The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1901-10-04
MAY.


0S7 E was looking at Mays portrait
I6l "a lovely little miniature-when
~ the housemaid brought the pack
ct to him. The girl entered timidly.
with a furtive glances.at her master,
for whom her heart was bleeding.
No sign of tears-either past or pres
ent-was visible In the young mans
eyes. They were hard and bright.
Hard, also, was his face, and the
clenched lips like adamant.
He took the thick envelope, glanced
at the clerkly writing and at the back,
upon which was stamped In blue let
ters, "W Robinson & Co." Then he
flung 1t on the table, and as the servant
left the room, the sound Of harsh
laughter broke upon her ears. She fed
to the kitchen, and with scared face
whispered that she thought poor Mr..
Ord must be going mad.
He had written few days before to
William Robinson for those patterns
that he might choose the materials for
his wedding suit. May was SO particu-
lar about what he wore. He used to be
a little careless about his dress once.
Then, in his endeavor to gain Mays
appreciation, he had overdone 1t In the
opposite direction, sporting collars Of
absurd height, and impossible ties, en-
during like a martyr the pinch of pat
--4 s-.---
him, and getting himself little chaffed
hxyo =, ;,, oh,
mistakably In advance of the fashion,
May, with gentle tact, had changed all
this.
He had written for the patterns from
Robinson's few weeks before the i'm
portant suit should be needed, as he
wanted to have Mays opinion with re-
gard to the materials. He consulted
her about everything. He had no SIS
ters, and until the last year-when the
death of an uncle and the Inheritance
Of fortune had made him his own
master-he had lived solitary life In
remote country town with the rela-
tion by whose sudden death he was en-
riched
After that laugh of harshness which
had so startled his servant, Laurence
Ord went back to the study of Mays
portrait. A sob of anguish broke in a
groan from Ord's pale lips. He had
tried to realize that those dancing eyes
were closed forever.
The idea of May-May, the merriest
little person In the world-lying cold
and silent was too much for the young
man who last had seen her having
wild game with kitten on the deck of
friends yacht.
He had dreaded that little cruise more
than he could say. He had all but ask
ed her not to go, but from this he had
refrained, deeming it mere selfshness.
You don't mind me going, Laurie,
do your she asked, when the trip had
been first suggested, and with a little
pleading look in her eyes which was
irresistible. especially as he had not yet
the absolute right to give or withhold
permission. "I'll only be gone three
weeks, and then-if you still have
mind to-you may take me and keep me
iOiCfCl. "A idl &c oiuCi. A<uuIic. oHuil
you want me for so long, do you
Think r
He had gone TO see her off on board
the Orchid, and she had stopped in the
middle of one of her airy whirls with
the kitten and piece of scarlet ribbon.
Mind you have the patterns ready
by the time | come backr'
The yacht Orchid, which was
wrecked last night on the dangerous
reef outside Alwyn Bay, is the proper
ty of Mr.. Griffiths of London. All ON
board were saved except the unfortu-
nate lady whose body was washed
ashore early this morning. It has been
identified as that of Miss May Garden"
This was the paragraph which had
caught the eye of Laurence Ord as he
had run over his morning paper at
breakfast. Afterwards he had come
upon the first and longer account, but
this was evidently little paragraph
inserted when further information had
been received.
His senses had at first been blunted
by the shock. Now they were awaken
ed to full consciousness of the immeas-
urable pain. He laid the miniature
down, and began to walk about the
room. He moved things here and there.
He wound the clock-then his neryeless