The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-08
Did I?" she asked. T must have

Did I?" she asked. T must have lost my engagement book"
 Let us cut out this jesting." he said suddenly. T must have a serious talk that man who went off to make a for tune for you? He won't ever come back"
 My dear sister insists that I shall, . said the girl slowly. She even says l must marry him soon. With all her talk of ambitions and position 1t seems a queen stand for her to take. However l shall please myself. ] regret though. that you and I didn't meet when was l6. I was quite romantic at that age. l assure you" T love you" said the man, intensely Why do you always mock us all so? You are worse than your sister ever was in her most brilliant days" Would 1t do you any good to know what l have decided to do?" she de- manded.
 T must know. You have dangled me on SO long I can endure the suspense | no longer"
 The girl laughed rather heartlessly
 going to marry a millionaire | met out West last winter I'm not go- ing to spend my life waiting for some one to come back from the jungles If Africa As you doubtless know. our financial troubles have become com plicated."
 In the shadow of the tall potted palms, the stranger sat staring straight | ahead. He was shocked, not so much at the thought that he had lost the girl | ne had come homo to win, as at the utter lack of sentiment she displayed ana her frankly mcrcenary spirit. He felt sorry for the man who was stand ing beside her. Then he rememberel ms own position. The two passed on. Ihe beauty was as serenely perfect az | she had just refused an invitation to dance The mans head was bowed. lhe stranger turned to the silent wo. man near him
 You have heard it all." he said. II. wash on the square to listen, but am glad to know the truth " Do you hate her for what she has done" demanded the woman. "wnuId,.t 1t be better to hav2 come home on(. found her Just bit faded, perhaps, bur true?" The man shook his head. ike to know she is just the same" he said. "I'd rather give her up than md her changed. Do you blame me TOT loving her?" wonderful light shone in his tired eyes.
 'I am too shabby an old chan for or.
 
 worth coming back. just to see her
 The woman stared at him incredu- lousIy
 Then you are going away without telling her?"
 Yes"
 But you have made a mistake" cried his companion. 'Listen"-
 We heard enough I'm just glad she Is as young and lovely as ever" He
 
 that was here. please" he said Then he walked out into tho darkness.
 Tne quiet woman ran after him ari touched him on the arm. He turned quickly. a look of disappointment fol- lowed his flash of hopefulness.
 "Oh. it's you?"
 Yes, said the woman, '1t is" Then she turned and ran from him, with a bitter cry. She sank onto a bench be. heath dropping tree, and sobbed soft. " until aroused by a light figure bend ing over her
 Sister Chloris. What on earth is the natter" cried the figure in white. I've just paid an old debt" said the sobbing woman. The price of a piece of folly"
 You always talk in riddles" said the younger woman. Perhaps If you are so good at it. you'll tell me the answer to a question that was dis cussed al dinner tonight. By the way. several spoke of how much I resem- bled you when you were quite young. Isn't 1t tiresome to always be told you are like some one else?"
 What was the question:" asked the once beautiful Chloris.
 What quality a woman clung to longest; what trait remained with her through all conditions and reverses"
 Vanity" said Chloris. crisplv. Which may explain why she allowed Gordon to go back to the wild places without letting him know that 1t was her younger sister. and not herself, who had seemed SO lovely yet so heartless. the evening of his return.