Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-05-30


more seemed 70 read il at 0 glance
II vas natural that be should do
30, Tor it was addressed to the mag.
azine to which he was sending hil
story, and the girl was the '.eirI
opposite. = Her occupation wa,
unknown to him no longer. She
vas writer, like himself.
He was 80 astonished by this dis.
cover5 that he acknowledged hen
slight bow in a purely mechanical
fashiou, and, having obtained his
stamps, he left the Office with q
hnrsieitgood night. TO .muse over
the surprising discovery in his room.
Who could she be? That was
the first question be asked himself,
and he took some pains to solve the
matter. To some extent Mas Lat.
inner was able to crafty his curiosi.
ty. She had obtained particulars
about her friends new lodger. She
was a Miss Rose Henderson, and
her father had been q clergyman
somewhere in Devonshire North
more nodded his head here with
the air Of a true prophet.) She
was an orphan, and a nicer young
lady there couldn't be, so Mrs.
Mason had declared.
This news did not throw much
light upon his neighbor's literary
identity. The name of Rose Hen
derson was unknown to him, but,
OF course, she might use a pseud.
onym.
During the days that followed
Northmore found his interest in
his pretty neighbor increasing by
leaps and bounds. All her COM
ings and goings were events Of i'm
portance to him. He would watch
her from behind his window cur
tains, and she interfered with his
work to o degree that was down.
right annoying.
One evening as be stood on the
watch she came to the window and
looked down the street. The post
man was coming up, and her eyes
followed him with an eagerness
that made Northmore hope be
would bring her good news, an en-.
couraging letter, say, or, better
still, one of those pleasant little
checks that do such a lot to smooth
the rough road on which the writer
travels. He had something for her
number, at any rate. Northmore
saw her leave the window then, az
the man crossed over he wondered
what Fate had in store for him. A
few minutes later Miss Latimer ap-
peared. bearing q single letter.
The address was type written, and
as he turned it over his heart gave
q quick jump, for the flap of the
envelope was stamped with the
name and address of the sMayfair
Magazine"
His fingers trembled as he tore
it open, and his heart beat fast az
he unfolded the sheet of flimsy
paper.
It ran as follows:
'The Mayfair Magazine
Elect Street, K. @.
April IL, 1899.
Dear Sir
l have read your story, entitled
"a Bunch of Dsffodils,' and /
should be pleased to see you about
the same on Wednesday afternoon
at 3 o'clock. Kindly let me know
il this will be convenient to you.
Yours faithfully,
The Editor.
Nothmore's eyes sparkled with
pleasure as he read this note, and
as he was on the point of sitting
down to reply to it he suddenly won
dered if THE letter the "girl opposite"
had received contained such plea.
SAINT intelligence az his own, and
he turned to the window, hoping
that his wishes might be verified.
1t was dusk now, and az the gas
was lighted and the blind not
drawn, he could see plainly into
the room. What he saw certainly
surprised him. The girl was exc
cutting q triumphant dance Ground
the table, waving q sheet of note
paper above her head. Her news,
then. was good, and in his JOY he
felt strong desire to wave his vel
come letter to her, for he was Just
in that mood when he would have
offered his hand to his bitterest
enemy.