Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1902-02-09
! ON THE
| REBOUND
BY GARFIELD mAcNEAL
Copyright. 1901. by
Garfield MaeNeaL

morning bA NtA AhtAt'Ah ''a'"'"@ -
the slckening consciousness that she
was Az old maid. She parted the
crctonne curtains OF her bed. curtains
covered With rcd roses, suggestive OF
SUMMER suushlic. aud turned her eyes
toward the window. Rain beating
nrnlnst tho pancs and dull gray sky
unclaimed a c'heorless November day.
She sighed. Then. stretching out "A
shapely arm. she tool; silver hand
mirror from the nearby dressing table
and carefully studled .her features.
In the language OF Shakespeare she
saw "no dreper wrinkles yet" face
long and oval. patrician In outline and
expression. skin rather olive, eyes
brown. deep aud luminous mouth gen
erotIsly nodded. and n wealth Of brown
hair. ON the whole Il was n notable
face and one 81 character.
Dropping the mirror on the bed. she
called. Lois" \ French maid, neat.
trim aud smiling. appeared with the
breakfast tray.
"Ah. ma'mscllc! A thousand con-
gratuiatlons on your birthday"
"My thlrtIeth, Lois! But thank you
Just the same"
"Ma'm'selle is still young and al
ready fame has come TO you. And
when your novel Is published the world
will be at your feet" said Lois with n
comprehensive sweep indicating the
world.
"Oh. yes. the novel" murmured her
mistress. sitting up aud starting In on
her coffee aud rolls, while the maid
laid n bundle Of letters and manu-
scripts on the bed.
Miss Treadwell opened the one bulky
package and looked ut the accompany
Ing letter. II was from great pub
fishing house, formally expressing re-
gret that they were unable TO accept
her novel
She gulped down something In her
throat. Her novel declined! Her first
really original work. to which she had
given the leisure bours OF six years!
Truly. this was a most delightful birth
day gift.
Lois" she said-and her voice trem-
bled-"Lols. my novel has been de-
cllned."
"Ah. ma'n'selle. I am too sorry
with quick sympathy-"but some other
publisher will accept H."
Her mistress shook her head. II
sball not send II out again. shall
s,lck 10 hack work. can at least
make living at that" Then she add
ed renectIyelyr my life has been a
failure"
Lois protested. She worshlped her
mistress. "Ma'm'sellc has been sue
cessful. You have pretty apartment
and everything you want"
"other women. too, have pretty
apartments and everything they
want"
"Ah. yes. but they did not work for
| them" said Lois with n worldly shrug
as she went I'm response to the electric
bell. which nj this moment buzzcd
loudly In the hall.
] She reappcurtd with a huge white
box. FLOWERS, ma'm'selle, and a
note" she said gayly.
Miss Treadwell cut the ribbon that
held the box and disclosed a mass OF
vlolets. They seemed TO look up az
her tcnderly yet shrIukingly ms slid
bent over them. with sigh Of pioas
IRE she took the note aud studied the
bold handwriting Of the supcrscrlp'
ton. Her heart jumped, Surely u
was Jacks! Dear old Jack had re
membercd her!
She slit across the end Of the On
yclope while DER fingers trembled ant
eagerly unfulded the paper.
Dear lillian" she read, may
hone that this remembrance OF YOU
birthday will prove that have no
forgotten you? ! have been In tow
two days. secured your address
from C's Magazine and send thes'
flowers to warn you that am commit
to invade your sanctum sanctorum an'
talk over old tiiucs. Always you
friend. Jack Ainsworth."
She started up. scattering letters an'
manuscripts on the floor. Lois sh
said decidedly. Il want you to lay on
my new morning gown, the sea gree
! one with the train"
q Sitting down az her dressing table
she began careful toilet. He
; thoughts were busy with the pas
. Jack had been her girlhood friend ]
; the little Inland town where they wer
. both born and bred. Again she wa
! twenty-four aud he was tweuty-si'
Why had be never spoken. She kne'
he loved her. aud, perhaps, she ha
loved him. too. then. But when he
mothers death left her alone In u
j world, she was seized with the desii
y 10 come TO New York TO try her 70
tune. Jack had advised against
q but q strange pcrycrsIty made her de-
4, 20 his warnings.
r. Al first they had kept up a corr
o. spondcncc. Soon even that link was hr
J. Ken as she was drawn more aud mo-
% into the absorbing whirl of ucwspap
J. and magazine work. Tor five years
D. letters had passed between them. !
Doe sure she had heard Of him iud're'
Is. how he gradually forged uhc'
l -. .t.,t. De-, tho rufirDuI office