, 1900-09-01
ITS ~Tompkins," he said. despatrlng

ably familiar with it, but Bess Jordan
put all his knowledge to the test. She
wanted to know where the best fish
ing places were. where the water lilies
were thickest, whether there We're any
bears in the woods, and finally she
asked where he lived. He had got
along fairly well until that question
came. Even hen he did not entirely
lose his presence Of mind.
81 live right over there In thai
house." he said, pointing to some
chimneys which showed above the
trees half a mile back from the lake.
Miss Jordan looked at the chimneys
carefully, as if making a mental note
of their location.
One morning. two weeks after the
arrival of the Jordals. Edwards was
stricken with astonishment to hear
Bess Jordan address him as Mr.. Tomp-
kins when he rowed up in the
morning as usual to take her out on
the water. He looked at her quickly
and fancied he saw the ghost OF a
smile in her eyes. He had been furi-
GUS at himself half a dozen times for
ever starting the deception, for Bess
Jordan was not a girl a man could
row out with day after day for weeks
without feeling the charm which made
her a belle at home. Perhaps if he
had been properly presented and had
appeared under his right name and in
his proper role there might have been
some chance, but now
He was complaining to Elliot about
1t one night.
I'm in love with her." he said.
But here | am, known only as Tom
Tompkins, an oarsman, who has been
accepting So a day for rowing around
the lake for the last two weeks. Dur
joke is getting to be a mighty serious
affair so far as | am concerned. l
can't confess, because If | did she'd
never speak to me again, and | swear
l can't keep on rowing her out on the
lake every morning without making
love to her. She's one of the noblest
girls in the world, | tell you. Elliot.
You ought to see the way she treats
meme, nobody but Ton T%ompkins,
oarsman-and the way she looks at
me sometimes!"
Il tell you what, Edwards said the
sympathetic Elliot, "if | were you I'd
go ahead and make love to her any
way in your character as Tom Tomp-
kins. If she'll have you in that role
you may be sure she loves you for
yourself alone. 1t may be a danger
Gus experiment. but l don't see any
other way out of it if your case is as
desperate as you say it is"
What happened during the next ten
days it would be a waste of time t.
tell. Most people will know either by
intuition or experience, and besides
that particular period has no bearing
on the point of this truthful chronicle.
The curtain for the last act rises on
Miss Bess Jordan and Thomas Tomp-
kins, oarsman, sitting side by side on
the bank of the lake. The arm of
Tompkins was about the waist of Miss
Jordan.
Now, Bess, dear he was saying.
Il am sure you love me in the good
old way. A girl as rich as you are,
with all the attractions of your gay
life in the city before you, could no.
promise to marry a poor guide and
fisherman unless she did love him
more than all the world. |
have been surprised a hundred
times that you did o send
me about my business. But
gradually l have learned that you care
nothing for wealth or social position.
You are able to recognize a mar under
a torn blue flannel shirt. You only
ask for love, and when you find a man
who loves you and whom you love in
return nothing is allowed to stand in
the way. So now, dear, that | know
what a wonderful girl you are l have
a little confession to make"
Which Thomas Edwards, clubman,
lawyer and millionaire, thought was
really a clever way of leading up to
the disclosure of his real identity. But
the girl was before him.
Pardon me, Tom" she said. eve
got a little confession to make myself.
Or perhaps I'd better call you Mr.. Ed
wards now"
Mr.. Edwards, alias Tompkins, sat up
straight against a white birch tree and
looked at her.
You remember that first day you
rowed us across to the island? |
thought it queer then that an oarsman
who was rowing around looking TO.
odd jobs should be wearing an old seal
ring and that he should have the key
of a college fraternity on his black
watch chain. Then, too, | saw you
wink at Mr.. Elliot when you took
that dollar from papa.
You remember the day you point
ed out he chimneys of the house
where Thomas Tompkins, being your
own august self, lived? | went over
there and found the place occupied
by a family of Norwegian farmers
who had never heard of a man by the
name Of Tompkins. Thomas. you
didn't deceive me for a minute. Three
weeks g l knew your name and all
about you"
And what" gasped the GREATNESS
Edwards, do you propose to do now?"
81 think" laughed Bess Jordan,
that since l am engaged to marry
Tom Tompkins Mr.. Edwards had bet
ter row me back to the island. Unless,
of course, he feels himself equal to
making the matter clear to me and the
Hon. Jabez Jordan. And even then
l don't see how you can ever forgive
yourself for deceiving a poor, unso-
-L:.too.ol -t,y f,,r, Cb;.or