Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-10-20
PLAYING WITH FATE.
BY EMMA E. REFS.

parlor car, folded up his overcoat, and
settled down to read but he could not
fix his attention upon his novel.
The occupant of the opposite seat dis
turbed him. Apparently she was asleep
and unconscious of travelling backward.
She was pale and there was a pathetic
droop to her lips. The book in her lap
was slowly but surely slipping from her
unheeding fingers.
Its slow progress troubled Harry. He
wished the volume would travel faster
and get the threatened catastrophe over
with, so that he might attend COM
fortably to his own reading.
The expected happened at last, how
ever. The owner of the book opened
pair of startled brown eyes and looked
straight into Harry's interested blue
ones.
why, Harry" she exclaimed, flush
ing from throat to brow. rs it really
your You're not ghost?"
Certainly no ghost" said Harry.
TO think that didn't know you, Be-
atrice! But it's been-let me see, how
many years?"
Don't speak Of years; what are you
doing in this part Of the country"
I'm going to Ridgefeld to spend Sum-
day"
80 am l."
Harry did not think it necessary to
state that the main purpose of his going
was to ask certain young woman an
important question. Perhaps. as things
turned out, 1t was quite as we'll that he
refrained from going into details.
DO you remember" asked Beatrice,
what good times we used to have in the
rose garden?"
We were next-door neighbors, then,
weren't we? l used to crawl through the
hedge on my hands and knees to visit
you. What was it we used to play?"
"Supposlng. 'S'posin', we called it
then"
"Oh, | remember You sat on the
bench near the beehives, with your lap
full of big pink and white roses, and |
sat on the ground at your feet. 1t be-
gan like this: 'S'posin' pirate should
! come and carry you away"
"1n a great big ship with lanteen
sails"
"'And crew of murderous Las
cars"
"'And chests full of gold"
Gold, certainly. I'd follow"
Would you, Harry"
of course" said Harry. not noticing
that the girls voice had grown tremu-
lous. 'Sposin' this is the ship"
'Yes-yes-"
And we're sailing-sailing-"
TO far-off country, and the pirate is
waiting on the shore"
Beatrice glanced apprehensively over
her shoulder.
Waiting to seize me and carry me off
TO his dungeon. Yes. go on. can see
him"
I'D draw my sword and STAY him
and say: Fair one. be mine Come
10 these arms. love thee!'"
20, Harry! You-didn't say it, aft
erward, when-I used to wonder some
times"
The girls face flushed, and then
paled suddenly.
But the pirate didn't come. You
didn't need me. II he had. you
know"
But I think-I have reason to be
lieve I'll find him waiting at the sta
ton. He's wealthy pirate with chests
of gold, and-the family expects it,"
"I1l run him through with my
broadsword-my umbrella--if you say
go"
mo, It's too late. rather think
shall have to let him carry me OF
and yet-s'posin' at the same mo
ment-"
"Norwalk-all changed" the conduc
tor called out Justify.
Harry leaned forward
Let me take your bag You ar,
sure"
Look! Just inside the gate"
Mot Anderson, Beatrice? Surel,
net Anderson. of all men?'
yes. Anderson. The pirate, 20,
know"
Beatrice. s'posin'-oh, Beatrice, le
me save you'll"
do you mean"
Yes, everything Quick. May
save you-now-always? [ Away
meant to. Beatrice"
"Oh, do, dol" cried the girl. with
lovely color flooding her face, and he
eyes dewy with tears of joy.-Ameri
can Queen.