Amador ledger., 1903-11-27
OsOsOsOsOsOeOOeOeOsOeOsOe,
3 In THE WAKE OF A
!? SIDE COMB
BY SYLVIA LEE
Copyright, 1908. by 7. @. Mcclure


When the girl one loves as one has
never loved before throws her arms
about ones neck and says, "And 1
think it would be so lovely to have
diamond side combs instead of a soil
taire, if you don't mind, deaf" and
bushes
Well, one buys the side combs with
out question, and later perhaps one
reflects. But then it's too late.
1t thus befell with Harkness, and
Leda wore the two starry bands so
deftly posed amid the knotted tangles
of her sunny curls that they suggested
a diadem and in nowise led any man
to the conclusion which time honored
custom has drawn from the solitaire
In fact, before the betrothal was a
wonder.
And when, at a dance at the Lake
side club, young Wrycroft, the very
famous half back, invited Leda to go
out for a moonlight row around the
pier with him and Leda accepted and
went Hardness not only wondered, but
grit his teeth as well. No man who
has spent ten years dancing attend
ance on other mems fiancees and other
mems wives is going to enjoy life
while his own personal fiancee and
future wife is off with a fellow whose
name has headed newspaper columns
and whose chest can hardly find space
for all his medals. The couple were
gone an hour and seven minutes by a
watch which had come down through
three generations of the Harkness fam
lily, and when they did reappear the
owner of the watch stood at the head
of the wide stair and claimed the
young lady for the next waltz. Wry-
croft, happily oblivious to his crime,
strolled off, and Harkness led the girl
around the wide promenade to a place
which was quiet and retired enough
for private conversation. He was boil
ing within, but nothing could have
been more sweetly calm than the way
in which he put his arm about her and
asked with careless placidity:
did you row far, dear|
Il didn't row at all,' said Leda HE
rowed.'
Hardness kissed her with exceeding
gentleness. did you land anywhere,
darlington the Point, for instanceY
"Nu-l-o," said Leda.
Harkness passed his finger over her
pretty hair in silence for few min
utes. and then he suddenly gave
sharp exclamation:
"Good God, Leda, you've lost one of
your combsy'
Leda put both hands to her head and
almost shrieked as she realized the
truth.
perhaps you forgot to put one in?"
said her lover.
"No; I had them both, I'm sure"
She began to cry. Hardness scratched
matches, and they both looked all over
the floor but not diamond glittered
in the general gloom of the hour.
Very much later in the evening while
Harkness was twostepping with Mrs.
Lancaster sudden turn showed him
Leda speaking earnestly to Wrycrcft.
Wrycroft looked terribly used up, and
Hardness smiled grimly.
"Oh, what a smile" said Mrs. Ian
caster. ITS both impressive and
frightening. You make me afraid of
you, and yet | admire the SMILE"
Hardness wondered if he wasn't
fool to be contemplating the addition
of another wife to the assemblage.
"You look like cross between Meph-
istopheles and Machiavelli," went on
Mrs. Lancaster, who was slender and
never lost her breath. (Which do you
favor?"
81 can't spell either" replied Hark-
ness shortly. He felt inclined to join
the next expedition to the north pole.
The dance endured exceedingly late.
1t was quite when the last woman
retired, and a half dozen men were
first gray streaks of dawn appeared
above the Point Harkness sprang up
when he perceived them and yawned
vigorously.
"I'm going to bed" he declared, "and
l shall not tarry long upon the order
of my sleeping, either"
Young Wrycroft stood up, too, and
passed his hand over his forehead.
81 don't feel very fit" he said slowly.
81 believe I'll so for little row and
maybe take a dip from the Point"
He went down the steps as Harkness
entered the house. Later curiosity led
the latter to wander to the window and
look to see if Wrycroft was really car
rying out his purpose.
A rowboat lay on the sandy stretch
opposite, and the rosy light of the ris
ing sun illumined figure which paced
restlessly up and down the rustic paths
skirting the shore.
'T shouldn't call that exactly swim
ming?' said Harkness to himself lit
tie grimly. He pulled down the shade
with violent jerk and got into bed.
1t was quite noon when he awoke.
The day was glorious, and the bosom
of the lake was dotted with sailing
parties. He gave the bell two punches
for hot water and twisted the dressing
case toward the window as a prelimi-
nary to shaving. The mirror reflected
the Point, and as Harkness started to
tip it he saw a girl disembarking alone.
He unhung his field glasses.
Yes, it was Leda!
He threw the glasses on the bed and
went on with his toilet.
Every one was at luncheon when he
went down, and as he stopped by