Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-10-26
"Indeed, 7 didn'tI"

''Tndeed, I didn'tl"
I might have added, that, next to
seeing Kate, his was the most welcome
face l could have seen.
"Come, Bob" he said, taking me
by the arm in the old familiar way of
our college days, 81 have much to say
to you."
He took me to the room-the Ii.
brary-where I had my last interview
with Kate. How often I had since
recalled it.
"We are old chums, Bob," he said,
"and l am going to speak to you
frankly. am far from a spiritualist,
hypnotist, or anything of that kind !;
but there must be a community of
spirit between us, for 1 find that,
though SO far separated from each
other, we have been on the same
track"
'The same track" I repeated,
scarcely knowing what to make of
this strange preliminary.
eyes, on the same track. First,
answer me one question-are you still
enamored with Miriam Mowbray?"
L was staggered by the question.
How should he know that l had been
enamored with Miriam Mowbray? He
was searching me with his eyes as he
spoke. Apparently satisfied with the
scrutiny, he put into my hands letter
to him, dated three months back,
from his sister Kate.
| can scarcely tell you the astonish-
ment with which I read it. 1 was the
beginning of it; was the end of it.
1t set forth the confessions had
made to her of my love for Miriam
Mowbray it magnifed thousandfold
the little service [ had done for Guy
in the past; and it ended by an ap.
peal to him to give me a fair field in
trying to win Miss Mowbray's hand.
Was there ever such n letter penned
from sister to brother?
81 cannot understand it. am al
together mystilied," answered.
"Just 80. Let me throw little
light on the situation. You did not
know, because it was u secret, but be-
fore | left England for South Africa
before, in fact, the illness through
which you helped to nurse mel was the
fortunate lover of Miriam Mowbray;
fortunate in one sense, but unfortun-
ate in another, since Mr.. Mowbray
would not at that time acknowledge
me because L had not made position
for myself. Now do you see why Kate
wrote to me?"
'I-I understand" stanmered.
"My answer to the letter was"
cob, you needn't say, Guy. I see
il ALL" clasping him by the hand.
"Your answer to that letter was Let
my old chum go in and win,' but 1
have lost, and you?"
"Can 1 say that L have won, old fell
low?"
"Yes, Guy; yes; I am not afraid of
hearing the truth. My illusion is
quite gone. 1 can only wish you what
your noble sister wished me-good
luck in your wooing. By the bye,
would you mind handing me that al
bum OF you elbow?"
Guy handed it to me in some sur.
prise at my sudden request.
"Thanks, 1 said. ''Pardon me one
moment.
I quickly turned over the pages
again. l need not have done SO ex-
cept to further convince myself that I
was an ass.
1 saw at once the portrait in which
Miriam Mowbray was absorbed on that
night when 1 was deceived into be-
lieving that she loved me. l had put
tho pencil mark on the page at which
the album was open, but 1 had left
entirely out of the question the por-
trait on the opposite side, which was
the portrait of Guy Brand.
AS old chums We had been placed in
the album facing each other. Kate
had, of course, seen my mistake, but
rather than wound my feelings or my
vanity-which was it ?-had not limited
a suspicion OF the truth.
Love in more senses than one is
blind.
The same day l discovered that
Kate was returning home. l gained
permission to be her escort.
hoH BluuiyH hluSSi my way TO
Durham. L found her scarcely the
Kate 1 had last seen her. She was pale,
more subdued, hut still tho Kate 1
knew so well.
There was less of the old brightness
of outlook, perhaps, but she came for
ward to greet me with that smile which
before and since has been to ma as q
life beacon.
i said to her in awkward fashion all
that had been framing itself iuto q
speech on the way down. Tho answer
which / received this time was far
different from that which 1 received
to my other petition.
When her head was resting on my
breast she asked me coyly through q
mist of happy tears:
"Would you like to see that--that
slip OF paper from your notebook,
Bob?"
"No, DEAR" 1 said with a smile. 'T
think l know by this tina the name
you wrote on that paper. Besides, I
am above the feminine instinct Of
Of"