The Washington bee., 1902-03-29

Here, in the Chicago station, it was a
shock to look up at the tall, handsome fel
low, and to realize that she would be Mrs
Crawford for the ensuing three days.
1t was late il the afternoon when the train
started on the three-day run. Geraldine
was tired, and Immediately after supper
went to her berth, and she saw nothing
of Guy until she stepped of the car at
Omaha the next morning to take a short
stroll on the platform.
Guy was already out, and he FASTENED
up. Good morning, Geraldine" was his
greeting, and noting her start, he con-
tinued: Il shall have TO call you Geraldine,
and you must call me Guy, to keep the Off
cials from suspecting anything. The Great
Central man came to me last night after you
had retired, and made me prove identity,
because, for one thing, you had no ring on.
He was a bit suspicious. had letters that
fixed me up all right, and l explained that
actresses seldom wore their wedding rings.
At the same time, to save the position,
would you mind wearing this? 1t was my
mothers And he drew from his finger a
plain gold band.
She slipped it on her hand, wondered
what Jack would say, but the next moment
she had forgotten young Hamilton in the
charm of CTaWfOrd's conversation. Like
most actors Of the better class, Crawford
was a capital talker, ever ready to amuse,
and careful 70 use the personal pronoun
sparingly. The long, dusty trip, ordinarily
so tedious, passed rapidly, and by the time
Ogden was reached Hamilton was forgot
ten.
The next morning the spell was COM
pleted. The first glimpse of the Sierras
strongly moved this English girl
Even when dusk closed in, and Craw-
ford led her back to their own car, she was
strangely silent, and at dinner answered
his laughing remarks in monosyllables.
How could he be so merry, when it would
all end in a few hours!" she asked her
self
At last it did end.
The train arrived at Oakland late, as
Great Central trains usually are, and they
went on board the ferry for San Francisco.
1t was a perfect Californian night, the
blue sky studded with stars. a very night
for romance, and as Geraldine leaned over
the ral sne sighed softly. Guy looked down
on her.
'WeH, it's over" he said, gently, "but
i sQdll always remember LLAls IMP I sudliy
it's so dull across the desert. Has it been
tiresome to yOu!"
''No," she cried, anything but that. At
first / was afraid of my-my 'husbandH but
you were so good that l soon forgot that
part. 1t was almost real. 1 never supposed
marriage was so happy"
''It isn't" he replied, harshly. "It's all
right pro TEN, but the quarrels viii creep
in. Ny wife and travel IN different com
panies, because We always quarrel when
we're together. and at that We get along
better than most"
His wife" Geraldine laid her head on
the raj, and for a moment she forgot every
thing. Then the unconscious influence Of
the man and the mountains passed away,
and she was herself again.
Il thank you so much for your kindness,
Mr.. Crawford" she said, in her ordinary
tones. Il have had such a pleasant time,
and l hope that when I am married 10 q
man who is now in England l viii be as
happy a real wife as l was when a wife pro
TEN. Here is your divorced" and she hand
ed MIN his mothers wedding ring-London
Magazine