Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1904-12-09
FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER g, 1904
The *
Conqueror
By KEITH GORDON
Copyright, 1901, BY NJ. MaKsr

Inc urea clerks ana shining Dnou-
matte tubes seemed to be In league to
detain him. and he was strolling i'm
patiently up and down, inwardly re-
Wiling the system that made such delay
possible, when the sight Of a tall, fair
girl, also waiting for change, trans
formed his feelings like the touch Of q
fairy wand. His impatisnoe vanished,
his engagement was forgotten. He
had seen his ideal womani
A weaker man might have failed to
detect his chance In the mere passing
glimpse of face In the crowd. Not
SO Manice. II fate, In effect, SAID to
him, Don't you wish you knew herT
he indomitably answered, Trust me-
I shall know herr And 90 the game
began.
Social customs he regarded as 80
many fences inclosing and dividing the
field Of action. Under ordinary circum-
stances he respected these dsfenses
and skirted them decorously until he
came to gatsways, like any other well
bred Individual. But ths case In hand
was comparable only to a Cross coun-
try ride, when the man who would be
in at the death must 60 over the
fences, jump the bitches and stay him
not for gateways and bridges.
All Of which means that Floyd Man
ice, usually the most dignified and con-
sentative Of men, spent the rest OF the
afternoon following slim, erect young
woman at a very respectful distance
and utterly without her knowledge.
At Q p. III. he had the satisfaction
Of seeing her enter a smart trap at
Morr1stown, N. j., whittier abe had
unwittlngly led him, and satisfied
from her manner that she was at home
he paced the platform, waiting for the
train back to town and making plans
with an exultant confidence born Of
long success.
"Going to Morristown for the sum-
mer, chr exclaimed his partner In
some surprise when he announced his
intention "A week later. II thought you
loathed New Jerseyr'
Mistaken idea Of yours" responded
Manice, with mendacious brevity. by
the way, do you know any one therer'
Events usually moved with business
like precision when Manice started to
accomplish an end. Within two weeks
from the day on which he first saw
his star, as he called her TO himself,
he was established In M0rristown,
waiting In strong, serene. yet humble
expectation for her to appear once
more upon his horizon.
The days passed like q procession
OF snails, but she did not appear, and,
though through the kindness Of city
friends he had number Of introduc-
lions, he made no effort TO discover
her identity. He had a strange, sweet
consciousness to which he held In
spite Of disappointment and the de-
plorable sentimentality into which 1t
was leading him-that she was surely
drifting toward him and that each day
brought them nearer together.
Near the end Of the third week his
faith was rewarded. II WIS on the
golf links, and a ripple Of pecuhariy
clear, frank laughter somewhere near
him caused him to turn his head She
and companion were sauntsrfng to-
ward him, every hne Of her 1.-THE,
graceful figure standing out glortOusly
against the pure background OF the
sky, her brown hair framing her face
In a bewitching disorder.
On this glimpse OF her Manice lived
for another week, and then his friend,
Duncan Brown, descended upon him
for the weeks end stay. Duncan would
have been welcome under any circum-
stances, but when he announced that
great friend Of his, Betty Aston, lived
In Morristown and offered TO take
Manice to see her the latter pressed
the freedom OF bis bachelor quarters
upon him with added fervency. won
dering II by chance he was entertaining
an angel unawares.
30 indeed II proved.
~ think | saw you ON the links the
other day" Miss Aston remarked,
turning to Manice after the greetings
were over, and that gentleman always
wondered what he said in reply. The
one Impression that he carried away
from that meeting was a confusing
sense OF having been projected unsT-
pectedly into the very midst Of heaven.
That impression, however was not
lasting. Time revealed that n Miss
Aston was a guiding star others DO
sides himself were looking, raising their
eyes TO her and following where she
led.
Still he drew a sigh Of relief at the
thought that he had two rivals instead
Of one. Always In these matters there
was safety In numbers.
Keeping watchful eye upon two
rivals IN wearing work even for a
strong man. II Nance had been fas-
cinated by Betty Alstons face. at the
end Of two months It was loveiier 10
him than ever, for the better he knew
her tho more assured he became OF her
sweetness and womaniinsss. Counted
by conventional standards, II was a
pitifully short time that they had
known each other. but he feit as II he
had been aware Of her through all tho
thirty-fve years Of waiting.
Thus his love, liks mighty wave
whose crest, poised Tor a moment
must inevitably spend itself in foam
broke into words. Simple, manly
words they were.
You are the only woman In thu
world for me-" he concluded, the colon
that usually glowed under bis tar
noticably absent. From tho first mo
meut I knew II. I would have follow