The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-24

naQ only tOlQ me Delore! edIu hCl ooie'
complainingly. Your habit of reticence
is most annoying. I've asked him to
change his seat to the one next you at
the table, and he is going to. Indeed, he
rather suggested It, So we will have to
see him all the time"
Never mind, auntie; It's Nemesis,
that's ALL" said her niece, with calm de-
spair.
That Towner felt the frigidity of the
atmosphere as they met at luncheon was
inevitable. But with a cheerful resolu
ton he set himself to overcome Miss Bar
toms open dislike. His tact, his gayety,
his avoidance of all difficult subjects, and,
above all, the utter absence of questions
from his conversation, gradually thawed
the chill of the girls manner, and by the
next day she was almost her own bright,
easy self once more.
A light rain now set in, and Mrs Hun
te,' was kept in the cabin for several days
by fear OF rheumatism. Priscilla, how
ever, and Towner sat in their coy nook
on deck, and enjoying 1t after youths
reckless fashion. Suddenly the moment
came SO dreaded by the girl.
Mrs. Hunter tells me you are from
Vassar, Miss Barton, and l want to ask
you about Miss North AS she is in your
class you must know her, and as your
aunt has probably told you. am engaged
to her.
know her far better than L. replied Pris-
ella, smiling constrainedly.
Miss Barton, please don't think 1t
queer but | want to tell You secret
You have been so kind to me- and have
such a-well. almost sisterly way of
treating a fellow, if you will excuse my
saying so, that 1 know you Will advise
me what to do. Indeed, it seems as if
my meeting you were really providen-
tial."
Don't you think Mr.. Towner, that you
would much better not tell me? You see,
I am a stranger to you, and in a week
we shall separate and probably never
meet again, and then you would regret
having confided in me. Oh, l am quite
sure you would better not!''
II know it would seem foolish under
other circumstances, Miss Barton but
when I tell you the story you will UNI
derstand my anxiety; If you will allow
me?"
He leaned eagerly forward, and Priscil-
la dropped her eyes in confusion. TAX
ing her silence for consent, he began:
You see, it is this way I'm an only
child, and I've seen little OF young peo-
pie. I had a tutor, and never went to
school until l came North to college, and
you can imagine it was rather an ordeal
to be thrown suddenly among so many
men. kept rather to myself, and didn't
meet many fellows. There was one man
there, however who was very good to
me- his name was Hal Somers.
Priscilla turned her head still farther
away, and picked neryously at the fringe
Of her steamer rug.
lone day." continued Towner, "he
brought me the photograph of a pretty
girl. 1t was one of those soft, rather in
distinct pictures, like a composite, you
know, only it wasn't one. 1t had such
deep, beautiful eyes, and such way of
seeming to look a~fellew right through
that it made strange impression on me.
1t was of Halls cousin, a girl a Vassar,
Priscilla North. Well. before l knew
where was he got me into a correspond
ence with her by sending messages first,
and then notes. l never wrote to girl
before, and IL all girls write as she does
they are a bright set. Why, Miss Barton,
her letters fairly scintilIated! And no
two were alike; there was the charm of
it. They were from grave to gay, from
liz ely to severe, only all were simply ex-
quisite. No wonder I fell in love with
her. Well, to make a long story short,
we became engaged, and then, naturally,
/ wanted to see her. And here the strange
part begins. l cannot meet her! 1 am
never to see her!
THAT is-rather peculiar murmured
Priscilla.
"Peculiar It's unaccountable! She
says she is forbidden to make acquaint-
ances by her grandfather with whom she
lives, so I can't go to the college. At
the end of the term she ruShes off West
she lives in Wisconsin. And in vaca-
ton she travels! And here am in the
ridiculous position of being engaged to
a girl I've never seen Now, Miss Bar
ton, l beg you to tell me all about her.
You know her, Of course
Towner leaned his head on his hand
and gazed earnestly at the girl. She
slowly turned her eyes from the horizon
and bent them on MIN with troubled
expression How handsome he looked
with that eager face; how his hair curl
ed In little damp rings about his tenn
ples She turned away again. Mr..
Towner," she began after pause, can
not say that l do know Miss North. IL
would rather not talk about II" she end
ed abruptly.
Towner stared at her. why, what can
you mean?' he said, incredulously. Sure
ly you must know herl What possible
reason can there be for your silence?"
Priscilla still hesitated. Then, sudden
~ turning impetuously to him, she said,
with little gasps between her sentences:
Mr. Towner, you will never, never for
give me, but you ought to know the truth,
and I suppose l must be the one to tell
you Hal Somers Is my cousin That was
a composite photograph, touched up SO
it looked like an ordinary one. And there
Is no Priscilla North! I've been dread
fully ashamed Of the part l had In 1t all,
Though 1t was only lending half my name,
and copying the letters for the girls, so
they would all be in one handwriting
After all, I'm glad of a chance to end 1t!
/ don't ask you to forgive me, for sup
pose you can't, but I do want to say I'm
heartily ashamed and sorry
Towner had turned very white.
81 don't understand he said. slowly, at
last "Somers is your cousin, but you did
not write the letters"
HE knew any number of the girls at
college, but it was in coming to see me
he suggested the plan to the others"
How many were In this pleasant ar