Amador ledger., 1903-08-07
COMRADES
-. By.
MARTHA M'CULLOCH-WILLIAMS

Copyright. 1902, by t. G. Mcclure


he glass, saying as she shook a dainty
fist at it: ''You idiot! Why don't you
make yourself look as ugly as you
feel?"
81 think, my dear" Aunt Margaret
said, sticking her head through the
open door behind, ''it is because vanity
is trife stronger with you than ap-
prehension. You think you don't want
to marry Charley Cliffe. 1 know you
don't want him to find you fright"
isn't it horrible, being so vain, with
ones whole future in the balance?"
Anice said, trying hard to be fearful
Aunt Margaret only laughed After a
little she said with twinkling eyes: "I
have always thought vanity was among
the heaven implanted instincts which
help to save women from themselves.
Now am sure of it."
What do you mean?" Anice cried
"Surely you don't, you can't, think I'm
shamming?" Again Miss Gordon
laughed and said: mot consciously,
my dear. The truth is 1 think you re-
sent the fact that you have no choice
in this made to order match"
''Well, wouldn't that gall any girl
with the spirit of mouse" Anice de
manded. Miss Gordon looked thought
full. "It is unfortunate, as 1 see it."
she said. 'That, however, does not
alter facts. Instead of cultivating a
hostile mind, you had much better be
fair. Remember, it is not the young
mans fault. The blame, if blame
there is, lies wholly with old Nine.
Boynton. She wanted her fortune to
go to you two, her step grandchildren
the sole descendants of her two hus-
bands. Besides, think she reasoned
that as Charley, whom she petted,
would certainly marry somebody, it
was just as well to put him in the way
of marrying you"
$50 if I say No he gets the whole
fortune, whereas he may trelinquish'
me and keep two-thirds of it," Anice
said. "Aunty, have the greatest mind
to stain my face and dye my hair red
and wear a grass green gown and a
yellow stock
"a rainbow would become you ever
so much better" some one said, COM
ing through the door-some one tall
and slim, with merry eyes and firm,
muscular hands. He went straight up
to Anice and kissed her upon both
cheeks, saying: "Stars and garters!
What a beauty you have turned out to
be! Why didn't 1 come straight to
see you? Nan, dear, Pm in the confes
sional I've gone and courted another
girl without ever giving you chance
"Oh, how jollyp Anice cried. with
all that nonsense out of the way 1 am
awfully glad to see you. I remember
you as a real nice boy ever so many
years back"
81 think you were a tartar, and
know you were ugly" Cliffe said, his
eyes twinkling. That's why 1 made
up to the other one. What have you
done to yourself? The girl left be-
hind me was sallow and scrawny and
green eyed, with no hair to speak Of
and fingers like talons"-
"And just up from six weeks of fe-
ver," Anice interrupted, shaking a mop
of yellow brown curls at him. II have
spent an hour a day ever since forget
ting how looked just then. If had
known how faithfully you remember
ed''-
"Well, whatY Cliffe asked as she
made tentative pause.
"Oh, nothing" Anice returned 'I al
most said would have made myself
live up to your recollections."
Cliffe laughed, then ran on: Now
that under our granddam's nightmare
Of will we have duly arrived at years
of indiscretion let's settle money mat
ters out Of hand. I'm going to relin-
quish you in the presence Of witnesses.
You may marry whom you please for
all of me. 1 shall also give you half
the money
"Oh, 1 think you are a dearw Anice
interrupted, dimpling all over her rosy
face "And you'll stay here month,
and we'll be the best comrades going
You'll tell me all about your sweet
heart
"On one condition" Cliffe broke in.
''That you get engaged to somebody
before / go away"
you are a trif1e unreasonable"
Anice said with a softly brilliant smile
II want to be free-free as air for six
whole months-before I even think Of
bondage"
Comrades the two became, comrades
so close and congenial Miss Gordon
looked after them sometimes with eyes
that were not quite clear. "They were
made for each other and will find it
cut too late" she said in her heart.
Outwardly she kept silence. Fate had
taken up the cards, and she had no
mind to try crossing the deal.
Cliffe spoke often of his betrothed,
but always vaguely-she was as high
as his heart, her eyes the color he
loved best in all the world. When the
wedding day was set Anice and Aunt
Margaret should know. He had no
his sweetheart as she so we'll deserved.
Now and again he gave them messages
out of her letters Anice was insanely
curious to read one of the letters
through, but Cliffe would never agree
to it.
The month was almost ended. Next
to the last day of it Cliffe rode with
I Anice up Round Top to watch the sun
go down. 1t was Indian summer
weather, with all the air full of warm
haze and dead ripe autumn scents.