The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-02-08
!, THE GUIDE:
-e.O.s-
The Mistake of an American
Girl Abroad.

~sIF Il
He must be the guide" she told her
self. Yet he looked in her estimation 50
smart for German, even for a German
of position. much less just a guide, that
she hesitated obviously before addressing
him. Now, hesitation was not natural to
her. Even he, seeing her for the first
time, realized that, and, although he de-
eided it became her wonderfully. he nev-
ertheless generously shortened its dura-
tion by his own act, for he answered her
falterins German tingcd American query
for general information in his best Eng
lish, while he obscurcd the effect of its
insular excellence by a comprehensive
continental bow which there could be no
mistaking.
She laughed to herself at her former
dittdence. "Of course he is the guide"
She allowed her self congratuation to
overflow beyond her natural pride in her
own discernmcnt under difficulties. She
found grounds for it in the fact that she
alone seemed desirous that day Of seeing
the treasures of the castle Of Moring-
stein that therefore the guides whole
attention would be devoted to quenching
her almost unquenchabc thirst for
knowledge and that he was so good look
ing, almost wastefully so, considering
his calling. But that regret only crcpt
in later, when she was forced To leave
the ancient German castle its age hal
lowed beauties and its fascinating guide.
At the time she was far from complain-
i hop
thing.
For he certainly was Il man most ex-
ceptionally gifted for his post, and all her
enthusiasm seemed unavai6ng to discov-
er Il weak spot in his resourccfuncss. As
she said afterward, she admired above all
things man who would rather tell a
transparent untruth than cause Il woman
a momentary disappointment. and here
was man who, if he helped himself by
his imagination, did it so skillfuHy thar
even connoSSeur became perpleXed in
trying to detect him in it, For she was a
connoisseur-that is. if seeing everything
to be seen and eagerly hearing everything
to be heard can make one. At any rate
she was an exceedingly pretty girl, and
every pretty girl considers it her privilege
to be always pleased. And, judging by
her expression and the very way she still
fingered when so much had been seen
/ and copiouSly commented on, She evil
IDENTIFY did not consider herself robbed in
any way of her rights on this occasion.
Perhaps the very fact that this model en-
/ tertaincr ranked only as a salaried guide
gave zest to her enjoyment by unlock
| ing romance with the key of unusualneSs.
/ Still. the luncheon hour protrudes itself
4 into every normal day, taking more than
a lcavening of romance to displace it.
But | suppose one might study this
place for weeks" she said as she pre-
| pared to depart, "and yet meet fresh sur
] prises?'
"One might" he acquiesced, "even ar
range to be surprised beforehand" He
was smiling at her, and smile is some
| times less involved than the words it ac-
companies.
"But should be surprised" she asked,
| ''to meet you here tomorrow"
"Not so surprised as | should be-
"Wcll? she questioned briskly.
disappointed" he continued, "to find
myself unsurpassed"
But" she laughed, you know very
well that your real surprise would be if
failed to come"
I'VE were talking" he objected, "of a
counterfeit emotion"
"Yes, only tomorrow will show which
is the counterfeit" said she. And then
she went very quickly to avoid his next
glance.
Il don't at all know which will hap
pen" she told herself. And yet the
knowledge that he considered that he did
know exactly what would happen hardly
disturbed her. 1t made her laugh-that
was all.
What she knew he considered must in
evitably happen certainly came to pass
Yet it was brought about, she assured
herself, by something so unforeseen that
she became by its Intervention entirely
an agent of circumstances unmoved by
the exercise of her free will. The very
least she could do. considering every
thing. was to he there and to apologize.
This she told him, looking extremely
lovely as she told it, with the addition Of
blush TO hcighten her ordinary at
tractiyeness. Also there is always some
thing taking to the masculine mind in an
unqualified apology from pretty wo-
man, even when its exact cause is wrap.
ped in mystery,
Il ought to have known" she said. 81
blame myself terribly And he was so
engaged in beggiug her to show herself
leneucy that he had no time to inquire
exactly what it was she should have
known.
at was 50 silly! What must you have
thought Of MIR =
He enlarged, quite in the poetical
strain, on what he had thought of her
There seemed, moreover, great deal nf
it, showing him to he an unusually rapid
thinker. This took some time. yet il
failed to wholly satisfy her
II don't like to think Of it," said she
"My poor thoughts. he began
II mean Of my stupidity"
There never has been such a thing"
he declared He abandoned his thoughts
that he might prove its impossibility.
and he was rewarded by the almost in.
eXhaustiblc ffuitfnlness presented by the
theme. This again took up a considera-
bic amount of time But was ever time
better SPENT To their knowledge. never!
yet. after ALL" he said as again the
lunch"nn ho',r laid - mundane touch on
the intangible, latter all, what we esp..
cially left 10 look at today we have nev.
ed looked at"
She looked, for her part, on the ground,