The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-04-27
A LOVE CHASE.

Tomorrow OH the Parish" cried Car
ter, dropping his cane OH the pavement
with resembling thud.
Yes, tomorrow" said I, gazing
with establishment on my friend, for
my commonplace gossip had apparently
porturbed him greatly. "The whole
family are going to sail, and they will
be away for year. It's very sudden -
Sudden! should say sol' ho ex-
claimed. Hc looked thoughtfully up tho
avenue for n moment, then stammered,
Miss Margaret too?'
Eyes. "
Thereupon he hailed passing cab,
and before 1 could get another word
with him dived into tho vehicle and
quickly disappeared with it.
Carter is not bad fellow He is ex-
ceedingly modest This is most unus-
ual characteristic for young man who
is spending fortune gathered by an
others talents, but to so great degree
does he possess it that it seemed to him
impossible that Margaret Walcott should
look upon him with other than indiffcr-
cncc or even ropugnancc.
Why, Vandergust, lie said to me
one Sunday afternoon, when he had
dropped i'll on his way to her house,
it's ridiculous to suppose that Il bright
girl like that could care for fellow
like mc-a fellow who doesn't know
anything, who has not striking point
except money-when there are so many
men with brains about
But, acting on my advice, he actually
started to propose that very afternoon.
Miss Walcott, he began rs they sat
by the fireplace i'll the drawing room
talking commonplaccs, Elm i'll love-. "
Really! How Interestingly cried tho
girl, calmly leaning toward him and
gazing Mt him, awaiting the rest of his
revelations.
There was long silence, during
which Garter carefully drew his left
glove Oh his right hand. Having rccov-
cred his courage, he continued naively:
II know who it's with. Do you know
who it's with?'
Yourself" she cried. clapping her
hands as though she had made Won
dcrful discovery
Lob, dear, no! Neverr' he stammcr-
ed. Positively not You really don't
think so, do you?"
II was just guessing she replied
soothingly.
Guess again" said ho quickly.
with Livia Vandergust,' vontured
Miss Walcott after she had given the
matter due consideration, gazing mcdi-
tatively into tho fire, thus unconsciously
showing to Carter the fine profile Of her
face, which glowed in tho red light of
the Goals.
Don't accuse me of it," cried my
friend i'll u deprecating tone that was
most uncomplimentary to my charming
cousin. Guess somebody nearer home"
And tho foolish fellow kept her guess
ing the name of every girl in town but
the right one until the maid brought in
Derby s card.
Was it wonder that, knowing these
facts, smiled when saw Carter dash
away i'll cab after had impaired to
him the news? 1t was sufficient to send
him up the steps of the Walcott house
i'll three bounds when his cab drew up
there. Miss Walcott was out. "At teas?'
he yentured to inquire of the maid.
" Yes. " Hero arose q predicament. He
knew of no less than five that afternoon.
But he had heard that she was to be at
the Trumptons' dinner that night, and
his sole chance Of seeing her lay i'll find
ing her that very afternoon or following
her over Europe.
So he started i'll at Mrs. J. Anderson
Oglesby's and most pcrfunctorily paid
his respects TO that energetic woman and
her extremely plain daughter. Then he
searched every corner of the crowded
drawing rooms and even took q surrcp-
titious glance into the buffers pantry.
Isn't that Miss Walcott yonder?" he
said to the young girl who was pouring
tea, indicating Il mass of black hair
that was conspicuous in the crush.
why, no, she cried, gazing at him
i'll astonishment. "Sho has light hair.
And, besides, sho left hours ago. I
should think
The rest of the remark was lost OH
my friend, who dashed from the room
and the house and was off in his cab
once more.
He searched in vain for her at the
Partridges', the Joneses' and the Van
Blunders' and at length reached tho
house of my aunt, who was on that aft
ernoon performing tho arduous physical
labor of introducing her daughter to So
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