The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-03-11

little else to divert him; so when he
had finished his correspondence he
opened the least trashy of the reviews
and began to read an article of one of
the leading politicians of the day. He
waded through it with praise worthy
perseverance then, noticing that there
were two or three articles on the same
subject, closed the book, and went on
to speculate on the advisability of seek
ing post on "A periodical of "a like ma
ture; wondering whether the burning
questions that seemed capable of bear
ing so many and such different inter-
pretations would, in the end, prove any
less wearisomo than the love-tales,
hair-breadth escapes, and semi-scien-
tific articles with which he was accus-
toned to ill the pages of his magazine.
"Ah, well" he said 10 himself with q
smile, when he had thought the matter
out ito stick to the evil one knows" is
/ the safest course after all. / should
only get into hotter water if | med
died with politics. Perhaps it may be
interesting to see how other people d0
my work." he continued, languidly,
taking up the current number of the
- Magazine as he spoke, $50 here
goes for the light literature
The smile faded from his lips the
next moment, and there was catch
in his breath, as glancing over the
table of contents, his eye lighted on the
title of the last article in the list: ''Is
1t Too Late?" Ii was the very story
he had read so carefully and returned
to the author. He threw the book from
him, annoyed that the book should
thus force itself on his notice. 1t lay
| untouched for some minutes, while its
victim cursed the i'll luck that kept
him helpless as log, when rapid mo-
ton was the only thing to bring him
relief Then almost involuntarily he
lifted il from the floor, and once more
read the little story 10 the end.
Manvers gave a deep sigh, and turn
ing impatiently, gazed out of the win
dow. Groups of people were in the
garden below, apparently but just re-
turned from some excursion, for they
were talking over their experiences,
and their merry laughter reached to
his third-floor bedroom, and for mo-
ment drove his thoughts into Il pleas
anter channel. But only for mo-
mcnt. Then a voice broke upon his
ear that had been unheard by him for
many long day, and he started and
turned pale.
Could it be she was here? When last
he had heard of her she was residing in
Florence with: her parents. But of
course the Blakemores, like everyone
else, were free TO roam at will, and, if
they choose to spend the autumn
months in the cooler Switzerland, why
not?
He could not see the speaker from his
sofa, bat presently she crossed the
grass, and, accompanied by another
girl, stood looking at the surrounding
mountains. Yes, il was Helen-wheth-
er Helen Blakemore still was matter
he must, i'm some way, bring his Ger
man friend to ascertain.
1t would be easy to avoid ameeting,
should he wish TO do so, for, though
he had intended going down the next
day, he might alter his mind, and no
one would think it strange. One thing
must be done, he decided, and that inn
mediately-that wretched magazine
must be kept out of the reading-room,
where, to a certainty, it would full into
her hands. so, with some difficulty, he
edged himself towards the stove, open
ed the little door, and, forgetting the
book did not belong To him, thrust it
inside to he cremated at his leisure.
He had hardly done this and resum-
ed his seat when his young friend burst
i'm, and, seating himself without taking
any heed of Manvers' preoccupied air,
began to dilate on the new arrivals.
"The mother and father are most
pleasant and friendly" he said, his face
all aglow with excitement and the eX-
ertion of his mornings climb. ''Just
the sort of people for place of this
sort-jolly and kind and ready for any
thing. The daughter is a Spanish-look
ing beauty with superb eyes-I can't
think where she gets them from. They
are friends of that fellow Donnithorne
the man with glass in his eye-he
is quite gone on Miss BlakemOre- But
she keeps him and everybody else at
distance, and no mistake. | haven't
had the courage to say word TO her
yet, and I'm not shy man, by any
means"
Yes, that was Helen all over. How
well Manvers knew the look that would
by any chance, her fellow-travelers
showed undue familiarity. He had
learned, now, what he wanted to know,
and asked no further questions, deem
ing it better not 10 claim acquaintance
with the Blakemore family unless
which was unlikely-they should de-
sire il.
At night, as he lay sleepless, he de-
bated with himself as to his course Of
action. With the pathetic appeal of
that little story ringing in his ears, his
heart was very tender towards his old
love. Was it too late? One word
would make such difference in the
happiness of two lives, and could he
let that word go unspoken? No, a
thousand times no. Still pride fought
hard. With all his unspeakable long
ing to touch once more the hand of the
girl he loved, he could not forget that
if an advance were to be made, il was,
in all right and reason, her place to
make it. But his better self conquered
at last, and when morning dawned, he
had come to the conclusion 10 put TO
the test the lesson 50 strangely forced
on him.
So the magazine was not cremated,
but laid carefully on the reading-room
table, and Manvers, screened from OBJ
servation by thick curtain, lay on
sofa i'm the recessed window of the ante
room, and waited to see what would
happen. Truly a tantalizing occupa-