The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-11-25
TANGLED
THREADS
BY F. B. WRIGHT
Copyright, 1904, by T. e. Mcclure


wasn't it," Miss Travcrs said III
doesn't seem like it."
NO" he replied; 1t seems thirty"
"ThHnkS. Have really aged 81
! much since them:
81 mean until | SAW you it seemed
thirty" he explained.
Three -years-it goes very quickly.
You haven't changed mGch.''
Il: l haven't changed ut ALL
She regarded him critically. NO
! you havrn't-in looks"
/ Il haven't in amy way" he replied
earnestly and with an undertonc OF
intention in his voice. And YOU
you are all | imagincd.'
Il imagined: Then l was not Il
. reality three years ago. 1 was merc
Pigment of your brain. What do you
mean!'
Il why--that in all these
years L have been imagining youth
all sorts of ways, you know"
; "0h! Sometimes as fair haired. !
suppose. and sometimes as dark hair
ed: sometimes with a hump and some
times cross eyed"
Nonsense"
"Well. it's what You said, all sorts
of ways and yet-do you remember
the silly speech you made me when
You went away"
''Of course--only it wasn't silly. 1t
was the frozen truth"
1T didn't seem very frozen then,
| but perhaps it does now, however, at
this distance. You haven't answered
my question yet, though. What was
it you said"
>Why-tha what's the use of my
| telling you over again if your memory
is SO good:"
Its your memory that's i'll ques-
ton, not mine. Confess you don't re-
member"
but l do, of course. 1t was that
wouldn't forget he said triumplantly.
Miss Travers dropped her eyes. raised
them again for Il brief flutterng mo-
mcnt and again dropped them with Il
| pensive little smile.
And You remember what it was
said to You them" he asked impressive
ly, leaning nearer and loOkin" down at
the bent head.
You Saitl-of course. you were just
saying it-bnt you said you would re-
member every word had said to YOU.
every look of my eyes. every tone Of
my voice You were quite sentimental
that night
1T was meant. every word of it. No
man could forget. | know it now
Nov: Didn't YOU know it then?
What do you mean: You talk as
though you We're not the same man YOU
We're. Aren't YOU
well. every man changes. YOU know,
every seven years. Scientific fact, l
believe"
But it hasn't been sevcn-only
three
"Oh. of course. not really change.
was joking. What | meant was that
knowing you. having Your image he
fore me these years. has made a chang
cd man of mc-changcd the whole
course of my life" he said earnestly.
".\h. and you have that photograph
Of me vet
"Of course" As if l wouldn't, 1t
has never been out Of my Keeping since
stole il from
Il thought l gave it TO You mySef?'
she said. with some surprise i'll her
voice ''ITave you forgotten how YOU
begged it from me that night
"Of course haven't forgotten. he
replied heartily. Il know you gave it
10 me-" I;ut she was not listening
Her eyes We're looking off into the dis
lance beyond The dark glass of The con-
Serratory.
How beautiful the moonlight was on
the water that night, and far off some
boating party was singing. 1t was per
feet"
Yes, perfect 1T least to me-"
do you remember when we gliled
into that stretch of lily pads and l
lifted them dripping from the water
each drop like diamond, and you
said
And | said l wished they We're real
so that | could give them 10 YOU" be
said boldly.
drops would spoil my gown--the gown
YOU admired So much.'
Il did admire it. l have always seen
YOU in that gown-and your face lImi-
nous i'll half shadow, the CLINT of your
hair and your arms cleaning in the
moonlight as You trailed your fingers
in the water and made Silvrry ripplcS
over the polished black mirror of the
cr- river"
He drew Il long breath when he fin
i&hrd, as one who felt relieved.
And it was as we neared home.
wasn't ii. that you told me that you
wanted my picture"
Yes
Tho corners of her mouth twitched
Il little. What splendid memory y0d
have" she said. IL marvellous memory
| call it, | wish | had one like it.
though it's not what | would call ac-
cuTatr--if that's Il Samplc-hecnuSr. yssl
see, you didn't ask me for my photo
graph that night. 1t was fall when
you left, and it rained hard that after
noon, and we could not so out, but in