Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1902-04-24

| mtnl> ana ruSneu OF 10 the only per
son whose love had ever been proved
to be for myself and not my money.
She was dear old proud thingwhC
wrote love stories for magazines. anC
had refused to accept a penny from
me when she was threatened with con.
sumption and had been sent away to
Jud>ou. a small Florida coast place. "a
live. She had taken Tiny cottage
for which she paid no more in year
than | spent for nothing at all IN a
week. But she had a spare room. asd
wrote that she would love 20 keep me
for as long as | liked TO stay. Her
name Wa, Mrs. Pendeunis and We had
got acquainted through my writing,
in care Of her editor. to tell her how
much l liked a story Of hers
She did me good because she never
| fiattered. but scolded me instead for
being cynical She said it was a
"men,a. dyspepsia, and whiIel lived
with her | almost believed twas.
| hadn't been in Judson for week
when one day | came in from walk
and exclaimed: "WeI, its begun!
What has begun inquired my
dearoid friend. looking up from love
scene which was meant to make the
public shed tears.
The usual thing, ,aijI A man
has come. | am not couceited. but
there are signs, and I'm sure he Is
one 0fthcm."
81, knew what | meant without
asking, and merely sat still with
mild smile as / related the incident
which had occurred.
Crcumstautiai evidence was with
me. for men were out Of season in
Jud,on. had been heonly stranger.
Now, within week Of my advent,
there was another male stranger,
a gentleman to the eye and ear, well
dressed (but not too well dressed),
staying at a hotel which offered no
inducement at this time of year 10
his kind. | had seen him come out
Of that inn. and instinct told me that
! was the inducement Who the man
was | could not guess, but was sadly
sure that he more than guessed who
/ was. Somehow my secret had been
betrayed. and he-no doubt Of the
army Of impecunious unattached ones
had sJalked me to my lair. My hat
had blown of, he had run after il,
picked it up and handed it back with
bow and a murmured word.
To be sure he had not followed up
his advantage, but was certain that
this was only his cIeverness, and that
he would be more pushing next time.
l was so hatefully experienced in that
kind Of thing knew all the phases
Mrs. Pendennis tried to cheer me
up, but | had seen the speck in my
garnered fruit. and it wac a big speck,
at least six feet tall and broad in pro-
portion One couldn't forget it. espe-
cially as to a less sophisticated mind
1t might have appeared exceedingly
good 10 look upon.
Next day Imet him again, or rather
he met me. But to my surprise. in
stead Of taking off his cap and smil-
ing and making the most Of yester-
days acquaintance he glared and
plunged round the first corner Could
this be a new kind Of tactics? asked
myself. Could it be that he wished
torouse interest by piquing curiosity?
/ smiled with scorn at the thought
and determined to show the man at
the first opportunity how futile were
his subtleties. Still, if it were his
object TO make me think of him, !
must confess that TO "a certain extent
he succeeded, for it was a novelty TO
be glared at by man, and the pic
ture Of the big brown frowning fel-
low fingered in my mind.
That evening my opportunity
came. Ny afternoon walks had usual
ly to be taken alone, as Mrs. Penden-
mis- working days were long. | was
strolling by the sea at the sweet hour
when the east is misty silver with the
rising Of the moon. lne west fading
pink with the setting Of the sun.
There he was, presumably lying in
wait, so glared and. turning round,
marched away But something
seemed to force me TO glance back
just fieeting glance, yet long enough
to see that the man was striding off
in the opposite direction So far had
he zone already that | was afraid no