Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1896-04-03

look you up directly come back"
AS a rule Manvers made a point of
eschewing all periodical literature dur
ing his holiday, but just now he had
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 praiseworthy
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 periodical of 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 wearisome than the lovc-tales,
hair-breadth escapes, and semi-scien-
tific articles with which he was accus.
toned to fiji the pages of his magazine.
"Ah, we'll" he said to himself with \
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 do
my work." he continued, langudly,
taking up the current number of the
- Magazine as he spoke, 80 here
goes for 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: SIS
1t Too Late" 1t 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 it's
victim cursed the i'll luck that kept
him helpless as log, when rapid mo-
tion was the only thing to bring him
relief. Then almost Involuntary he
lifted it from the floor, and once more
read the little story to the end
Manners gave 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-foor bedroom, and for a mo
ment drove his thoughts into pleas
anter channel. But only for mo-
ment. Then voice broke upon his
car that had been unheard by him for
many a long day, and he started and
turned pale
Could it he she was here? When last
lie 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 hif
sofa, but presently she crossed the
grass, and, accompanied by another
} girl, stood looking at the surrounding
mountains. Yes, it was Helen-wheth-
er Helen Blakemore still was matter
he must, in some way, bring his Ger
man friend to ascertain.
1t would be easy to avoid meeting
: should he wish to do so, for, though
he had intended going down the next
| Il hn al in1
one would think it strange. One thing
must be done, he decided, and that i'm
mediately-that wretched magazine
must be kept out of the reading-room
where, to certainty, it would fall into
her hands, So, with some difficulty, he
edged himself towards the stove
opened the little door, and, forgetting
the book did not belong to him, thrust
1t inside to be cremated at his leisure.
He had hardly done this and resumed
his seat when his young friend burs
IN, and, seating himself without taking
any heed of Manvers preoccupied air
began to dilate on the new arrivals.
1 "The mother and father are mos
| pleasant and friendly" he said, his fac,
all aglow with excitement and the ex
: ertion of his mornings climb. Jus
the sort of people for place of thi
sort-jolly and kind and ready for any
thing. The daughter is Spanish-looli
i ing beauty with superb eyes-l can
A think where she gets them from. The,
Z, ere friends of that fellow Donnithorn,
the man with glass in his eye-h,
IS quite gone on Miss Blakemore. Blu
e she keeps him and everybody else at
4 distance, and no mistake. | haven
2 had the courage to say word 10 he
yet, and I'm not a shy man, by an,
[ means"
4 Yes, that was Helen all over HOY
: well Manners knew the look that woul,
. come into those dark eyes of hers, il
/ by any chance, her fellow-traveler
. showed undue familiarity. He ha
e learned, now, what he wanted to know
: and asked no further questions, deem
: ing it better not to claim Acquaintance
g with the Blakemore family unless
t which was unlillely-they should de
e sire it.
8 AT night, as he lay sleepless, he dc
i bated with himself as to his course O
b action. With the pathetic appeal G
S that little story ringing in his ears, hi
o heart was very tender towards his oil
:. love. Was it too late? One wor
B, would make such a difference in tn
d happiness of two lives, and could Ii
y let that word go unspoken? No,
d thousand times no. Still pride Tough
i hard. With all his unspcakable long
II ing to touch once more the hand of tn
y girl he loved, he could not forget tina
y if an advance were to be made, it wal