Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-10-21
1T HE w TRES c ROSS @ e
By Jo ANNA SINGLE
Copyright, 1904, by Daily Story Pub. Co.,,

 nEGGY had conscience: this trou- bled her a little. Worst still, she had heart-no, four hearts-her own, which she had taken back from Jack Trent because she accused him of f1irt- ing with Nell Forest Jacks, which he declared would be hers forever though she would not allow him to explain how he came to have Nell canoeing; and the two hearts of Bob- by James and Ned Browne, respective Iy. Peggy was sure she had forgotten Jack-almost, anyway, and that she had been right to dismiss him as she had. True, she also had airted a little, but-one somehow expects a man to be stronger. So Peggy, Ter heart in her hand, vacillated between Ned and Bob- by in what she thought was sincere doubt as to which of them she should give the coveted treasure. They both wanted it; neither had exactly pro- posed, but Peggy was familiar with the symptoms.
 Right here is where Peggy's con. science came in. Was it right to dan gle them, to encourage them both, as she had done for six months, and still be no whit nearer a final choice be- tween them? That the men knew each other-had, in fact, been chums al college and that they were bitterly jealous of each other. made things worse. Peggy was mortally afraid that the wires would cross some time, and that they would both be angry She wanted people to be nice and pa- tient. She was not patient herself.
 If they had not dwelt in seperatc towns, one SO miles east, and one 50 miles west of her home, Peggy woulj have had even more difficulty in keep ing things straight.
 Here it was September, and neithcl man knew that since May he had made alternating weekend visits to the lady's home. Each simply thought 1t was awfully good of her to let him come once in two weeks. Between whiles she had kept up lively core spondence with them. They liked Peggy's gay, flirtatious letters. She enjoyed their letters immensely They came thrice a week on the same mail Peggy compared the letters, the. pho- tos of the men, and the men them selves Since she had forgotten Jack she must choose between them
 Peggy's mother calmly ignored her daughters doings, in the hope that the girl would return to Jack, who, as tie world knows, was made for Peggy Maternal wisdom restrained Mrs Ben ton from openly championing Jack. instead, she accepted Ned and Bobby with kind hospitality, and lightly yelled amusement She refused to take them seriously.
 One day while Peggy was writing. her mother asked:
 TO those boys. I suppose? Which. are you going to keep for perma nent plaything?" The girl was de smure. She looked at the two letters >she had just written, each equally pro vocative and alluringly coquettish.
 q don't know she said, ''I don: really! Bobby's so blonde and Iovable and chumnly, and I like lawyers. Bu; Ned's so big and dark and splendid be could make me mind, I think. And Nell Forest semes to want him"
 That said her mother, ''shoule make no difference to you.'' < Peggy's face grew red with anga,
 The cat! II guess you'd want te get even! What did she mean by be ing with Jack when he said bushes Lindered him from seeing me th1 night?''
 You would know, if you had ]. him explain