Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1903-01-23
ROCKVILLE FRIDAY MORNING. JANUARY %
yOVOVOOUCOCONSt JOOOCJOIJOJUCl
,"AFTER Ry
; FIVE Frances
) YEARS" Wilson
Copyright, 1901, by Frances Wilson

|
against two fingers OF her left hand,
"and perhaps some of those little cakes
the ones that are SO tempting on the
outside and all emptiness on the in
side"
From her tone Lorrimer understood
that she meant to intimate that the
artistic unlties demanded cakes Of this
description. He translated the order
into man talk for the benefit of the OBJ
sequious waiter and then asked with
the air Of one who was used to being
made confidant of:
whats the trouble? Because I've
noticed that when you order tea It Ia
an infallible sign of disturbed con-
science"
There was flash of nlyth in her
eyes as they met his, and she clasped
her hands on the edge of the table and
leaned toward him, saying in a vince
ding way:
You're the greatest comfort to me.
You're the only man l know, ever have
known, save one, who always under
standsl With you II isn't necessary to
dot ones rs and cross ones is"
Having paid him this handsome com
pliment, she beamed at him across the
narrow table and expectantly awaited
the question which she knew was sure
to follow.
"And the other fellow" he laughed,
"the one who shares with me the proud
distinctionT
Hes the troublep came the answer
In pathetic voice. Then with sudden
vivacity: ibid you ever notice that
there's something about the movements
of the average waiter that reminds one
of Spencerlan writing? There's flow
ing grace in the way that he removes q
dish cover a flourish in the way that
he sets down plate, which marks him
as a human exponent of the Spencerian
theory"
Their order had arrived, and It was
not until she had poured the tea that
she spoke again. Then she burst out
Indignantly:
Nobody but dreamer would think
Of such a thing as continuing a rO-
nance from the point where he left 1t
five years before It's absurd, you
know" she continued candidly. "A
PERSONS feelings change from year to
yearp'
From season to season would seem
to me a more accurate statement" put
In her companion. with a suave smile,
"unless, indeed, my experience has
been unusual"
you do understand" she smiled.
you certainly dol Now you would
know, wouldn't you, that If a woman
were fond of you. say when leg o
mutton sleeves were In fashion, she
nigh, probably would-feel very DIFF
ferent by the time That the coat sleeves
were de rigueur"
Her face wore the hopeful expression |
of a person who has at last found |
perfectly rational human being who |
will see things as they are. Iorrimer |
drained his cup and set II down dslib- !
erately before he replied. Then he |
said:
Don't you think you would better |
begin at the beglnnlng2 You're a tribe |
incoherent you know"
That's just It. There wasn't any be- |
ginning! And evidently he thinks that |
there hasn't been any end. 1t was all |
30 elusive and intangible and 80 sadl |
He left so much TO the Imagination. / |
think that was n part of his fascina-
ton for me. There was look In his |
eyes at times that wrunmmy heart, |
and from pity drifted by degrees into |
something more.
when we parted, | knew that we
were sworn to an eternal friendship
sort OF ashes OF roses affair, you know
and In my own heart was fully de-
termincd never to marry. | was going
to be one Of those sweet, sad, strong
women that you read about"
She screwed her forehead into knot
md looked Mt him deprecatingly.
What happenedr' he inquired In a
sympathetic tone "You haven't mar
ried, It IL true, but l have never con-
nected you In my thoughts with hid
den sorrow"
The occupants of an adjoining table
rose 10 go, and her attention was en-
crossed for moment by love Of q
mer and her story.
II suppose that what happened was
Just--other men" she said ruefully,
"The spirit was willing, but the flesh |
was weak"
What In the name of goodness 10 |
troubling you thenT asked Lorrimsr,
thoroughly mystiAed.
why, had a note from him this
morning! He will be in town next |
Wednesday. His wife Is deadp
She composed her face to an expires.
sion of perfect propriety before making
this announcement, though there was q
faint twltching Of her lips.
"Ah-h-hl | see. You fear that he is
coming to claim his pound OF flesh, and
you're not of the same mind that you
were when II was promised"
Che nodded.
tits not quite nice Of me TO tell you
but we're very old friends, and I'm
really troubled He's such q nice fel.
low-Just a thoroughgoing idealist. and
| know he thinks of me az cher1shing
his memory, and OF course I DO" she
added quickly, only not In just the
way he thinks. He's had 80 much sad
ness In las life that cannot bear TO
give him pain. want him TO soc for
himself that ! nm different now.
thought Of fixing myself up like a per-
feet trump" she said anxiously, ito re-
ceive him and asking you to drop in at
ten minutes past o, not minute later.
10 that there wont be any time for
"Reminiscences prompted Lori. |
ner, and she nssented.
Tho teapot was empty and the H. |
lusory cakes had vanished. There was
nutter OF departing guests all about
them, and they rose and made their
way homeward.
At precisely o'clock the next day |
Miss Barry was greeting Mr.. Grantbam
with an expression in her dark eyes |
which was not well planned, II indeed /
II was calculated TO reconcile him 10 |