The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-03-13

time in which to think of an answer,
"when-when-well after / heard you
were in love with me-"
She felt it was not very satisfactory
answer, and so she hurriedly went on:
"You know the song says: 4 love be-
cause my love loves me-"
"And from whom,' said Frank, rather
surprised, did you hear loved you?"
"From my aunt"
81 wonder who told her?" he said,
refectively.
81 know. 1t was your uncle"
"Indeed!" cried Frank.
Eyes! But tell me when did you
come to really love me well enough to
ask me to be your wife?"
'When heard you were really in love
with me-"
"And who told you that?'
MY uncle!"
"Your uncle! Do you mean Martin
Kirwin?"
81 do"
"Did you ever hear how he found
out?"
"Of course, your aunt, Mrs. Cross
lands, told it to him as fact"
my aunt! This sounds like terrible
conspiracy" cried May, sitting bold up
right.
"It does"
Frank, you don't love me, and you
have been fooled into marrying me-"
"What nonsense, my dear May, you
are talking
But Franks voice was evasive, though
his words were kind.
81 am not talking nonsense, Frank
l see it all. You married me because
you were told loved you'll" exclaimed
May, rather Historically.
''That is why you married me-" was
her bridegroom's answer.
Frank, you and l have been great
chums for years, more like mere friends
than anything else, and pals don't tell
lies to one another. Will you give me
a plain answer to simple question:"
Il have never told you a lie yeti"
did you ever love any other WON
amp
81 did"
"Ah! Did she refuse your"
mo. | never gave her the chance
said the young man, bitterly.
Twill you tell me her name?" muir
INJURED May.
"My dear May, men, even men who
have pals, and gentlemen, do not men
ton ladies' names in connection with
fiirtations. l might as well ask you if
you ever loved any other man, and ex :
pect you to tell me his name.'
81 will be quite honest with you,
Frank. l did love another man, and
think you should know his name, under
the circumstances-but that is, provid-
ed you tell me the name of the girl
with whom you were in love-"
Frank hesitated an instant. He was
a little slow in gasping the situation,
but he was curious, and he thought if
he refused it would impress his wife
with the truth of the fact that he still
loved another woman. He hit upon a
wise compromise, however, and said:
"My dear May, think it will be wiser,
easier for us both if no names are men
toned on either side"
May assented, but her sensibilities
were touched, and she sobbed little
as she cried: "My poor boy, we have
both been fooled, but what is to be
done? What is to bedone?"
MAY, this is very bad business, but
what is done cannot be undone," said
Frank, with martial seriousness. "All
the law of England could not free us
now without terrible scandal, which
would not only make us more miser-
able than we are, but would ruin the
lives of two people whom we love, alas!
better than each other. / do not in
tend to make blackguard of myself,
and do not intend that you shall bring
disgrace upon yourself"
"Can nothing be done?"
Yes. We have always been very
good pals. We are both in an awful
mess. We must face it together. We
must go back now-and in the future
we must be. like pals, friendly one with
another"
The month of honeymoon was draw
ing to an end. May and Frank had
led, as far as the world knew, the life
Aof ideal lovers. They had spent their
time in playing lawn tennis or in boat
ing on the river while the fine weather
lasted. 1t was only when they had
been confined to the house for some
days that time began to fall heavily on
their hands. and they longed for the
society of anybody else in the world but
one another It thus came about that
one day when sitting in the morning
room Frank said:
81 think, May, you might write and
ask Jack McGregor to come down and
spend few days"
May looked up from her fancy work.
Certainly, if you wish it; but. as [
shall have to ask somebody to meet
! him, you might divide the labor. as you
have nothing to do. by writing to him
yourself"
every well. Whom do you think o.
asking?" M
"Miss Harcourt. if you a,~,o'" So
always SO jolly and hr'.-
Up.
/