Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-07-20

A
! sity of the meeting. painful and en-
barrassing as il must be-
As he sat waiting while his oarc was
taken up, he looked eagerly around
he room, so filed with reminders Of
5ygone happiness. There was the
piano. where they had sung together,
The window box over whose blossoms
, their hands had met, the coy corner
where the first words OF love had been
spoken. But with her entrance, as
they stood together again. face to
, face, yet SO far apart, all the bitter
ness of the present swept back upon
him.
/ There was no touch Of hands. no
, lingering OF eyes. Haynes bowed like
Z stranger. Miss Atherton glanced at
him and then at the card she held
! You wished to see me ON an urgent
errand?" she said. repeating the pen
ciled words
4; YES" he answered. distantly. This
must be my excuse for troubling YOU"
holding out the open paper and the
monogramed note.
! Her first blank wonder was followed
by fash of Comprehension. and-was
it amusement? Hayne bit his lip in
] anger. but as she raised her head he
! hastily banished all expression from
! his face.
! Il am quite at loss to account foS
this mystery he said. formally. -Of
course, / knew that you'll meen I
wished to assure you that u He
! stopped, feeling that he was bungling
horribly.
( Noh, yes; that goes without saying
she answered, demurely. bot I am
afraid 1T is not a mystery to me-
Not a mystery" he repeated II
can't imagine who
She smiled perhaps you ne~er re-
allied what a thorough scapeRrace
that brother OF mine is? You were al
ways favorite OF Harry's," she went
on. composedly, though hey color
same with this first allusion to the old
time, land he has wasted great deal
of argument since You went away.
Now that you hare come back Well.
suppose he took the opportunity 20
play bold game" smiling again -His
diplomacy is rather crude
Hayne was piqued by her seif-pos-
| session. and that phrase about wasted
argumeBt rankled. Was she entirely
Indifferent TO him? She should not
guess how much he cared for her.
! He forced a laugh ''Then the little
comedy may as weE end now-since
you don't share your brothers pref
erence-S
The defiant words were never Rn-
ished. For as he rose she looked up at
him, and he saw that her face was pale
and her lip quivering. The self-pos-
session he resented had been only on
! the surface, and had given way under
the strain.
He caught her hands. Doris, YOU
are not so heartless, after all You do
care something for me-Doris ?"
She looked down at their clasped
hands, and smiled. 1t was answer
enough, and he was quick to seize his
advantage.
How could you let me suffer so
long, Doris?" he said, with not very
reasonable reproach. "You know I
would come if you sent for me. You
might have written"
Il did write-a dozen letters"
Il never got ONE
mo, for tore them all up"
/ You tore them up? And you could
sacrifice me to your pride? Oh,
Doris!"
ut was not pride" she declared. AZ
forgave you long ago. But 1 was
afraid of another such scene. I
thought if you were left to yourself
for awhile, you would see the folly of
1t all, and come back in your right
mind. For / felt sure you would come
finally, whether sent for you or not"
smiling.
Yes; 1 should have found some pre-
text" he confessed. "I don't think L
could have stayed away much longer"
He gave her hands a tender, tri-
umphant little squeeze. "And now
that we have forgiven each other" he
said, magnanimously, 'we won't say
anything more about Jack Wetherell,
will we, Doris?"
Il don't see why we should she
laughed. ''He is MabePs exclusive
property. I told you that a month
lago."
yes; but a month ago was jeal-
Gus fool. Now"
| Now even you can find no excuse
for jealousy! Next week you may
read their engagement in the Caleu-
dar."
BLESS the CHlendar-and your
brother! DORIS" he broke off with a
sudden laugh, II told Deering to con-
tradict that noticel Now what shall
do? Tell him it was premature dis
closure, but that he can announce the
engagement next week?"
And Hayne laughed again, as he pic
itured behring's face at this Illogical
| conclusion.