The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-27

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I clup deserted. In the dining room a
| Iarewell banquet was under way. in
nonor OF man who looked distinctly
| western. Bancroft caught sentences
| ABOUT boat to sail early in the morn
ing. and a long stay abroad; then.
WIN a shrug, he walked into the writ
ing room. Drawing a chair into the
window recess, he threw himself into
its leather depths to watch the cabs
nash through the storm, and to think
OF Miss Divinity.
VI course, there had been other d.
whites. He almost laughed aloud
when he recalled the first one, whose
| lnsipid Observation-Disclosures had been
the power to draw him to the dancing
class. clad all in velvet and disgust
lngly girlish lace ruffles. There had
| been demure girls, girls whose blush
had been that Of the wild rose girls
with coils of satiny hair, girls with
tender mouths and deep brown eyes,
but never had there been one who
could combine all these graces as did
the Lady of the Stage.
In her delicate treatment of the
| faded, nervous old teacher he had read
exquisite womanly sympathy; in her
bearing, dignity and the art of repres-
sion; in her eyes, when she laughed,
tnat latent sense of humor which is
the leaven of martial life.
The club rooms were very quiet
when at last he pulled himself together
and ordered cab. John, the hall man,
handed him The Hat. Bancroft's pen
chant for new hats was we'll known,
and he did not resent Johns quiet An
other new one, sir?" but slipped crisp
note into the serving mans hand.
brother over the edge of her chocolate
cup. 1t was nearly noon of the next
day, and Harry had been waiting i'm
patiently for an hour or more for
word with his sister,
NO, you need not give me the mar
quise ring for such a trif1e," she said
teasingly, merely promise that 1 shall
De the maid of honor. 1t has been the
night of my ambition to be maid of
nonof at church wedding-in a pic
lure hat and carrying a big ernljne
muff. Give me the name and address.
ana l will wager a new scarfpin
against the marquise ring that meet
MISS DIVINITY before l have finished nv
round of teas this afternoon
Harry patted her shoulder approx
lngly and darted out of the room. It
mad been happy thought--that hat.
he came back with the hat in his
nand, and led Helen triumphantly TO
the window
This is where your little brother was
wise for once" he said. HE did not
trust to his poor memory"
But suddenly the look of triumph died
from his face. He uttered a groan.
and Helen clutched his arm.
What's the matter?"
Matter? Matter? Everything's the
matter! This is not my hat''
he kATI
Ihat is all right" she said mock
ingly. "All you have to do is to 20
to the club and find out which man has
hat with girls name written on the
lining" va '''e
Her mischievous words brought COM
fort to the perturbed Bancroft.
Not bad idea. I'm off to the club
And at the club he found John in
the accustomed place. 1t was a. club
tradition that John never slept. Yes.
Jonn remembered the hat (also the tip
which he did not mention, however(
1t was new hat. He remembered
having made free to mention the fact
to Mr. Bancroft. No, he didn't think
ne could have made a mistake. He
mad been tending the rack for years
and never made mistakes. Yes, there
was one other gentleman who had worn
new hat the night before. Come 20
think. it was the same make as Mr..
Bancroft's. 1t had been a gentleman
with Mr.. Hanson-a Western gentle
man. White hair, spare figure, about
the same hight as Mr.. Bancroft. That
was why the two hats were on the
same rack. He could remember every
hat, of course, but it helped some to
have the tall mems hats on the top
rack and the short mems hats under
meath. That was how he always got
them so easily. Still, with the two hats
side by side, he could not understand
how he could make the mistake. Yes.
Mr.. Hanson was in the club house this
morning. John thought he had gone
into the billiard-room.
But Hanson was in the cafe. lie
could not understand why Bancroft
should be so interested in the friend
he had entertained the night before. It
was a Western friend, man by the
name of Stroud who had made mill
lions in copper, and was on his way
to Europe. Had sailed that morning
at six on the City of Chicago. Han
son had been giving him a little send
off the night before.
"Did-ery-his hat fit him?"
Hanson laughed.
IT can't answer for this morning,
but l know it was all right last night.
was with him when he bought it
yesterday afternoon.
Bancroft made a dash for the writ
ing-room. Now that he had located
his man, it was a simple thing to send
4 Marconigram asking Stroud to cable
back the name and address in the hat.
He had the message written, when it