Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-07-27

The girl hesitated and was lost,
"oh-oh!" she murmursd. lighting
him. "t'n paying for the chocolates,
after all! It's too bad Of you, Doug.
las; you're changed dreadfully-ter
ribly!"
She twisted the key and slipped In
to the passage. i've good mind to
shut you out" she cried. Then, re.
lenting, stood on one side for him to
enter.
ITS all very tiny, you know" she
explained, as he took off his hat and
coat.
kennaby settled himself costly in
an arm chair beside the fire. He felt
at peace with the world. Well, it had
been worth waiting for this.
The light fell revealingly upon her.
The vision of that dear face which
had been with him SO often in dreams
~as now a glad reality. How pretty
she was-how pretty!
He almost bounded out of his seat.
What-what? Her hair was waved
in black. shining masses about her
head. Black as the ravens wing,
black as night itself. why, Maude,'
he stammered, what ever have you
done to your hair?" Dismay and sus.
picion shone in Kennaby's eyes, the
former taking utter possession of
them as the meaning of the girls re.
ply went home to him. my hair? It's
the same as it has always been. Only,
you know, my name doesn't happen
to be-Maude."
Kennaby's brain worked laborious.
W No" he said. at length, you're
Marie"
EYES,"
yes, of course. 1t was only in the
light that mistook you"-
Then, or now?'
He compromised. 81 should have
known you at once, only
Only you didn't. quite under
stand.'
ANY way" retorted Kennaby, you
must admit that l was very glad to
see you!"
you were," she assented roguish-
ly, very glad, so long as was
Maude. l shall eat her chocolates
just to spite YOU"
Il really bought them for you, after
an, he argued. ut was you saw
in the shop trying to buy impossible
cake"
The girl laughed again, and at mem.
DRY of his kisses burned. Its not
very nice of you, Douglass, for all
that, to have forgotten me SO entire.
~. Maude used always to
give me your violets. 1t wasscnly the
chocolates that kept"
He smiled tits. II was a bit
young ip,stkose days"-
sstsaou were rather nice, 1 thought"
she told him.
she was gone ere she had finished;
her last word coming to him from the
darkness of the passage. Kennaby
called after her. Don't be long, Ma.
RE; ! have heap to say to you"
somehow that comfortable feeling
which had been his today ever since
he had had speech with Maude's little
grown up sister, remained with him.
Suppose-suppose Maude to be mar.
ried. Such thing might have hap
pened. She was pretty enough, and
charming enough-although she had
never written him line since the en-.
gagement had been broken off-by
herself. His notion of coming back
wealthy in order to marry her had
been quite Kennaby's own.
He got up to examine row of por.
traits on the mantlepiece.
Here was little Marie. How could
he have mistaken her for Maude?
RaHes was Maude; handsome dis.
Z Ss... .c..ded. Yes, that was
Msade bless her! "a,
But now he perceived another pic
ture-that of two. small, chubby
youths, hand in hand. with sturdy
legs and resolute eyes.
Maude's eyes. Kennaby knew
them too well.
That's Roger" said voice behind
him, and the other is-Douglas.
$50 Maude is married." said Ken
naby, slowly and evenly stating a
fact.
"Yes-the same year that you went.
Didn't you really know"
His eyes held Marie's in her refiec-
ton in the overmantel as he put back
Maudes picture. Il hope that she has
had-and may continue to have-all
the happiness that 1 hope to find,"
said Kennaby, enigmatically.
But Marie blushed, while her lashss
hid all that might have been in her
eyes.-Lady's Pictorial