The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-08-16


y ing-room. There was faint,
unusual flush on her ordinari-
~ pearly-fair check, and her eyes
looked large and restless. She had
evidently dressed hurriedly. The laces
on her bosom looked as though hastily
adjusted and the flowers at her belt
We're pinned awry. Il am late" she
apologized. She had come up the room
to her husband, and lifted her lips for
his customary evening salute. II am
sorry to have kept dinner waiting. 1t
is objectionable. 1t shall not occur
again."
He murmured q few deprecatlng
words, and they went into dinner to-
gether. All during dinner In the rich,
old, dark-panelled room, where the
golden sunset light poured in through
softenlng draperies of thin crimson
silk, she was very gay, very entertain
ing. She always was yiyacious, es-
pecially when she had anything to con-
Ceal under a tide of clever talk or a
sparkling shower Of wit. And David
Farnham was o good listener-an ex-
Cellent listener.
When one of his few friends, hand
some, reckless, improyident Ross Len
ard, had ended his fit Of remorse over
disastrous mining speculations by put
ting a bullet in his brain, n letter found
near him asked that David Farnham
would look after the little girl"
Farnham had accepted the trust with
the quiet consciousness natural to him
in matters great on u1bimpOrtant He
had sent the. girl to the best schools.
He had arranged that her vacations
should be safely and pleasurably
spent He had acted precisely as
though she were a blood relative, legal
ly entitled to his protection and as
sistance. But when she came to him
from school, quite bewitchingly fair
and accomplished young woman, he
was temporarily dismayed. Whatever
was he to do with such a charming
encumbrance2 For a year she lived
with a widowed sister of his. All her
mothers people were across the ocean,
and being strangers to her she re-
fused to go to them. Farnham went
punctually at stated periods to see his
ward and was in every way sOlicitous
for her comfort. But daily the realiza-
ton grew on him that she was not as
well and carefully guarded as she
should be. In his perplexity he asked
her to marry him. Now, months after
their marriage, strange emotions
thrilled him when he recalled the
manner Of her reply. She had turned
her head away for a moment. Then
she had looked up at him, her face
flaming scarlet. Her eyes met his full
and steadily.
''Yes-if you are sure you want me
yes" she said.
Life had been a good deal like a
fairy story to him since then. He
was lord Of a palace, and the beauti-
full princess was his-Only his! In
all his uneventful, Woodworking life
he had never imagined what it might
be to live in paradise; that it's gates
should ever swing wide for him had
not entered into his imaginings.
ut was a delightful drama" she
went on, apropos of the matinee of the
afternoon. 1T is likely to have a Ions
run. Almost every one who is left il
town was there"
D II passed the theatre as the GROVE
was coming out" he said. Il had al
imperative business engagement, 81
could not cross over; but think saw
you as you left. I'm almost sure i
was you, but you know how near-sight
ed l am. You wore white, did yol
not-a white coat and hat?"
eyes," she said in breathless sor
of way. She laid down her roll ant
looked over at him. Eyes"
He slipped slowly, almost retrospect
lively. Il thought l could not be mis-
taken. / was sorry had not time t
make sure-to meet you. Besides, 20
were not alone. You had the carriage
And-there was some one with yo
coming out, was there not? A ia
man. You were not alone. was nc
positive, but it looked like Andrew
Was it AndrewsY
Her fork fell on her salad plate wit
a little tinkling clatter. "You-yo
are not so near-sighted, after air. 81
laughed.
"Then it was AndrewsY
ayes" she answered. That sudde
rose color again stained her cheek. III
bright, eager gaze never left his fac
tIt-it was Colonel Andrews"
Then she was off in the sparklfI
.u,+f l,,, % tba chief comedy scene