The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-10-29

eSSAianSe tnul ne ndu NOT Tehu ~, anu
take fresh heart from her frankly I'M
sentimental attitude to his rival. Thus
would she gain time, and peace. She
sealed, stamped and mailed the letters
with relief, and a little mischievous
glee in her heart.
But she reckoned without her hosts.
Up to a certain point her calculations
were correct however: each nj re-
ceived the letter belonging to the other.
resolved ~virtuously not to read it, and
succumbed in the end, iubilant that
the lady Of his desire had evidently no
love whatever for a rival; each put
the letter in his pocket intending To
return 1t, not to Its owner proper, but
to Peggy herself. For on the spot,
each decided to run up Friday and sur
prise Peggy. Each decided to declare
his love, and each, thanks TO the letter
in his pocket. was sure the other had
no chance with her, and was confident
Of winning. They received these let
tiers Wednesday.
About the same time Mrs, Benton
wrote a note to John Burton. 100 miles
north in Clayton.
Dear Jack: | promised to write you
when | thought 1t would do you any
good to come. | think this Is the time.
When a girl finds 1t hard to choose
between two men, 1t is ten to n she
wants a third man, and doesn't know
1t. You are the third man, and the
right one, Yesterday Peggy grew very
angry when | mentioned Nell Forest,
Hadn't you better explain? Do 1t by
force II necessary; make her LISTEN
She deserves punishment for her treat
ment of you. And / am so tired Of
having Ned and Bobby about! Sim
cerely yours,
ELEANOR BENTON"
Friday came and found Peggy all
unconscious of three approaching sur
prises. Jack Burton was speeding
along on a south-bound train; Bobby
| from the east, and Ned from the west,
were complacently approaching her,
and--each other. For as fate and poor
railway connections would have 1t,
Ned had to pass Bentonville by Is
miles, and change cars at Flat juno
ton, where Bobby also changed cars
for the city of his lady-love, The
trains of both men were late; they
missed connections, and met, aston
ished, but friendly, on the platform. II
wa raining in foods, and there would
not be another train till morning.
They took a room together at the
little place that called itself a hotel
and decided to make the best of It
Thus 1t befell that gradually and eau
tiously they compared notes. 1t ali
began by Bobby magnanimously re-
turning Ned's letter, with the assur.
ance that he had not read 1t, by Ned's
astonished ~reciprocation of the com
pliment, and the perusal by each oi
his own letter, which ne saw, with dis.
gusted amazement, was almost the Gu.
plicate of his rivals.
Then there were explanations, anG
from being angry at each other, they
became angry at Peggy, for the WHOLE
story came outflow each had been Il
see her every two weeks, and how
each hoped to get her now that she
had broken with Burton.
finally they went to bed, having
agreed to give her a thorough surprise
Together they would visit her, declare
their love almost In unison, and max,
her choose between them; each was Il
abide by her decision. and to bear tn,
victor no ill-will. They agreed tina
they had been friends too long t,
quarrel about a girl. But in his hear
each man was sure that he would sue,
coed.
They slept; SO did Jack Burton in 4
Bentonville hotel; and Peggy in hel
dainty at home. Saturday morn
ing Ned and Bobby, immaculate, ant
not suspecting the surprise they were
to spring upon themselves, saunteret
out to Peggy's. They went by the bach
road to the old orchard, She might b.
there, and they could take her entire
ly unaware. She was there-and una
ware of them with a vengeance.
AS they came to a sudden turn II
the winding path, they stopped ant
stared. Beneath an old apple tree, hel
sweet face upturned, was Peggy--ir
the arms of John Burton! Her pretty
laugh rippled out,
ITS all right about Nell, dear. o
course you couldn't refuse when sh'
asked you to take her! She's so bold
And the man didn't come on that bus
mess ? / was so silly. %I'm-sorry
Jack Here Jack asked a low ques
ton, accompanied by a kiss.
"Those silly boys? OF course not,
l never loved anyone but you"
/ Jack kissed her again. Not fol
one little moment" she continued
Ned and Bobby felt that she spoke thu
truth. They turned unseen, and wen
as they came.
t Il think we can catch that moor
i train" Ned observed dryly. But Bob
by asked solemnly:
!, Ned. will you please kick me?'
; Then the two men laughed.