The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1901-06-15
ats your turn. Tell me-hayena

in low tone, a burning flush sui
fusing her cheeks. "I-I was Tilted
for younger-a prettier woman
"Nell-my dearestl"
Miss Harmon rose, went TO her
desk, took from it a letter which
she brought to her friend. "You
read this she said.
A sharp exclamation OF surprise
broke from Medora at sight of the
chirography. She read the letter
through. II was a brief note-and
brutal one. The writer had been
mistaken. He had fancied his affee-
tion for Miss Harmon was one that
would prove deep and permanent.
| Within the last few weeks he had
met at The Cascades a girl fairer-
If possible-younger, if he might be
| permitted TO speak so franlSly-and
wealthier-not that wealth eounto I.
He herewith returned Miss Harmon's
letters, and hoped they might
be friends in the future. 1.-THE Cas-
! cadesl That datel" cried Medora.
ut is from Thomas Elder-and he
he meant mel Oh. Nell-why didn't
you tell me before?"
ut might seem as though I were
revengefull"
''Fm revengeful now! Well, we
must think out way to make him
break his engagement with mel I
! know | can't use this letter as a rea-
son. I would never drag you into
a position of such humiliation. L
have It'll Listen!"
1t was after midnight when Miss
Harmon's hair had been properly
brushed-and Medora's, too, by tie
way. Keturah shook her head at the
cracking notes extended. "You may
take the money" her mistress said.
''You are doing me a favor as well
as Miss Verne"
The next day Thomas Elder. sittii 2
down to his desk, trim, well-elad,
shrewdfaced. alert, pounced on one
particular envelope out of the pile
awaiting his isinspection. A large square
envelope of palest azure, with sill
yer seal, and the vagrant odor OF
mignonette clinging to it.
From Medorai" murmured Mr..
Elder, placidly. "From my Medoral"
He was charmed at the contents.
To call at fve-to meet her mother,
who had that day arrived from New
York; And was anxious to meet
himl Ah-certainly! 1t was Medora
herself-Medora exquisite in a street
gown of crimson cloth and black
marten-who met him in the little
reception-room.
"No--I can't go with you'll You
must meet mamma alonel" He found
her bashfulness enhancing. "She is
in the library. She is expecting you.
Go right ini"
The suitor boldly did as hidden. In
the waning light of the winter day
the room was shadowy. A gaunt,
red-visaged creature in gown OF
parrot-green confronted him. A
mighty hand crushed his. A pair of
sharn gray eyes pierced his soul.
"Glad to meet you, Thomas Elde-i
Hope you'll make a good son-in-lawi
I suppose Medora has told you I'm
coming to live with you? That's
right. You aren't afraid of panther
cats, are you? I've got tame one
that will eat out of your hand. Be
sure you get good southern room
in the house for my birds. Three
I've three of them. They never stop
singing if they get light enough. I've
been gadding around the world so
much I've gathered some live curl
osities-bargains, | call them. 1t was
4 such a comfort to me to know Me-
dora was going to get married, SO
I'd have a place to keep my pets,
Not" critically, that / think she
did the best she could have done
with her looksl I'll give you good
diet of vegetables-best kind of diet
for you. I'm vegetarian, you know,
No meat in my housed Medora says
she told you I lost my money in that
wheat failure. Didn't tell you all
the fortune she had was swallowed
up in that Bank of Gilead crash
No-didn't tell you that? m sur
prisedl Well, it don't make any diff
ference to you, son-in-lawl Day not
named YETI Oh, we'll have to hurry
thingsi"
Escape Thomas Elders finally ef-
fected. How he never knew. So ex-
cited was he that some sound in an
adjoining room seemed to resolve it
self lato an irrepressible ripple OF
laughter That night Keturah, in a
> parrot-green gown, laughed as hear
tily as her mistress, when between
gasps of merriment, Medora read
aloud a letter from her admirer, il
which he deplored the fact that 8
suddenly-developed case of cardiac
collapse had convinced him that hs
could not ask any woman to share
the life of hopeless invalid.
"What's the joke. girls?" criet
Maurice Harmon, Struggling off hii
overcoat as ne came into the parlori
, fine, manly young fellow, witt
steady eyes and strong, beautiful
: mouth. "Jovei Isn't Keturah il
stylel"
Keturah, still shaking with mirth
took his coat and went out. Mel
! stood up and kissed him.
"It's all right, old boy" she said
"Medora will tell you about it," Sh,
laughed again at the thought of Ell
dred's dismay when he should NEE
the real mother of Medora--a sweet
| gracious, cultured gentlewoman
aAlTs fair, you know, in love ans