The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-27

hasten scarf or ribbon, in the shape
OF miniature hand. Upon it's chased
golden wristband were intertwined the
letters z. G. Wetherby examined il
with wondering scrutiny.
Where was it he had seen that pin
OF gold before? Surely it once had
peen familiar. Surely he knew-on,
Yes of course he knew. Recollection
flowed back upon him as a rising tide.
Now he remembered. This was the
pin which had been little Pauline's-
Pauline Carrolrs-his boyhood play
mate, his boyhood sweetheart Well,
Wen! How long was it? Ten years.
at least. Yes, full ten years. She
was sixteen then, and her parents had
sent her to New Orleans to round her
education at the seminary of the Sa
cred Heart. After that-well, he had
never seen her. He had gone away,
too, from the little plantation-envir-
oned village which had been their
birthplace, and had returned but once.
Then, it was true, he had bethought
him OF dainty, pretty, vivacious Pau
line, and had asked about her. No
one could tell him much. Her
parents had removed to the big
metropolis. That was all. They had
been swallowed up. None of the Car
rolls ever had come back to Belmont
AS for this pin, there could be no two
like it, he had seen it a hundred times.
1t was Paulines, of course; but Pau
line, where, was she? He rose with
more vivacity than he had felt during
the long day, and as he did so, and
half turned to inspect his fellow pas
sengerS once more, ripping voice,
sweet as the tril of a bird, accosted
him, half laughing, half in yelled anx-
iety, at his elbow:
Pardon me, sir, a thousand times,
beg If / am wrong, but l have been
searching for a pin 1 dropped some
where in the car little while ago, just
after l got on at the last station, and
l suspect" she concluded, with a roy
uish smile, that you are in position
to claim the reward"
1t was Pauline, no doubt, Pauline, in
deed. But this tall, radiant, beautiful
woman was not by any means the UNI
sophisticated country girl whose bud
ding beauty had been the particular
flower of Belmont Evidently she had
not recognized in his bearded face the
boy of eighteen years before. His ennui
fled like mist before the sun. He would
dissemble for a moment. Then they
could go to supper together. After that,
the trip would be dull no longer.
Madam" he answered, gravely,
bowling in his best manner, sit is quite
true that / have found some such trim
ket as you mention. But as its morally
responsible custodian / must beware of
all claimants who cannot prove salts
factory ownership. Now If you will
only be seated" he motioned to the va
cant section beside them, land de-
scribe your lost property, you may be
able to set at rest even the deepest
scruples ] MAY possess concerning its
proper delivery
The young woman laughed apprecia-
ton of his jesting speech and with
easy grace seated herself, with a ges-
ture that he should sit opposite.
"To begin with" she said, looking at
him merrily as he professed to scrut-
inize the pin he concealed within his
palm, sit was a gold breastpin; 1t was
in the shape of a hand"
ITO be sure assented Wetherell,
but there are many hands. Not all of
them are alike"
Yes, but this was a right hand"
"Oh!"
"And upon its wristband there were
two engraved letters"
There are so many combinations of
two letters, you know" replied Weth-
orwell, deprecatingly. "at least 600
odd, aren't there?"
She made pretty little move.
But on my pin there were only a
P and a C. There, sir. now what can
you say?"
She was looking straight at him.
her merry eyes adance. Surely she
was the most beautiful woman who
had ever gladdened his critical sight
and he had known many women in
that long, ten years, since
All Since. Was it still too late?
He had loved her once as a boy of
nineteen. Now for the first time he
knew it.
AS he returned her long look, some
thing in his own brought the deep
color surging to her face. Then it
fed away as quickly and she grew
very pale.
He stretched his hand to hers, hold
ing out the golden one within it.
And the reward; you spoke of a re-
ward, Pauline" he whispered.
She rose up hastily. The man with
the stiletto beard and the piercing
eyes had come down the aisle and
stood disapprovingly beside them.
1T is too late for you and me to
talk about rewards" she said, and her
voice sounded like soft music. Charlie,
let me introduce you to my husband.
Mr.. Robisco, my old friend, Mr.. Car
roll"