Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-11-20


Of him could he have told why he had
gone at a particular time TO a stran-
gers rooms. seized there letter and
was now looking for stout man in
gray, but when he saw in the thick OF
a throng OF people moving toward a
gate with view toward an outgoing
train stout man In gray suit he ell
bowed his way through until he had
slipped the letter into the pocket of the
man In gray and then dropped back
out of the crowd with the contented
sigh Of one whose duty was done. As
he stood in an open space mopping
his forehead in daZcd sort of way an
other stout man dressed in gray touch
ed his shoulder and said:
You have made mistake"
How so? | don't know"
But you are not To be blamed"
Glad to know II, but | don't see
why | might be-"
Just then Mr. Blanchard plunged In,
caught him by an arm and demanded
anXiOusly, Where's that letterT a
query which seemed to stun the young
man. Have you got it,
NO" said Mr.. Crandall, answering
for him. But you have lost fairly. He
put 1t in the pocket of man who an
swered the description. | saw him do
it, It's all right. The fellow looked
like me-"
ITS all wrong-the wrong letter. 1t
must he recovered. wouldn't have
lost it for ten times the bet"
II don't see how you'll get it. The
gate has closed while we've been talk
ing, the train is gone. and the man is a
has been so far as we are concerned"
Mr.. Blanchard said various vehement
things.
He was commuter | noticed that
he simply showed II ticket, and that's
all we know about him. And the COLI
muters are legions strong"
THE gateman may know HIM"
They found the gateman, Il surly. i'll
conditioned old fellow. but amenable to
the modifying influence of Il bank note,
and with some pretended difficulty lie
proportioned TO his pay. why, yes;
guess the gentleman you want is Mr..
| Berdan, who goes to Tarrytown.'
They sent a telegram after him In
care of the conductor of the train and
from Spuyten Duyvil got an answer
back:
mo letter in possession that doesn't
belong to me. Know nothing about ii"
Heavens, Crandall!" exclaimed Mr..
Blanchard. drawing his friend aside
1T was from the Widow Kitely. You
know enough to imagine how impor-
tant it may be to me. And it's lost"
~ don't see what's the use in getting
excited about it. She can write you
another"
"Will she? To a man so careless
and stupid as to lose in such an idiotic
way a letter that
Go and tell her all about it. She has
sense. 1t will be all right Probably
she will tell you what she has written,
and that may be even more agreea-
BILE"
II must. There's nothing else to be
done"
Mrs. Myra Kitely was an exceedingly
| charming young woman, a plump but
not fat brunette whose widowhood had
| in her estimation lasted very much
longer than law and society gave her
credit for, even longer perhaps than
she deemed reasonably her due. Her
husband. Jack. had been such scape-
grace that they had separated a good
| twelvemonth at least before his thirsty
and rackety career closed. and even his
creditors had generally forgotten him
by the time she learned of his demise,
which occurred while she was in Eu-
rope. The steamer that brought her
back to New York also brought Mr..
! james Blanchard, and ever since she
had known herself widow he had
| been doing his best to persuade her
that protracted period of even con-
ventional mourning for such Il husband
as Jack was uncalled for, if not actual
| " absurd. In her heart she agreed
with him. but the fear of what people
would say" kept her in half mourning
and postponed her acceptance of the
standing offer of his heart and hand.
Perseverance, however, rarely faileth
| of reward, and there came n time when
the pretty widow coyly promised to
give him her answer by letter. And
| bo hnI
Mr.. Blanchard had little doubt of its
purport. He was at least as happily
confident as an anXiously eXpectant
! suitor has any reasonable right to be,
but to lose her sweet consent and as
surance of her love in this ridiculous
way was exasperating, and he did not
| doubt she would punish him little for
it by a coquettish revival of his doubts
| and fears. His worst anticipations
were more than realized.
Meekly, deprecatingly. he told his
| tale of woe, and, though he felt how
sad 1t was, the way in which she re-
ceived it surprised and even puzzled
| him. She paled blushed rosy red and
| finally burst into tears. In vain he be-
| sought her to tell ''what was in the let
ter"
Never. never!" she protested. "Nev-
er while live!"
Good heavens. Myra," he cried. cit
cannot be possible that you have had
the cruelty to deny me! Come, tell me
what your letter contained. End my
anxiety"
But she took refuge in tears and the
ambiguous declaration, "Fate is against
mew
Mr. Blanchard was not one of those
tho supinely permit fate to settle their