Middletown transcript., 1901-07-20
;. Was It Right

BY z. L. u.

NY TANCING down the register
~ of the mostfashionable hotel
@T at a most fashionable water.
W. ing place, Percy Everett
suddenly started, and drew
= lie breath with long, low whistle.
Miss Keith was the name which had 50
a.outIod him and the date of her arrival
~ oranad that she had preceded him by a
week. -,
Miss Keith! How familiarly it ap-
noorad written upon the page of the book!
And vet he had no idea Of how the orig
inaI Of the name looked, except in the
lover-like rhapsodies which had come to
him in Dick Thurston's letters.
Dick and he had been sworn friends
for wears. and Miss Keith was Dicks be-
trothed wife. One of his many epistles
on the subject had run thus:
"If YOU could only see her, Percy, old
fellow. YOU would not wonder at my in
fatuation. 1 am sure you would be fast
friends. I have talked of you to her by
the hour and she says she is quite sure
that she must know you as well as do.
But that is impossible. Did she love you
one twentieth part as well, | should be
Jealous of you both. Seriously, however,
Percy, she is a pearl beyond price. You
might, when you first meet her, think
her cold-you could not fail to think her
beautiful-but wait until you know her
better, watch the sunshine play over her
face and the deep, earnest light come
into her eyes and you will then laugh at
your own mistake. There is but one
thing troubles me in connection with it
all. What have done to make me
worthy of her?"
1t was all this flashing through Percy
Everett's mind, which reused him to
sudden interest, where, a moment before,
had reigned languid Indifference.
Dick, his friend, was out on the plains,
with his command, doing some hot work |
this summer among the Indians He |
was brave, splendid fellow, and Percy |
rather thought it was Miss Keith who |
ought to be congratulated.
She was standing on the piazza, sur
rounded by little group of admirers,
when lie first saw her. Some one pointed |
her out to him, and he stood little dis
tance, for time, enjoying the picture.
She was dressed in some white, cling
ing stuff, relieved with lace and knots of
ribbon, which showed to perfection the
exquisite, supple form.
Her head was small, with the golden
brown hair arranged in some mysterious
blending of puffs and tiny curls high |
upon it; her eyes seemed gray or black.
according to the emotion of the moment;
her mouth, none too small, showed two
rows of white, even teeth; her complex
ion was like childs.
No, Dicks description had not been
overdrawn. There could be no doubt as
to Miss Keith's beauty.
Just then, Percy espied friend who
knew her, and begged that he would ask
her permission to present him.
He watched him nIiie nc ,ii 50, aHl !
saw the rich color rush to her face, the
swift glance she gave in his direction,
even though, seemingly, his eyes were
bent seward.
In another moment, the introduction,
had been formally accomplished. In
half an hour, they were talking together
as though they had known each other all
their lives.
How could it be otherwise but that, IN
the days that followed, they should be
thrown constantly in each others So
ciety? Between them there was one un
failing topic Of conversation. True, they
would wander off from it on to all sorts
of themes, then suddenly drag themselves
pack into it, as though it were necessary
% keep Dicks claim constantly in the
Was there any danger Of either OF
hem? Can the ship plowing its majestic
way through the deep blue waters be
onscious of the hidden reef which IS de- r
tined to send her and her crew to de-
truction?
Miss Keith was betrothel to Percy
lveretts friend, therefore in his eyes she = y
Fas sacred Percy was Dicks hero; there :
're she liked him for Dicks sake. = =
And so the days came and went, merg- pl
lg into weeks. There were long walks, w
I'D drives, and talks, each more delight n,
Il than the other. One afternoon, they cr
ad sauntered forth as usual from the
otel, turning their steps in the direction Al
the beach. co
''Let us go to the cave" Miss Keith re
opposed 81
Percy demured. Tar
GLOW about the tide?' he questioned. tt
eve have plenty of time before it rises or
ome, let us go.' or
And soon they had lost sight Of the th
tside world in the dark and hidden
cesses. From where they stood within br
walls, they could catch the sound OF ce
e sea lashing its waters against Its out
lie bulwarks. Within was darkness
ID silence-the world seemed lost to sp
elm. Thus standing upon single rock. nc
ley looked into each others faces. Their
es met, their sophistries were in that nc
slant hurled to the ground; their secret va
As discovered. A mighty impulse seized nc
,rcy Everett's soul to catch her in his
ms, to cry, above the roaring OF the Sd
can:
"You are mine-mine by the law OF on
3D. What living man shall take you me
om me?'' 10,
She turned deathly pale, and would
we fallen but that his arm caught and Il