The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-05-18

HUI U0Cu pa LIS AAO
when 81 beg your PARDON! was
uttered by himself and another al
most in the one breath.
The lady he had bobbed into was
attired in black, and under other
circumstances would have passed
unnoticed. The mutual apology,
however, brought their eyes togeth-
er. and he had good memory for
faces.
"Miss Townshend, I presume. +"
The lady paused, and turned pale;
then, blushing violently, spoke like
thief caught in the act.
"Mr. Pellingham, believe"
"That is my name, replied that
gentleman.
"I-really I had no notion OF
keeping this appointment. I took
the whole thing as jest
"Yet you have kept it, said the
former, smiling.
"In a sense, yes. I'm afraid I
must plead guilty to curiosity at the
last moment. :"
"Mine is similar confession.
An embarrassing silence followed
this double admission, which Pei
lingham was the first to break.
"May I ask, Miss Townshend, how
you became acquainted with me
and why you made this appoint
menti''
At this direct challenge the lady's
ewes widened with astonishment.
"You are the Mr.. Pellingham that
wrote to me, are you not?" she
asked.
1t was his turn to look astonished.
"Wrote to you'll" he repeated. "Cer-
tainly not. I don't understand. I'm
afraid there is some mistake"
A sudden glance of suspicion
greeted this remark, but was quick
ly dispelled by his air of candid be-
wilderment. pardon me, she
said, as she produced from her
hand bag letter and photograph
and handed them to him. "These
are from you, presumed
He examined both, and began to
scent the truth. "The photo is
mine" he replied, "but not the let
ter. Evidently some mischievous
acquaintance of mine, whose hand
writing I can't identify, has been
playing practical joke on us. %
Good gracious! Then you know
nothing about this advertisement"
She handed him the cutting.
He read it and looked up with p
smile. "I am not responsible for
this, / assure YOU
"Well, what stupid jestl''
st quite agree with you"
There was a pause. Each looked at
the other and tried to appear very
much annoyed. 1t was a failure,
however, and they both laughed.
Her thoughts at that moment
were: "What a finely made, hand
some man he is-a gentleman, evi-
IDENTIFY! He has turned 30, though. :"
On the other hand, he was at a
loss to decide whether her most cap
tivating feature was the charm of
her voice, her unquestionable refine
ment or the beauty of her face, but
he gave up the query as one unac-
customed to such riddles.
ALLOW me to return your photo, :"
she said.
"And I, yours, he answered.
The exchange was effected with
mutual apologies, which latter, of
course, were unnecessary, but they
served to prolong the interview.
The lady was the first to make a
move. "Good night, Mr.. Pelling-
ham, she said, extending her hand,
81 regret our introduction was not
of more formal character. y
He took her hand. 1t was dainty
and neatly gloved, and in the novel
ty of his sensations he could barely
refrain from pressing it. "Good
night, Miss Townshend, he replied
rather awkwardly, adding, with a
sudden and curious desire to know
more of the lady, II don't feel dis
posed to let the matter drop. I
must try and find the perpetrator of
this hoax and demand an apology" :"
pray don't trouble on my ac-
count" was the response. GAS I
told you, was not in earnest my
self. T"
He bowed and raised his hat, at
the same time making last desper-
ate effort to retain the acquaintance
ship. II take it, then, you have no
further interest in the matter2"
She hesitated a moment and look
ed at her boot. 1t was a trifing ac-
ton, but it emboldened him to add:
"Otherwise I should ask permis-
sion, in case do make any discov-
cry, to drop a line or communicate
with you. 1 still have your address,
you know
Again she locked at him and in
stinct convinced her that he was a
gentleman. She answered: