The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-10-08

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/ replied, sternly
And |" she replied. smiling.
/ As we emerged from the building. I
called a cab and handed her in. Be-
fore | let it go, l said:
Come, now, no more agency 5usi-
ness until after the supper - if you
| please"
/ Agreed she replied. merry smile
/ lighting her face-and l thought | saw
hint of downcast eyes and a hint
| of responsive comradarie which we'll
nigh sent me into a fit of vertigo.
That supper was red-letter occa-
sion. | had never been much of la
dies man, but had met many women
of all degrees, and never had | met
one with the charm of this mystifying
product of the matrimonial agencies.
She was so evidently up-to-date, sc
well-informed, so wise to everything
going on in the world, so thoroughly
! posted in affairs and so we'll able to
discuss current topics, that | could not
| reconcile her actual self with her posi-
ton as woman of fortune seeking a
1 husband through the mountebank
agencies. Why! without a cent, she
was prize for a prince
While we sat at the little table in
the coy corner. a party consisting of
newspaper fellows and an actor or two
came in for a bite As | nodded care
lessly to them, and they returned my
salut2tion. puzzled expression
crossed Miss Norman's face.
who are those people?" she asked,
sharply
ooh, Tom Bates, of the Universe;
Jimmie Burns, of the Recorder; Louie
! Drake, of the Clarion, and Harold st.
Hubert. the actor" l replied.
do you know them?" she asked.
Then l recovered my balance and re-
piled:
Il met Bates, casually. the other
night, and he pointed the others out to
me-"
Then I changed the subject
Later on we went to the theater, and
before leaving her | made an engage
ment to take her riding on the follow
ing afternoon
| lay in my room and smoked that
night until far past dawn, buried in
visions. The evening had strengthened
and vivified every impression of my first
meeting with the girl. There was no
question but she was a lady in every
sense of the word-arJl her alert intelli-
gence was not the least of her charms.
There was no lodging it, | was madly in
love with her. All my doubts based on
finding her at a matrimonial agency
were cast aside.
lwould marry her without question
as to her object in being there" said
Then | groaned as l thought of the
barrier of her wealth and the cheap part
was playing. For, of course, l must
be honest with her
Finally | made my resolve. | could
not remain in SO equivocal position. |
would make a clean breast of it, and
hope for her friendship at least. More
| dare not dream.
Perhaps years would efface the mem
DRY of my duplicity, and when | should
have attained high position in my pro-
fession, perhaps-wbo knows?
The next afternoon far out on a lone
some drive. ] pulled myself together
and told her the whole wretched bust
ness.
Il owe you an apology as abject as
man can make, Miss Norman" | started
in, tragically. Then | hurried on: II
am compelled to confess to YOU that I
am not what | have pretended to be.
My name is not Hiram Adams. but
Stewart Vincent. am newspaper re-
porter doing the matrimonial agencies.
getting material for story for the
Clarion. 1t was good enough fun be-
fore | met you, but | am heartily
ashamed Of myself row. and | humbly
beg your pardon. ! desire your honest
friendship too much to 80 on with the
deceit longer"
| had kept my eyes resolutely on the
horse. | now turned to her, and was
surprised to find her face suffused with
bushes and her eyes downcast
Then she uttered a merry little laugh
and looked at me with a mischievous
the reins and gather her in my arms.
ITS tit for tat" she said. 81 am on
the same assignment for the Universe,
and-and was just thinking how dread
fully cheap | was. My name is Eleanor
Vance. | guess it's a case of two fools"
A great joy leaped through my veins.
Not if We can be friends-no don't
mean that" l said-"if we can go on
with this courtship. Miss Vance. Ny
Sunday editor told me to follow this
assignment clear to the altar-in fact.
to get married, if necessary to get a
good story. consider it very necessary.
haven't a dollar in the world. but I can
always hold good job. Will you help
me follow out my orders?"
Mine were the same" she replied.
softly. land two salaries are twice as
much as one, this in whisper.
Then dropped the reins and the horse
had its own way for season
Two such stories never appeared as
those in the next issues of the Sunday
Clarion and the Sunday Universe. Mine
led to permanent job, and the Uni
verse lost Miss Vance shortly, greatly to
the gain of a coy uptown fat
And | did not begrudge paying both