The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-12-05

man is rich or poor, as long as all his
friends are in the same condition. IT
| could have my my friends with inc
] would gladly exchange with one OF
these farmers"
She gives him curious look from
under her long lashes. He notices it,
and laughs constrainedly.
"You must not mind what ! say.
feel out Of sorts this morning almost
like criminal running away from JUS
tice.'
$50? ] fancicd that something was
amiss." She speaks quietly. but there
is taste of sarcasm in her voice.
"When you first glanced toward me
yoe, started as though were the sher-
III you dreaded"
"You are" he blurted out. desperate
ly. The conductor stops at their seal
and he hands him The tickets. After
they are punched and returned hecon-
tinues. IN a low voice: 81 have felt like
u criminal all the morning, but it
seemed the only way. Yon know why
am leaving?"
"No." A delicate flush is stealing
into her face, but she looks at him
inqnfringly.
"You are very rich, and ] am very
poor"
SIS that all?" The flush deepens. but
the look of uncertainty vanIshes from
the brown eyes. They lock straight
into his now "Is that alp she re-
peats. "What a coward"
Miss StanIon!"
"Besdes, think there is a mistake
she continues. hurriedly. ~ am not go
very rich. The Miss Stanton who is
reputed to be enormously wealthy is
the one at the Imperial. And on the
other hand. it does not seem to me
that an artist who receives thousand
dollars apiece for his pictures is de-
serving of much sympathy on account
of poverty"
"Such sales are very rare. But how
did You know? never told"
"No: but your Uncle Henry paid that
for the trout brook and Sunrise
through his agent in Paris"
"Uncle Henry who""
"Yuur Aunt lielen's husband. Didn't
YOU know his name?"
H He shakes his head and leans toward
her with a sudden understanding COM
ing into his eyes. But at this moment
there is slowing Of the train and a
stentorian voice called out "Wake-
field!" Under cover of the confusion
he touches her hand.
"And you are Cousin Clara?" with
eager inquiry in his voice.
"lcs. by courtesy. Mr.. Willard was
my guardian. and after Aunt Helen
came grew to regard her family al
most rs my own. She often spoke Of
yon. and wanted me TO call her Aunt
Helen and YOU cousin Robert. She was
very good TO me-"
"Ind you have known me all these
weeks and didn't speak? Strange that
! shon1d have been such an ardent
hunter Of Claras and not even learn
your first name! How did you obtain
my address,"
by the merest accident You had
changed places SO often that we lost
all trace OF you. Even the dealer in
Paris could give no information. When
] started for Narragansc,t Pier you
and your bcqnest had about slipped
from my thoughts. Yon can judge Of
my surprise when | picked mp piece
. of paSteboard from the ear seat and
found it was your address. could
only imagine at The time that some ac-
ouaintance Of yours had thrown it
away. Now, ! think that you dropped
It when yo, raised the car window"
"And you wrote to me as soon as you
reached the hotel. It is very curious,
all Of it. But why didn', yon explain
things after you met ne?'
II had nothing to explain. I had
met several Mr.. Leightons be fore, and
did not connect yon in any way with
CouSir Robert. never thought of him
as being in this country. IT was only
when YOU began to talk about Paris
the other day that | suspected your
identity: but WIS not sure until y'ou
brought me that little picture yester-
day with the initials the same AS those
on the two Mr.. Willard had bought.
did not speak then because because
was waiting for YOU to discover me-
His hand is inclosing hers now, and
there is rapt, exn!tant look on his
face. The train rumbles across a
bridge and around a curve bet Two
yellow banks. She is looking from the
window, with II Pickering, 'remulons
smile on her lips: and after vainly
seeking the brown eyes his oWn gaze
goes to the window and wandcrs out
across the fields. Long rows of houses
glide out from among The trees in the
: distance: two or three pretty cottages
appear on the green slope; then
freight house and platform shut out
the view. and The train comes to
slow stop.
1t is only when they glide away from
The station that the brown eyes come
back to his.
sand so yon are going away" she
asks, softly.
"ODly as far as Providence. will re-
turn tonight"