Idaho Springs siftings., 1902-09-20


pended on to recognize their old com
rade of those halcyon days, despite the
radical change prosperity might have
made in his personal appearance and
bearing.
Thus evening found them.
Charlie had the pleasure of dining
with Lady Airline.
He exerted himself to cheer her up
Several times she seemed TO tenn
porarily throw off the strange stupor
that had settled upon her spirits, and
for short period appeared to be her
old self, when, by degrees, the melan-
choly crept back again.
Tomorrow, said Charlie, when she
was leaving him to go to her rooms,
Il hope we will have Aleck here with
us. and then all must be well. You
can dismiss doubts and fears, to be
happy once more"
You will forgive my foolish fancies.
You are always so cheerful and kind,
she murmured, while he was holding
and ardently squeezing her hand, per-
haps quite uneonsciously.
Until tomorrow, then"
Shall see you at breakfast" he
asked, eagerly.
IF I am feeling quite will; surely at
dinner"
He was forced to be content.
So he watched her, his soul in his
eyes, as she walked to the elevator.
Was there ever a more dueenly girl
than Lady Airline; one with a greater
share of beauty concentrated in face,
figure and mind?
Ere the elevator car shot toward the
upper realms she waved her hand to
him and gave him ravishing smile
And that smile haunted him a long
time, for it was the last time he was
fated to look upon her face until
destiny had been utterly fulfilled, the
drama carried to it's concluding scene,
most terrible of all.
Sauntering into the rotunda of the
hotel Charlie lighted a weed and then
began to remember there were others
in the world besides himself and Ar
line Brand.
Where was Artemus for instance?
And Capt. Brand? Who had now
been ashore long enough to get his
bCaAih6o anu uSd III c On oODl6 utopGldit
move.
Perhaps it would be best, as his
good sense suggested, to seek assis-
tance in outwitting the great schemer.
Clever minds could be controlled for
money, detectives who were able to
cope with even such a remarkable
scoundrel as he conceived this man to
be, and who would speedily put him on
his back in the first round.
And yet the wretched result of his
arrangement with the great Baron
Peterhoff aroused serious doubts in his
mind. If the fascinating presence of
woman could so upset a sagacious
master of finesse and diplomacy, who
could be trusted?
There was apparently time.
Brand would hardly get his columns
in motion under day or two.
Charlie could be governed by cir
cumstances and the trend of events
Besides, there was Artemus, whose
wits were of the brightest, and who
might be depended on, to accomplish
more than a little. looking toward the
exposure of the great fraud.
IHeSe SOOJnlnS feHecIlOnS came IN
some degree through the influence of
the magic weed, for to it's devoted
votaries tobacco seems to be an in
cense which creates optimists where
only pessimism had previously
reigned.
And of course our Charlie eontem-
plated with more or less complacency
the high degree of happiness that
would be his portion when the blessed
time arrived for him to claim Airline
Brand as his own darling wife, with
no one, not even a haunting memory
of the buried past, to say him nay.
He had figured it all out, and de-
cided that he would make full and free
confession regarding his one forlorn
experience in Cupid's realms.
No doubt Charlie took considerable
pleasure in speculating upon the var
ious ways in which he might bring
these important matters to a focus,
but never once did he dream of the
wonderful and fearful event by means
of which the desired end would be
swiftly attained.
Again and again he looked toward
the Fifth avenue entrance as the door
swung behind new corners, but Arte-
mus remained only conspicuous by his
absence.
Go,1d onufhinO have bannanad.