The Florence daily tribune., 1898-03-05

by r Tenryson Neey.i
tves took their eager. side.onr ,r,>r
She came slowly, tail. soldicrly form
in gray travelling garb close at her side,
one arm half encirciing, half support
ing her. She had evidently been weep
ing little. for us she seated hersch and
looked fondly up In his face the great
/ lustrous, deep-brown eyes were we,
with tears, hut the face wns ploriiied
by the love and trust that shonc in them.
A broad-shou.dered back. bending de-
votedly over the girl, WIS about all
Fanny McLane could sec Of the escort,
but IL was enough to cause her heart 10
stand suddenly still. She fe,t as though
she were choking, us though she must
have air. Then she heard his voice.
deep-toned. manly, tender. the very
tones her ears had been straining to
hear few minutes before, and then,
| springing from her seat, her handlxer-
| chief raised 10 and shrouding her face,
| she too hurried tic the rear door of the
ear and stood there clinging to the rail
for support. The man in gray, the de-
voted bridegroom, was Randolph Mer-
riam.
cred until the clouds of choking dust
drove her within. 1t was the mems end
OF the ear. and fragrant cigar smoke
was drifting from the room in which
her husband and his cron.es were play
ing whist. If only the long car were
turned end for end. II only she could
! get her bag and reach the women's toll
et-room unobscrved. Let him, and his
and that girl--soe her looking as she
was now?--not for worlds! Get to thn,
toi.et-room and wash away the CRIME
and dust and cinders. get out her alco-
hol lamp and curl that rcbellious,
stringy 'front.' and prink and powder
ard retouch those faded lashes and
brows--all this; she must do before fac
ing him and her. But how to get there
without being seen. She must pass
them so close us almost to touch his
shoulder. mol a furtive peep from
behind the brown curtain into the dim
interior revealed the broad gray shoul-
ders bent far over to the girls end Of
the seat. He was leaning over her,
looking down into her eyes, talking
earnestly to her. There was no comfort
in the sight. 1t stung her to instant
action. They werer running swiftly
down grade now, following the wind
.ngs of the San Matec, but she made
rush fer her section, grabbed the hand
some silver-mounted bag that lay just
within reach. and with bowed head and
bent form was Fastening on, when the
forward trucks struck sharp curve
the big car gave sudden lurch that
tumbled her into the section directly
in front of the blissful couple, and
sprpwled her ignominiously upon the
front seat. The occupant of the other
was snoring commercial traveller. Her
bag dropped in the crash, fell to the
floor, and burst open, and before she
could recover herself or its contents,
the man in gray had sprung 10 her aid.
had bundled an escaping scent-flask
and other trifles back into the recepta-
Gle, shut it's silver lips with snap,
and. bowling courteously, endeavored
to restore it. Averting her face--cov-
ering ii almost with her handkerchief
she strave to rise and go her way, but
the car still swayed and swung. He put
forth helping hand to lift her to her
feet, but she did not see it. Scrambling
cut. still hiding her face, she seized
again her satchel, and, never looking.
never speaking. hurried past him and
disappeared at the forward end of the
car, leaving Merriam gazing blaDkly.
fxedly after her.
Didn't she speak to you at ALP"
asked the bride, moment later, as
Merriam. with a strange, dazed look
on his face, returned to his seat by her
side. I'm afraid she's dreadfully hurt,
for her knee struck the seat-arm ever
so hard
And still Merriam could not speak.
"What is it. Randy?" she whispered,
after u moments anxious study of his
face. you look so-unlike yourself"
With an effort he pulled himself to-
gether. Did you see her face, Floy,
dear? What was she like?"
why. she's a blonde With only got
glimpse. RaIrdy-she's blonde with
light hair and blue eyes. She might
be pretty. AVhy, dear?" And the dear
came so timidly.
II thought had seen her before,
but it's mpossible-absurd. Go on and
tell me what Mrs. Grafton wrote you,
sweetheart. Never mind the capsized
blonde just NOW"
But he himself could "mind'' no one
else when, half an hour later, there
came tripping down the aisle from the
ladies' toilet-room a slender. graceful,
stylishly-draped figure with such a
radiantly-pretty girl-woman face-a
fair, eveet blonde, with lovely curling
hair, the brightest of big blue eyes, the
rosiest of tinr mouths, with glimpses
of snow-white teeth as she smilingly APP
proached and, with infinite grace, held
out prettily gloved hand.
ITO think that l should have been
here in time to tender my congratula-
tions! Won't you present me to Mrs.
Merrialn?"
And Randolph Merriam, for once in