Daily inter mountain., 1900-12-21

| Copyrighted, 1900, Daily Story Pub Co.,
| Two young women sat upon the piazza
o. the Burning Spring hotel. Each
Workedindustriously upon a piece of EN-.
broidery. The other guests were asleer
| or in the seclusion of their apartments
| II was but natural that the girls should
glance furtively at each other now and
| again, but they made no advance toward
an acquaintanceship until a small boy
ran out with letters in his hand.
Thought seen you here" he grinned.
| heres the letters, Miss Collins, one,
two; Miss Craik, one, two"
He vanished almost as quickly as he
| came. The girls looked at their letters.
Then the brown-haired one arose and
went across to her neighbor.
lie has made mistake she said
| gently, he gave me a letter for you'
Thanks" returned the other sweetlv.
| let me look at mine. Miss Louise Berry
Collins. Yes, he is stupid. Now we are
all right. I'm really glad to get ac-
quainted with you because the other
girls are SO lazy. 1 saw you on the
golf links this morning. You play all
right
Thanks" answered the brunette.
changing color. 'It is hard to be here
with SO few men, isn't it, at least men
of any account? l felt sorry we had
stopped over. Shall we read our letters
and talk afterWards?"
There was silence for short time.
broken only by the turning of sheets
or paper. Presently Miss Douglas
Craik gave a long sigh of pleasure
TOO good to be true she said mus
ingly.
Her companion now seated on the
piazza step, loked up sympathetically
Il hope you have good news. l have"
Both laughed.
"Of course it's about a man. No
sane young woman Of our age would
call any news good unless there was a
man in it." laughed Miss Craik
Louise Collins clutched large white
envelope tightly.
MY him is to be in the mountains
next week. Tuesday, probably. He is
to be at the Ridge House While we
are there. We leave here on Monday
when our rooms there are empty"
Douglas Craik tossed her letter into
the air gaily.
Then YOU will see my him. she
laughed deliciously, for he will be here
for the Saturday night hop.
The eyes of the brown-haired girl
sought the hand of the one who tossed
up the letter SO deftly.
mo engagement yet. II is really a
new acquaintance, you see. One must
not allow these men to be too precipi-
tate. They are audacious enough now,
at least he is. Now tell me about your
sweetheart"
The color deepened on Louise's
cheek.
He is an old lover she said, "at
least l have always known him. He
is everything that is good and splen-
did, but my brother did not wish me
to promise anything for year.
"Those fair men are your brothers,
are they not?' queried Douglas, "the
older one too bookish for me. 1 sup
pose he is a clergyman"
Yes, and a great STUDENT" replied
the girl. flushing again, she has writ
ter a great DEAL We are so proud of
him and have brought him to the
mountains for his health
''He plays GOLF said the brown
haired girl suddenly.
YES smiled the other, he is our
club champion at home. I'll introduce
you. You are just the one to amuse
him."
'hades of a jack in the box" ex-
claimed Douglas Craik, "is it so patent
what a silly thing 1 am that you dis
cover it at once? Do you think I am
at Burning Springs to amuse people?
1 am here to be amused
The other girl laughed.
"Eustace would interest you in mis-
sions and boys clubs in fifteen min
utes," she announced. But don't prac-
tice your arts on him until your sweet
heart comes and then throw him over
on Saturday night
For the next two days the Collins
young people and Miss Craik were in
separable in the field and after dinner.
The week wore on with gayety until
Friday night.
II wish you would stay up with me-"
whispered Douglas Craik to Louise at
midnight. l must wash my golden
locks and dry them in the moonlight.
And I am afraid to go out on the
porches alone.''
Peresntly both girls were perched be-
side the railing in neglige attire with
golden locks and brown locks tanning
in the night wind.
Il am glad it is today" said Doug
las, looking far over the silent valleys
to the mountain peaks beyond, "for to-
day the lord of my heart, or at least
it's present lord, comes and I shall be
happy"
Then you really care so much?"
asked Louise, you rattle away So"
II rattle away SO I am credited with
having no heart How do you feel my
lady? What if your one true lover was
snatched from you?"
1t was an idle question, asked fool
ishly, recklessly, but the answer
burned into the listeners brain. The
brown-haired girl shook her lustrous
hair back. Her eyes We're full of a
solemn light, her lips trembled