The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-02-08

---4~ ""s 20 nave the-pleasure-
OF congratulating you on your-your we'd
ding dress"
oh" she said, and a glimmer of
amusement danced in her eyes, thank
you. If had only known you were to
be IN England-but you won't even be
near-otherwise l should have given you
an informal invitation to come and see
the ceremony"
i regret that l shall not be in the
nelghborhood."
Then of course it's impossible"
Her tone was as cold as his now. and
she also sat back in her corner. The train
rolled on, and the old gentleman dozcd at
intervals. Finally, as the train began to
indicate halt he awokc and inquired if
they were approaching his destination.
1 think so, she said. looking out.
Then perhaps some one will oblige
me by handing out my parcels as l get
down" said the old gentleman. looking
toward Henton.
He might as well have addressed the
cushions. lenton was planning a scheme
for exploring Patagonia, provided that
rattlesnakcs abounded there.
"Politeness. snapped the old gentle
man.
May l help you?' She handed him
out his bag and his parcels and his air
cushion.
Thank you, ma'am; thank you. But
in my day it was the young men who as
sisted the old"-
The sound of his swapping aroused
Hcnton, and he sprans up confuscdly.
"Can | be of any assistance?" he in
quired
mo, sir; you cannot, sir. There is a
time for assistance, sir. and that time is
when assistance is required not when it
is entirely useless"
But the train was already moving
They were alone in the carriage now
both silent-she with her eyes fixed on a
magazine, the pages of which she perused
and turned over with an almost incon-
ceivablc rapidity, without observing ap-
parcntly that she held it upside down: he
staring out of the window at the moving
landscape. For the artist, of course. it is
an interesting part of the country to pass
through There are no views to speak
of, and any one whose ideal of river is
that it should be brown with sand banks
will not find it in the occasional silvcry
meander of the Thames. On the other
hand, there are many things that one can
glare at with Il considerable show of en-
thusiasm, such as cows and advertise
ment boards. AS potential cowboy,
Henton would naturally lose no opportu-
nifty of jottlng in his memory points about
cows, and he even began to wonder
whether or no it would be necessary to
tln d
ing for Patagonia. In his minds eve he
had already laid in three cows and rifle
and some tooth powder and had booked
his paSsage-Steeragc- he awoke
to the fact that when the old gentleman
got out he had been wanting in p0litcncss.
He had apologizcd to him, it is true, but
not to the lady What could excuse him
for such behavior? He turned over pre-
texts in his mind and could find none. He
took his eyes cautiously from off the fleet
ing cows and looked across the carriage
to where she sat. Patagonia faded into
obscurity
81 fear | was most rude" he began
apologetically.
''Not at all" she said codly. looking
up from her magazine.
'But | was preoccupied" he went on
nervously.
'Why should you not be?"
81 was thinking of that day at Blois
that you mentioned"
Indeed"
81 did not expect to hear so soon Of
your marriage"
"Marrage-my marriage"
'Iour marriage" he repeated.
But | am not aware that am to be
married"
'Not married? But-but isn't that your
wedding dress? Aren't you to be away
for honeymoon"
"Oh." she said, laughing; that? It's
only Dicks nonsense. He takes advan-
tagc of being a young cousin to chatter
Really the dress is nothing more than
bridesmaids"
"But the honeymoon"
"My cousins. She is to be married
from my aunt's house in Paignton, and |
am to stay for three weeks in the house
and pretend to be daughter"
'Thcn you'll be at Paignton?"
She nodded. ITS only change of
house I'm making, and Here's Paign-
ton already, so | must say goodby."
"Ccrtainly not" said Henton.
'But you said''-
"My mistake" he said hastily, May
l help you down with your-weddng
dress Y'-king