The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-07-31

/ -
"Ah, WELL" he said to himself with 4
smile, when he had thought the matter
out, ''to stick to the evil one knows is
the safest course after oil. I should
only get into hotter water If l med
died with politics. Perhaps 1t may be
interesting to sec how other people do
my work." he continued, languidly,
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
It Too Late27 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 its
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 involuntarily he
lifted 1t from the floor, and once more
read the little story to the end.
Manvers 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 @ mo-
ment drove his thoughts into pleas
anter channel. But only for q mo-
lnent. Then o voice broke upon his
car 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 aRlakemores, 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, but presently she crossed the
grass, and, accompanied by another
girl, stood looking at the surrounding
mountains. Yes, it was uelen-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 a meeting,
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 1t 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, 1t 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
it inside to be cremated at his leisure
He had hardly done this and resumed
his seat when his young friend burst
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 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 aSpanish-look-
ing beauty with superb eyes-I can't
| think where she eRts them from. They
ere 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 a
distance, and no mistake. I 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
we'll Manvers knew the look that would
come into those dark eyes of hers, if,
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 to claim acquaintance
with the Blakemore family unless
which was unhkely-they should de-
sire it.
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 unspolsen? No,
thousand times no. Still pride fought
hard. With oil his unspeakable long
ing to touch once more the hand of the
girl he loved, he could not forget that
if ON advance we're to be made, II was,
in oil 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 to put to
the test the lesson so strangely forced
on him.
| So the magazine was not cremated,
but laid carefully on the reading-roon
table, and Manvers, screened from OBJ
servation by thick curtain, lay on q
sofa in the recessed window of the
ante-room, and waited to see what
would happen. Truly o tantalizing
occupation, for young girls came In and
out, but never the one he was yearning
| for.
The morning had been stormy dud
dark, but after two o'clock the sky
cleared. and one by one visitors tripped
past the ante-room window, eager to
enjoy the fresh dir. Mr.. Donnithorne
sailed forth, q guide at his heels. MIR.