Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-06-17
FRANK.
sss
He Jumped At
A Conclusion.

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Mrs. Estabrook is NOS at home, said
the trim maid at the door.
Very we'll; will wait" replied the
visitor, entering the parlor with the easy
familiarity of an old and intimate friend
The maid had never seen this handsome
gentleman before. but his manner was re-
assuring. Certainly, sir" she said,
with low bow. and Ernest King found
himself alone Leaning back in his COM
Portable chair, he began to draw off his
gloves, glancing around the apartment
with interest.
Everything was 50 cozy and cool. The
light furnishings We're of white and gold,
and a curtain of Indian grass fell over the
broad window. Through the interstices
he could see forms on the verarda, and he
heard sweet, well known voice say:
"Oh, Frank, doesn't this seem like the
dear old times, 70 be sitting thus side by
side together. 1 thought you were never
coming to see me again.
''Then you have been true to me, not
withstanding we have been apart so long,
replied "a deep mannish voice
Eyes, indeed No one will take my
dear old Frank S place in my heart. y
Ernest rose softly, with Il puzzled look
on his face, and, peering through ii narrow
space between the woven grasses, he saw
two heads above n rustic seat, with their
backs to him One was Neya Ross, his
promised bride, who was spending the
summer months with his aunt, Mrs. -Es-
tabrook, in this seaside cottage, and he
had come down from the hot dusty city,
thinking all the way what q very pleasant
surprise he would give her. He could see
the golden hair and thought her compan-
ion had an arm about her waist, for the
masculine shaded head, with close curling
black hair, was very near to Neva's, and
as he gazed her head dropped affection
ately on her companion S shoulder.
''If that fellow of yours could look in
now, he would think it was no use to dis
pute my prior claim to your affections. If
he Old 1 would end the matter by running
away with you. So there!" And they
both laughed so merrily it made Ernest
feel positively murderous.
Angrily turning away, he spied note
open on the table, addressed to Miss Neya
Ross, in q strange handwriting and dated
two days previous, and as his wedding
day was agreed upon with this same Neva
Ross, perhaps that is the reason he felt
privileged to read it. 1t ran:
MY DEAREST GIRI-After numerous disap-
pointments at last 1 have chance to come and
gee my one time sweetheart. DO you remer-
Der how You used TO call me your 'best
beau?' l mean to have you Gll to myself. So
tell all the rest of your beauX 20 beware.
Goodby, with lots Of kisses, till l see you
From your own FRANK.
Ernest King could hardly believe his
eyes. 1.-The impudent jackanapes! 1
would like to shake the assurance out of
him." he muttered savagely. Her best
beau, indeedl 1 would never believe
Neva capable of playing such double
game, and here have flattered myself
with the belief that was the first and
only man she ever loved She has never
told me word of her acquaintance with
any such fellow"
He felt that he could not meet Neva
now in his jealous anger, so he left the
cottage unobserved and strode angrily
down to the beach, taking the note with
him and reading it a second time as he
went along.
A short time after. while her friend was
ward the beach, and Ernest, looking up,
saw her. A vision of youthful loveliness
in a white dress, with silken sash around
her slender waist, and her blond curls
unbound, save for shell comb that lifted
them from her temples. A single rose
graced the fichu of lace over her shoulders
She was looking at the sea when she heard
her name called in a voice she recognized
L L. L.
new to her ears. She turned toward him
with outstretched hands and glad smile,
but he lifted his hat very tremendously,
and Neva stopped in surprise at the stern
look on his face.
81 have a letter here I would like you
Z. to explain" Then he related the incident
of the afternoon.
Neva received the letter mechanically,
looked at it, then up at her lover, and burst
into uncomfortable laughter.
He watched her in amaZement. What
did it mean?
ERNEST" she began, raising her clear
eyes to his, ''if you had come out where L
was this afternoon, it would have saved
us both this very unhappy meeting. But
let me introduce my friend you see conf
ing" Looking around Ernest saw ap-
preaching them a pretty young lady, with
short, curly black hair and a pair of keen,
determined looking eyes.
Neva took her by the hand and said
simply, "This is Frank"
"WhatP' exclaimed Ernest, with a look
of intense surprise.
"Wait. I'll introduce you more con-
ventionally,' said Neva "Mr. King, this
is Miss Frances Allingham, my old chum
and schoolmate, called for convenience
Frank"
well, upon my word,'' sta1nmered
Ernest, 81 thought
Thought she was a man, of course. :"
supplemented Neva. Il see-you got hold
of that letter she wrote, full of old time
nonsense, and drew your own conclusions
Let me tell YOU
please don't tell me anything, only
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