Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-08-20
His
BY N. Louie Cummi1s
ouiSe Cummisls


Of her Cousin ROyce's ''den," holding
bundle OF letters and papers which
she had just taken from the maid.
In answer to deep toned. mufIled
"Come ill.," she entered the snug bach
elor room. with It's rows of bookshelves.
and stood for a moment contemplating
the sleek. dark head and square Shout
ders bending over the desk.
He threw an impatient glance over
one shoulder ut the interruption. but
swung around with clearing face when
he saw who ii was.
"Say. Luce" he said eagerly, "how's
this for an idea? The hero is des-
perately In love with the heroine, who
cares nothing for him. In his despair
he remembers the old college profess
or who always helped him out of his
dilemmas and forthwith goes to him
for advice. The professor. who is an
interchangeable microbe hunter and has
been for years trying to discover the
germ of love, thinks with glee that In
this unusually bad case Is his chance.
After much research he finds the love
germ and carries it carefully to his
laboratory. But sportive soph lets
1t loose among the goods with the
disastrous result that every one begins
promiscuously to fall In love with ev-
cry one else OF course the heroine gets
inoculatcd and falls In love with the
hero"
"And the professor himself becomes
enamored of the laundrcss," she put
i'm lanshingly.
Just so. l was working on his So
liloquy prior to the advent of the love
lorn youth when you came in"
And of course began ut the end, MS
uslEl.'
"Y-ycs. But the rest will come to
me. Here's the last verse anyhow:
81 have found the germ OF health.
The germ of mclancholia ard parcsis.
But my reputation's lost
II can't. at any cost,
Describe the germ OF love In my great
thesis
FLOWS that:"
Great
She smiled encouragement with ap-
preciative eyes and lips. but the light
died from her face as he swung back
to the desk. waving the paper hilari-
ously above his head. She bit back
sigh between her teeth and, laying
the bundle Of mail beside him. turned
away.
Don't co." Royce was bending over
his papers and did not look up.
Wont IL disturb you IL remain?"
mo; 1t will help me; it always does
think you are my inspiration"
The blood flashed to her face so sud.
denly that she was thankful he did
not look up and see IT, She sank into a
big leather chair before the open fire
and took up magazine. Speed,
Royce's fox terrier. got up from the
rug, stretched himself laZily and jump
ed upon her lap. The young man lift
ed his head and looked across ut her
sideways.
what picture you make!" he said
meditatively.
The girl gave an uncOncerned shrug
to hide the suifocating beating of her
heart In her throat. 1t was terrible
to her. the suggestion OF dOmesticity
in their attitude. and to think 1t meant
nothing to him beyond the fact that in
the coy setting of the den" she made
an artistic picture.
Royce was deep I'm his work again,
scarcely conscious of the fact. when
she rose and left the room In answer
to ring mt the bell and the maids
knock. He heard the soft pitpat of
her feet as she ran upstairs few min
utes later and then the clash of the
front door.
Having finished the professors so.
liloquy he rose and strobe into the
drawing room just In time to see Lucy
being helped into a high dogcart by q
fair faced individual in immaculate
light ovcrcoat and dogSkin gloves. The
horses paved the air when the diminu.
tive tiger left their heads and sprane
into his place. Royce had Il glimpse
Of I.ucy's bright face AZ IL was lifted
to her companions. How entirely In
her element she looked. lie turned
away from the window. his foot trip
ping I'm rug. which he kicked savage
~ back into place. "Confound those
things that are always catching In PEG
pies feet Well here WAS another day
wasted. That stuff he had written was
rot lie stiodc back into his room and
tearing the sheets in two flung the m
into the waste paper basket. Then he
threw himself wcarily into the chaii
which the - he called cousin. because
he had known Eer all his life. tloL 81
the tic between them WAS remote. had
SD lately oc,.u,iCd
How pretty she had looked sitting
there i'm Tie fire light. What could she
see in that empty headed numskul
that she should care TO 20 driving with
him: Was she after ALL one of the
girls to whom II well weighted pocket
book atoncd for any mental lack?
He recalled the evening before wher
after hard days work he had wander
ell into the drawing room where Lucy
sat playing II sweet. illusivc little mel