The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-03-21

during the remainder of that
CO day, | came to the conclusion
SsJ that it was direct interposi-
ton OF Providence in my favor. 1t
promised me time, which was my chief
desire. To forget Anna Lamoine, or at
least decide whether 1 should forget or
pursue her. was the immediate need,
and meanwhile 1 must avoid meeting
Sibyl. 1 was afraid of recognizing her,
afraid Of being hopelessly prejudiced
against her.
1t seemed most likely, indeed nearly
certain, that she was in Chicago visit
ing some friend and preparing a sur
prise for me. With this idea in my
mind 1 dared not go anywhere, and a
sudden fortunate descent of great heat
upon the city gave me an excuse for
restricting my movements.
You're looking a little under the
weather." said my father on the even
ing of the second day. "Why don't
you go out of town for a few days?'
1 protested that 1 did not wish to
leave him alone, but he would not hear
of my remaining upon his account.
He was perfect salamander; not even
his collars ever suffered from the eff
fects of the heat, and he must stay in
town for certain matters of business.
run across to st. Jo,'' said he.
you used to like that region"
1t had been upon my mind to go
there, and as he approved 1 took pas
sage across the lake next morning. l
had friends in st. 10, but was in no
mood to see them. Solitude was my
desire. AS was the case with Hamlet,
man delighted not me, and woman far
less. Every girl that looked at me
was Sibyl in disguise, and in this proc
ess of unfortunately installing stran-
gers 1 lost the last Yestige of my mem
DRY of her.
This result was assisted by some
thing which 1 had thought would work
the other way. Between the leaves of
a book in the library at home 1 had
found a faded proof of photograph
which must be SibyTs The pose was
unusual, for it permitted little of the
face to be seen, only the curve of the
cheek and faint suggestion Of a nose.
There were hat and a mass of hair
which might have been red, black or
yellow for all that the print revealed,
but the Iady's ear was quite distinct
d
that the camera might have been
pointed at it particularly.
The Photograph was quite recent, as
l judged by the appearance of the
paper. but it had been exposed to
strong light. l had preserved it care
fully for use in case of doubt. 1t
seemed to me that l should surely
-
three ears on the steamer and a dozen
on the streets of st. 10 within two
hours after landing.
l had decided to stay a day or two
in quiet boarding house where 1 had
lived for a week half a dozen years be-
fore. 1t was on an unpretentious street
which seemed to have changed less
than most other parts of the city. One
Of the suspected ears preceded me along
this street and, to my surprise and I |
might almost say alarm, entered that
very house where l designed to stop.
As for the owner of the ear, l had a
better view of her after dinner when l
she sat on the veranda with some 9th |
er young people who lived in the house.
| learned that she was a Miss Jones, /
recent arrival and somewhat of a mys- |
tery-a fascinating mystery, for she /
was surely one of the prettiest girls T
that ever walked this earth.
The first clear view of her set all +
my suspicious at rest. Sibyl would be
no beauty, granting her the best that
time can do for a growing girl. The /
between them must GER
tainly be limited to the ears, and there
f | might judge from the Photographic
print, it really was surprising | stud
ed the ear with considerable interest
n the light of an electric lamp that
stood before the house.
Some one introduced me to Miss
Jones in manner quite unconvention-
IL, and we had a few minutes CONVEX
sation. She seemed a cultivated wom-
IN, with the easy manner that comes of
birth and breeding, yet l judged that
ler mind was not at peace, and the
thought came to me that she must be a
girl in reduced circumstances forced
out into the world to make her living.
Our interview was brief, for she soon
withdrew into the house. and it was
to me chiefly because of the
slight resemblance / had noted. Sup
)ose this girl were SibyI. What should
do? 1t was a question l diSliked to
answer. She was remarkably attract
We. The widest flight of fancy could
lot endow Sibyl with so many charms.
And yet / would have fed from the
mere suggestion of regarding Miss
tones as a possibility for me- / was
under the domination of an
other personality. That was the lesson.
Ny first and pressing need was to for
get Anna Lamoine
When Miss Jones had gone into the
house, | kindled a cigar and found a
hair at the most unpopular end of the
Zeranda-tha one nearest the LIGHT rs