Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1904-07-23
Under FalCc
COlOrc
By w. W. HINES
Copyright 1901. by w. w. lIin">
By w. W. HINES

any unclcs lately. and 1t was Il distinct
surprise to be greeted as :: nephew ly
the stern featured old man in til" puff
ing automobile
Come here, you youn" rascal" the
old man almost shouted as the autOnlo-
bile drew up to the sidewalk.
Without knowing why. Ogden went.
Perhaps it was curiosity. perhaps it
was because he did not happen To think
of anything else to do. At any rate lr
stepped up to the automobile and tock
n good long look ut its occupant.
Get in here at once" said the Old
man.
"Why? asked Ogden.
"Why" repeated the old man. BE
cause | toll you to do so. Here have
been looking for you for the past two
weeks and now you want to run away
when find you. That il Il pretty way
for an only nephew to treat his uncle.
80 you are my uncl"!' said Ogden
q,lIzzcnlly. Then the spirit OF adyrn-
ture. which had been his guiding star
all his life. seized possession Of him.
md hc stepped into the vehicle. which
started. putting. down the avenue to-
ward Washington square.
On the way down he puzzled with
himself as to the part which he was
acting. or rather being forced to act.
AS nearly as he could gather from the
conversation OF the old man. he was
his nephew Rodney. Th" last name
had not been introduced into the con
versaton. Rodney seemed to hay" come
from the west for visit and to have
left the house without warming. after
Il more or less violent quarrel with his
uncle
What did You want to run away
for, you young rascal! The girl is GER
tainly as pretty n girl as you will
find in the whole country. sir 1t was
only to be expected that she should
show some coquetry about accepting
you, but l am surprised that any
nephew OF mine would be such Il fool
as to run away from IL pretty girl. Why
did you do it, SIR" The old gentleman
was very irate.
Taking his cue from the fraEmcntary
information furnished him by these
remarks, Ogden. resolved to carry
through the comedy, Strengthened him
self up and remarked, with his most
digntfcd air:
because trust that am too much
of n gentleman to force my attentions
in any quarter where they are not
wanted" He had read this sentence in
some old fashioned book and thought
it might 20 well with this elderly uncle.
The old fellow looked rather pleased
and said:
IL should have understood it. my boy.
The sentiment does credit to your blood
and your breeding. sir. But my heart
Is set on this match. Just tell the girl
you won't take no for an answer and
she will come around in time. Eth. sir.
when | was your age | would have
been delighted with the coqurtrics she
has used on you"
by this time the automobile had
come to a stop in front OF one Of the
old houses along the north side Of the
square. and the two passengers alight-
ed.
Entering the house, the old man. with
Rodney in tow. made for the drawing
room, where they could hear some one
playing on the piano. The room was
rather dark. but as they entered the
light was good enough for Rodney To
make eut the uncOmmOnly pretty girl
seated Mt the piano. She got up hastily
as they entered the room and ran to
greet the old man. Then she turned
to Ogden and said:
$50 you have come back. Cousin
Rodney: l was under the impression
that you had left the city"
Feeling rather ashamed OF himself
for carrying on the deception. but over
powered by the desire for adventure,
Ogden sat down and Joined in the con-
vcrsatIon. fencing carefully for time
whenever he was asked question the
answer to which might betray his iden-
tity. Whenever he got chance he
stole a glance at the girl lie fancied
once or twice that he detected Il flicker
Of amusement upon her face. She was
evidently watching him narrowly. and
the conviction grew upon him that she
suspected he was an impostor. The
girl was certainly beauty, and he
could not understand why the real
Rodney had been callOus enough to
run away from her society, even il he
had found his presence more or less
unwelcOme.
by and by the old gentleman excused
himself upon the plea that he must
take his regular afternoon nap and left
the two young people alone. The mo-
ment he was safely out Of hearing the
girl broke into peal OF laughter and
said:
Did you think he had fooled me-"
She was taking 1t very nicely,
thought Ogden, and he braced himself
up enough to say:
"No; l knew you recognized my I'M
position. But. believe me, am not au
intentional impOstor. Your uncle picked
me up on the street and swore up and
down that l was his nephew. II
would not have been proper to accuse
him OF falschOod, so just came along"
The girl grew serious and said:
You know uncle il bit near
sighted, and he will not, under any
circumstances, consent to wear glasses.
You do look wonderfully like his
nephew. But don't you know who you
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