Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-04-30

| could successfully Withstand n siege
feet thick. The pillars IRE made of I
veranda is characteristic of the time.
symptoms Of astenishment, except that
her heart was beating with most IN
convenient quickress. and her cheeks
were as red as the heart of June
rose.
This being the state Of tile young
peoples feelings 1t is somewhat strange
to be obliged to chronicle that when
Miss Brown entered the drawing room
and Mr.. Miller rose eagerly at her ap-
proach. they should have stood looking
at each other as IL turned to stone.
For fully two minutes not word was
interchanged; then the lady, with a
gasp, sank down in the nearest chair
and covered her face with her hands.
while the young man, bending over
her, murmured awkwardly:
II beg your pardon. Miss Browns
1t Miss BROWNE
Eyes, 1t Isl" returned the girl, sit
ting up defiantly, her blue eyes ablaze
and her slender figure full of angty
grace. what right have you, sir, to
ask me such question, when you are
masquerading under somebody else's
name yourself?"
II was baptized George Wharton Mil
lcr," returned the young man, with
equal bitterness, ''abd my parents are
therefore responsible for the .masuuer.
ading.'"
Wharton" cried Miss Brown. 81
never heard Of you before! never
wrote to George Wharton Miller-the
right name is George Washington Mil
ler!'
Mr.. Miller sat gravely down in the
nearest chair-she was certainly dis
tractlngly pretty-and regarded her
with return to his Philadelphia calm
ness of manner.
''Your letter was ddressed to George
W. Miller" lie said slowly. ''and the
postman made natural mistake, since
our firm is the most important of the
name. Probably there are ten George
Washington Millers in Philadelphia
But that doesn't explain how Miss lisa.
bel Brown, of Colorado Springs
"Oh = why, of course-I never
thought" cried the young woman, EN-.
barrassment succeeding anger-'.that
is, of course, thought your answer
was to me; but my cousin. Isabella
Brown, used to live in Colorado Springs
until two years ago, when she-she
married. you know, and went to live
in Chicago. never thought. of course
--oh. isn't 1t dreadful! And where is
George Washington Miller-he ought to
be In Philadelphia, somewhere!"
81 daresay he is, ut this moment" re-
piled George Wharton Miller, with in
creasing mastery of the situation. "And
don't see anything to do but to leave
him there, and leave Miss Isabella
Brown, that was, in Chicago, and think
no more about them. Our correspond
ence has been with each other, after all,
you see, and not with them"
"Ohw said Isabel. "But-but I've
known George Miller, really, for years
1t was easy to write to him"
~ don't believe" said the other
George Miller, judicially, chat you
know him half as well as you know
me-"
Miss Brown blushed. She did not look
angry at all, and was, decidedly, pref
tier than ever-much prettier than Isa-
bella had ever been. Had he really
known Isabella at all? No, certainly
not; Isabella had never correspondent
with him.
II am sure" he went on, rather STUN
blingly this time, that know you bet
ter than do any other woman In the
world. Haven't told you-wcll, Just
everything, in my letters? And you
really cared, you know-you said so.
It's the personality, the-the soul, that
goes into letter. We know each 9TH
er, and I-why, can't let you go, just
because I'm not acquainted with you!
Don't you see-don't you feel"
YES" said Isabel, family. "But-
but-you're such perfect stranger,
you know!"
And then, suddenly, mirthful twin
kle sparkled in her blue eyes, dis.
tracing dimple lowered in her cheek.
and she began to laugh, which swept
the young man along in its merry cur
rent till he finally Joined in heartily.
They laughed until the tears came to
their eyes; they could not stop; the in.
exhaustible perfection Of the Joke OPEN
ed before them in new waves Of merri-
ment. 1t was laugh Of deep and sym.
pathetic comradeship; and when they
ceased, exhausted with mirth, and look
ed into each others eyes, 1t was as Il
they had known each other for years.
"But wasn't 1t queer" said Isabel, an
hour or SO later, shat Isabella should
have met you at Mackinac. and should
have been there later that season, with
your namesake In the party? Do you
know, always wondered why you re-
ferred with so much earnestness to
Mackinac, because-I actually snubbei
him, most unkindly. that summer. My
letter was really a kind of tardy apol-
ogy to him-and he never got It"
do you wish he had?" said George.
when am better acquainted with
you, perhaps can tell" said Isabel,
with a demure smile.
And George knew, then and there,
that the letter had come to the right ad-
dress-for him.-Waverley.
AN INTERRUPTED LUNCHEON.