The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-05-05
THE MEPHISTO CAP. /,
By FRANK N. SUMMER.
hOH, YES. And forgot to tell you
~ You know, your old flame is te


You know, your old flame is to
be married in May?"
'Is she? Which?"
"You had a good many, hadn't you?
Well, guess!"
'Let me see. Madeline Kearney. Oh,
you tell me, sister. I'm too tired to
guess. That railroad has shaken me all
to pieces in the last 100 miles,"
'Well, then, if you're too tired to exert
your mind-Edna Barsom!"
"Oh! And she marries-"
Bob Bristol, of all men. Old enough
to be her father, isn't hep"
Cortrell had been away five years in
the west and had just made long jour
ney in order to spend two or three
weeks at home with his mother and sis
ter.
$50 women can forget sometimes,
YOU see," his sister was continuing her
talk.
Bob's thoughts were wandering back
to the past. Presently he exclaimed
somewhat suddenly: "By jingo, Clare,
l believe have something. Let me see.
When do you say Edna is to be mar
ried-May?"
Middle of May, ! believe"
"And this the middle of April. By
lingo! ! wonder whether / ought to
take it to her or send it?"
That's your second by jingo' in one
minute. Send what? Wedding pres
ent?''
"Eh? Yes. of course, 1 must send a
wedding present. knew Bristol quite
well. He's an older man than I am,
isn't he?"
That evening Calvin Cortrell un-
packed a big leather trunk in the pri-
vacy of his own room. He took out tin
box that looked as if it had been de-
signed originally TO hold cash. He un-
| locked that box and took out package
after package of carefully tied up pa
pers-receipts, Cancelled notes, mem
| oranda of many kinds. Under all these
was leather-cased daguerreotype of his
mother. Last of all, under the case, was
some tissue paper, and neatly folded in
| the tissue paper were pair OF very
much faded kid gloves.
He laid the faded gloves on the little
writing table before him, drew up a
chair, rested his elbows On the table and
supported his head on his two hands
AS the faint odor of the disinterred
| gloves came to his nostrils smile, hall
of amusement, half of tenderness
played over his face.
Edna Barsom certainly had been g
little disconnected when the news came
to her that her sweetheart of five year:
before had suddenly made his appear.
ance in the town just at the time wher
her engagement to Bristol had beer
made public. She was not wildly con
scious of any feeling for Calvin Cortrel
that could have been construed as dis.
loyalty to her fancee, but she knew
only too well how recklessly tongues
will wag in a small town, where eacf
man's-or woman's-business is th'
business of all, and, considering many
things, Cortrelrs sudden appearance
just then, after continuous absence o
five years, might very plausibly b.
made to bear a significance that woult
disturb the smooth current of her en-
gagement. There had been rumors tha
Mrs. and Miss Cortrell would, some tim
or other, go west to make their hom
with Calvin, but no one had expected ts
see him back in his former home.
Edna sat before the fire two day
after Calvin Cortrell's arrival, and wa
meditating over these things, whel
Cortrell himself entered. She was look
ing for a visit not from him, but fror
Bob Bristol. Nevertheless, she foun
little or no difficulty in meeting hir
with conventional care.
At first, that is. Her old friend-o
sweetheart-lost but little time in CON
ing to the particular business of his cal
and it certainly startled her littH
when he said: Il am very glad l foun
you alone"
"Glad?" she said. "Oh, yes. 1t
nice to be able to have little chat. Te
me about your life out there"
II can tell you about that at som
other time," said Cortrell. "Just q
present have to discharge duty. on
, wouldn't like it, if were in Bristol
place."
Like what?" said the girl.
"This"-and he took tissue papt
package from his pocket.
,fl Edna opened the package, wonderin!
When she saw the old gloves, lyin
there, with the marks of wear of man
Il years ago upon them, but also marl1e
u with the folds of many other-later-
years of careful keeping, whole pr
cession of memories passed before ht
mind. She was silent for some m
ments.
what ought I to do-with them
she asked. Il don't know. Tell me-"
( Not the least doubt of it, the who
offair was excessively silly. 1t w;
thoroughly in keeping with the re
that now this young woman, on the e.
v riage into which no one had forced b.
should be looking with look of phi
full appeal in her eyes, and with tears,
a man who had fiirted with her fl
years before. !
T. T-I don't know" he stammere
"Perhaps ought not to have broug
them. But don't see why not. 1 dor
e see how l could have kept them, cou
-"
"You might have burned thel
nightn't you ?'' Edna said, with a rath
mischievous smile.
$50 1 might" Cortrell answer
quickly. 81 give you my word, Mi
Barsom-I beg you to believe me-
never thought of that"