought l was Agatha. The poetry was
about her, wasn't it?"
tits not at all bad poem" observed
Charlie.
GU remember I liked it so much that
L clapped my hands"
"And jumped!"
The girl laughed.
"Ah, well, she said "it's time to go
home''
ooh, dear, no." said Charlie.
"But I've promised to be early, because
| Willie Primes coming, and I'm to be in
| troduced to him.
"Willie Prime can wait. He's got Miss
| Wallace to comfort him, and I've got no.
BODY to comfort me-"
sob, yes-Miss Bushell."
| "You know her name ?"
Eyes; and yours-your surname, |
mean; you told me the other"
"That's more than you have done
for me-"
81 told you my name was Agatha"
'.Ah, but that was a joke. I'd been
| talking about Agatha Merceron."
every well. I'm sorry it doesn't satisfy
you. If you won't believe me-
"But your surname?"
tOh, mine? Why. mines Brown"
Brown" re-echoed Charlie, with a
tinge of disappointment I'm his tone.
Don't you like it?" asked Miss Agatha
Brown. with a smile.
"Oh, it will do for the present." laughed
Charlie.
well, don't mean to keep it all my life
I've spent to-day, Mr.. Merceron, in spying
out your house. Nettie Wallace and ven
tured quite near. It's very pretty"
Rather dilapidated, I'm afraid"
whats the time, Mr.. Merceron?"
"Half past g. Oh, by lowell"
DWELL? Afraid of seeing poor AgathaP"
~ should see nobody but you, ifyou were
here. No. I forgot. I've got to meet
some one at the station at a quarter past
seven"
ooh, do tell me who?'
'You'd be none the wiser. It's Mr..
Victor Sutton"
"Victor Sutton!" she exclaimed, with
glance at Charlie which passed unnoticed
by him. ais he friend of yours ?"
81 suppose so. Of my family's, any
how
"Good-by. I'm going" she announced.
''You'll be here tomorrow"
ayes. For the last time"
She dropped this astonishing thunder
bolt on Charles head as though it had
| been the most ordinary remark in the
world.
''The last time Oh, Miss" No; some
how he could not lay his tongue to that
MI DIONI.
81 can't spend all my life in Lang
Marsh" said she.
mo, no. This is not not the last time.
Shant we keep that?" she asked, with a
provokingly light-hearted smile.
''You promise to be here tomorrow"
ooh, yes"
81 shall have something to say to you
then" Charlie announced, with signifi-
cant air.
"Oh, you never lack conversation"
''You'll be here at 5?''
"Precisely." she answered, with mock
gravity, "arfd now I'm gonei"
Charlie took off his straw hat, and
stretched out his right hand and took hers.
For a moment she drew back, but he
looked very handsome and gallant as he
bowed his head down to her hand, and she
checked the movement.
ooh. wellp' she murmured; she was
protesting against any Importance being
attached to the incident.
Charlie, having paid his homage, walked,
or rather ran, swiftly away. To begin with,
| he had none too much time if he was to
meet Victor Sutton; secondly he was full
of big resolve, and that generally makes
man walk fast.
| Copyright, 1894, by Anthony Hope.
To be continued
/