The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-08-29
MISS GILBERT'S
MISTAK e
torisinai.l


which had sent up TO my friends, II
Giiberts. when the waiter who had
taken Il returned and invited me to fol-
low him. On. reaching the suit OF
1rartmanfs 70 which he led me there
stood q young girl, with a card in her
hand, whom I had never seen. NY
drst Impulse was to withdraw, DE-
when she advanced TO greet me there
was that in her presence, especially IN
the smile with which she welcomed
me, that babe me pause for develop
ments.
II expected you" she said "Uncl:
wrote me that you would be here to-
day, though hardly thought you
would come 80 early. Yes. ! know
what you're going to say-couldn't
wait and all that. Such nice things
don't count between Us, since we've
never seen each other. Keep them TIL
our acquaintance is At least q few mi.
utes old"
attempt ON my part to tell her OF til''
mistake she was making She led NJ
10 a tete-a-tets. where we took seat
facing each other; then she said:
4eWeII, are you disappoInted2"
'sDisappOinted7 On the contrary. fI;i
delighted"
Ehe lowered her eyes. She could not
conceal the pleasure my appreciation
called forth
Gppolnted In meT
Her only answer was a smile, but ;
6poke far palmer than words that she
was much pleased with me.
II have told uncle all along" she
said. "that the mere union OF two mis-
cradle pieces OF property would be n
inducement to me. There must b;
something far beyond convenience"
Certainly" replied.
.sI confess II has bothered me to
know that your land is worth moro
than mine
There was evidently a match in
progress In which two estates were T.
be Joined. was rch, but the lady
might be richer. I was curious to
know how rich she was.
at have no idea what yours t.
worth" remarked carelessly. nor
.sUncle says it's worth $4,000, whit;
yours Is worth $4,000"
I broath0d a sigh OF relief. II IL
came to \ tussle with the other fellow
could outbid himI was heir +"
100000.
Don't let MS talk of such sor1l,.
4natterB Let us rather speak of that
union OF hearts which Is most impor
tant In marriage. Tell me II since sec
ing me you think you can love me-"
AZ don't know" she said, looking up
at me archly. Its too soon to tell"
A voluntary confession does not In
voIVe necessarily all the mean thin;
. man has been guilty of, especially il.
an anaIr OF love, SO Will only 50.
that I had a delightful visit, but the
moment / got out OF the hotel fc:
ike a cur. The thought Of her discov-
cry of my villainy hOrrihed me. Thi-
came, confess, not from a tender CO..
science. but because had fallen /
love with the girl had deceived.
There was no great mystery aboa
the matter, simply coincidence. a.
rather d double coincidence. Their.
was probably more than one Gilbc7l
family in the hotel, and the man w4
was expected must have been OF t..
same name as 1. Nothing remainc
for me but to leave my rival to call !
his own good time and uncover my
villaIny.
A year passed 1 neither saw Ii
heard anything of her who must Il,
Miss Gilbert, though both wantc
and dreaded to see her. A meeting
came at last, and when it came 1t was
SO sudden that it quite took my breath
away. At a ball one evening was
dancing q figure IN Whlch partners are
changed, and suddenly found myself
vfs-a-vis with the lady whom had SO
grossly deceived. ! stood as IL turnc2
to stone. There was a mOmentary lo"'
on her face as II she might have seeh
me before. Then she accepted me 10;
4 partner as she would any other maj,
who had not been introduced. We
finished the figure without n word, an.
inclinlnR her head slightly, she left n
took steps ut once to discover Wis
she was and found, as supposed, that
she was Miss Gilbert.
Apparently she had not recognized
me as the man she had received by
mistake At any rate 1 proposed to
brazen 1t out that I was not. Sc
cured an Introduction and asked her
10 dance. What troubled me was tha
there was none OF that delightful In
ferchanRe OF sympathy we had expert
enced. One thing she said pierced nit
to the heart. you have the same
name and greatly resemble a man WHO
once treated me very diShonorabIy."
thanked heaven that she did not
know / was the same person and sci
out to win her as an entirely new
identity. l found 1t uphill work. How
ever, by exercising patience 1 finally
succeeded, when she told me that !
had had to overcome her prejudice
against me in my resemblance to the
man who had acted so cOntemptibIy
shuddered at the narrow escape /
had had in not being recognized and
declared that the fellow deserved a