The leader., 1897-03-10
"a lady wishes to see you, SIR"

| - "hshNo W Stt 1ous SIT.
Hardinge was seated at his table with
pile of "dailies" before him, studying
with immovable face the press notices
of his play. Lifting his eyes for mo-
mcnt, he briefly exclaimed: "Ah! what
name!"
He took the piece of pasteboard hand
ed to him, and the color rose to his pale
face as he read the old familiar name.
Every well, tell the lady I'll see her.
Show her up"
Curious" he soliloquized, "none of
th-se criticisms can raise the slightest
emotion, but that name" and he
stepped.
A few moments later the lady en-
tered, and as he turned to greet her
caught sight of her face.
Good heavens!" he gasped, "'tis An
mel" and then he became cool again.
| He offered her a chair, and, seeing
that she was at loss as to how she
should commence, opened the CONVEX
sation.
$50, Miss Raleigh, you wish to inter-
view me?"
81 am afraid I cannot adequately ex-
press my sense of gratitude" she re-
piled, with sweet smile, which caused
his heart to bound again; "you are in
deed too kind"
swell, I am afraid you have chosen
rather a poor subject" said Hardinge;
"you see l am hardly yet a celebrity,
but If 1 can assist you in any way l
sail only be too pleased. Cross-exam-
ire me as you like, for, as you know, it
will be quite a novel experience, as far
as am concerned"
'Thank you. But, Mr.. Hardinge, /
really don't know how to commence. l
suppose l had better jot down few
particulars about your surroundings,
etcetera."
She took out notebook and a pen
ell, and, as she bent forward to write,
Hardinge carefully scrutinized her.
She was still the same sweet girl he had
| loved. True, she looked older, and a
great deal more serious, giving him the
impression that her life had not alto
gether been cast in pleasant places.
II wonder how she came to this" he
| thought. "Her husband must either be
u wastrel, or he must be dead, and in
taking up literature she has gone back
to her maiden name. All, well; l sup
pose l ought to feel highly delighted to
see one who scorned me brought to this
state; but upon my word don't. My
heart goes out to her again. How /
should like to know what has happened
during the last eight or nine years; and,
as Providence has placed the oppor-
trnity in my power, will make bold
effort to fathom all before she leaves"
The interviewer looked up, and in
rather beseehing tone said:
"Mr. Hardinge, have very crude ideas
as to how l should go about this inter-
view. l wish you would give me few
details about yourself, your work and
methods, and then perhaps 1 could jot
down few particulars, which I could
| weave together afterward."
He smiled sadly, and then gave her
the information required. She made
some notes, and then at the conclusion
put away her book, and after thanking
| him again, made a movement as if
preparing to depart. Hardinge noted
this, and at his wits end, blurted out,
in a desperate fashion:
$50 you are endeavoring to adopt lit
erature as your profession, Miss Raj
eigh?"
EYES," she replied, "but find it very
difficult indeed to get foothold."
do you write stories? Excuse the
liberty take, but 1 feel quite an in
terest in you"
"Oh, thank you. Yes, try my hand
occasionally at short story"
"Well, Miss Raleigh, what do you
think of this for plot? Do you think
it could be woven into a story? l can
only give you the incidents as far as l
know them, so you would have to make
your own conclusion. Above all, it has
the merit of being true. Shall give you
the incidents?"
IF you would be so kind, l should be
extremely grateful"
'Then here you are. By curious CO.
incidence, your name is that of the
heroine, and it is that fact which has
recalled everything to my mind"
Hardinge proceeded with his tale. He
dared not look at his visitor as he re-
morselessly went on; perhaps it was
well he did not do so, as the indescriba-
BILE agony which overspread her features
would have acted upon his chivalrous
instincts and forced him to stop. But
as he did not look in her direction he
did not notice this, and cruelty COM
menced:
"Some years ago-I forget how many
Ia young fellow, who was my chum at
Oxford, spent his vacation at Milfield,
a little village in the north. While there
Fred-Fred Cover was his name-met
and fell In love with the wears daugh-
ter, Annie Raleigh. They became en-
gagged, and shortly afterward he went
out to India, in order to represent his
fathers business house in Calcutta.
"For some months a correspondence
passed between the two, but at length
Fred received word from some friend
in the village that the squire's son was
paying close attentions to Miss Raleigh,
and it was rumored that they were en-
gagged to be married. In fit of pas
!, sion, Fred wrote, breaking off the en-
gagement, even before he received any
corroboratiye evidence. The lady was
either stung by the letter. or the rumor
was correct, as she did not reply. and
from that day he has never seen or
heard of her. He did not make any in
quiries, he did not write to his in
formant, but simply waited at Cal
cutta until he had set the business
affairs in order. He then went of into
the hills, intending to lose himself
there, and cut himself off from all
things which would bring to mind his
unfortunate love.
"Poor fellow! / often wonder what
has become of him. He has not writ
ten to any of his old friends, and is. !
suppose, almost forgotten by all. But
really, Miss Raleigh" he added. turn
ing to her and noticing her agitated
| st..S>,, J<,x,,f ioot wall Gan