The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-08-18

picked up the bit of cloth and fixed The
quality and shade in his mind Was
he not a dark man? And if gray suit
ed Jack it would suit him also. While
lie was talking to the clerk he heard
the clear voice that haunted bis
dreams so often of late saying:
Not that wide brim. Nellie \ tai
fellow like Jack would look chil1.5l
in that. This straw alpine is the vc-y
thing. Jacks square. cut or shoulders
will look like those of Hercules t1p9e J
off with this"
Lifting his eyes to Il nearby mirror
Earl saw without turning his head th1
hat she had chosen. Certainly Jacks
shoulders could not be am sIuHrer
than his own. He, too. would have an
alpine hat. And so once again had she
rescued him from doubt. 1t really
seemed a shame, almost theft. for
him to use her taste and Judgment
thus without her knowledge. but it
was so much easier than thinking Cut
things for himself, and it could make
no difference TO her, for she would
never know. So he gave his order and
then went outside and stood smoking
until the two women emerged from
the door, and he saw plainly the face
of his unknown and unknowing men
tor, and he told himself for the
twentieth time that she was beautiful
and that Jack was the luckiest dog in
the world.
week later when the gray suit
came home he did full homage to her
taste. Never had he had anything that
suited him so well, and the alpine hat
topped him off just as she had said.
He caught himself ardently wishing
that she could see him and set upon
him the seal of her approval with one
of those flashing smiles he had watched
play about her fine lips. And. realiz,
Ing what he was wishing, he blushed
at his vanity and daring. and, having
argued that it was neither wise nor
proper for him to think so often of her.
he set to work to forget the litheness
of her movements and the exact tint
of gold in her hair.
Before the suit was a fortnight old
Mrs. German gave her long remember
ed boat excursion.
Il specially wish you, my dear Earl,
to meet Nellie Penton, and shall expect
you to take her off my hands for the
evening. She is just the girl to cure
you of your bachelor procliYities." so
the old lady wrote, and Earl owing her
several social obligations, acquiesced,
mentally matchmaking the girl who
would, of course, be dull and homely
Women of Mrs. Germans age were
likely to put general utility before
grace or beauty in another woman.
The evening of the outing was per-
fect-a gold and violet sunset to be fol-
lowed by star shine and moonlight such
as Cupid dearly loves. A brilliant com
pany had already assembled on the
boat when Earl crossed the gangway
and mounted to the cabin deck He
glanced at the cloud dyed water rip
ping away to the rivers farther shore
and then at the tete-a-tete chairs along
the boats rail and sighed to think that
the coming hours, with such wonderful
possibilities in the line of lovemaking.
must be squandered on a plain, ''sensi-
ble' girl. At the top of the stair there
was something of crush, most of the
company having just emerged from
paying their respects to the hostess III
the cabin. SO it happened that Earl,
turning his broad shoulders first one
way and then another to occupy less
space, came at last to the cabin door
and entered simultaneously with two
other late guests.
At the far end of the saloon hung a
huge mirror, and as the three new
Corners cleared themselves from the
outgoing crowd and stepped forward
they Involuntary lifted their eyes to
this mirror and then suddenly stopped,
for the reflection showed a 1.-the grace