Smyrna times., 1902-07-02
hope that she might prove the lucky

You're sure to-" assured George,
audaciously. He felt better now the
Ice was broken, and by the time that
II or IA little tickets had been dis
posed OF he ventured on the remark
that had been on his lips for the last 90
minutes
Il did not expect to meet you here"
he said, trihe nerYOusly.
Dorothy appeared to be counting
her money in the little bag at her side.
Really" she said listlessly, "but
the world is so small, you know. One
Is constantly running up against ac-
quaintances.
He bit his lip angrily, and turned to
demand of shy young man '1f he
would take a rattle ticket, in tone so
fierce that the unfortunate youth dared
not refuse.
"Thank you very MUCH" he said.
meekly, as Dorthy handed him his
change with a kind smile. George
Fraser looked at her curiously, and
she turned her laughing eyes to his
dissatisfied young face.
REALLY, Mr.. Fraser" she said. re-
provingly, 'yOu will frighten people
away if you speak to them like that; 1
was retrifed myself"
81 am awfully sorry" he said, hum
bly,. "But''-in lower tones-''it real
ly was your fault"
81 don't see that" But her color
rose little, and she asked for an ex-
planation.
Another turn round the hot, crowd
ed hall, and he announced that there
were only two tickets LETT.
care there?" She counted her money.
eyes, here's 90 shillings. Suppose v 9
each took ticket, that would finish it
up. What are the numbers left?"
Twenty and thirteen. Which will
you have?"
She pointed to the number 20.
albright, that leaves me 13. Lucky
number that, you know. But"
-stamering and hesitating ''what
name am 1 to put on number 2O?"
She raised her eyes to his, half in
dignant, wholly surprised. 81 should
have thought it just possible that you
might have remembered my name?"
1t was impossible not to notice the
quiver in her voice.
His eyes looked steadily into hers.
"Rememberp' he said, a trihe un-
steadily. Il wish to Heaven 1 didn't
remember-things. But your-your
married name, meant"
my married name?" She gave a
little tremulous laugh. "But 1 am
not married, she said.
He drew a long breath. "But 1
heard it in Africa; some one wrote it to
fellow in our regiment. And my
letter, before L left England. You
never answered that. Dorothy?"
She did not seem to notice that he
had called her by her christian name.
"My cousin, Dorothy Seton, was mar
ried three months ago." she said, with
heightened color, staring intently at
the tea cosy. "And 1 never got any
letter at all George. Her eyes in
voluntarily sought his now.
Thank Heaven!' exclaimed the boy,
rapturously. "Oh, 1 can explain
everything now, Dorothy, darling.
Let's go and sit on that seat by the
palms for just five minutesr' And they
did so. But Mr.. Fraser's explana-
tions, satisfactory as they appear ed to
be, were not condensed in to so short
a space of time as that.
"What has happened to them?" ex-
claimed Lady Allenbury an hour later.
THAT tea cosy seems to take lot of
getting off. All, here they come"
The pair in question sauntered up,
looking delightfully."- bored and inno-
cent. Only DorothY's friend guessed
that anything had happened in that
one short hour.
"Here's the 20 shillings, Lady Allen
bury" exclaimed George, in triumph,
'Miss Seton"-a slight emphasis on
the name-"will give you the money"
And Miss Seton did so with consider
ably heightened color.
''Thank you both so much, said her
ladyship, fervently. "Now let's draw
a number and finish it off and get rid
of it. Dorothy, dear, put the tickets
into your little bag. Perhaps 1 had
better draw one."
The flashing rings went into the
holland bag and returned again hold
ing tiny blue ticket. Number 10.
"Minel' gasped George, in tones of
horror. "What on earth can I do with
the thing?"
Lady Allenbury smiled a beautiful
innocent smile. ''Keep it until you
are married. nv dear how" she sug-