The Irish standard., 1905-07-15
THE FATE OF A
RESCUE PARTY
By UNA HUDSON

X ERTRUDE ELLERTON looked at
u the girl who had just announced
her intention of stopping for the night
with dismay in her heart, If not in her
face. Constance Farrar was her very
dearest friend, and she couldn't remem-
ber single other time when she hadn't
been glad to see her, but when one is
planning to elope at 1890 with some
one good deal dearer than even dear
est friend one naturally views with
distinct disfavor the advent of an all
night guest.
Gertrude put in very bad quarter Of
an hour, during which she said sweetly
hypocriticaf things to Constance and
tried to decide what to do. In the end
she made virtue OF necessity and con-
fessed.
Constance was surprised and panied,
for she was very fond of Gertrude.
To demonstrate would, she knew, be
worse than useless. She could not re-
port to Papa Ellerton, for the far-see-
ing Gertrude had prudently sworn her
to secrecy. And naturally it was
physically impossible to forcibly detain
her misguided friend under the patsrnal
roof.
Clearly the situation was one calling
for tact and diplomacy, and that of a
Machiavelian order. Constance, under
pretense of examining the photos on the
mantelpiece, set the clock back an hour.
Gertrude, nervously putting various ar
ticles of wearing apparel in trunk,
and guiltily afraid of interruption by
her mother or her small sister or her
middle-sized brother, was comfortably
unconscious of the sudden fight of time
backward.
Once, to be sure, she glanced at the
clock and remarked with puzzled
frown that "it seemed later than that. "
But Constance promptly and smooth
ly suggested that that was because
you're so anxious to see him, dear"
And Gertrude unhesitatingly accepted
the plausible explanation.
When the hands Of the clock pointed
to half-past nine Constance put on her
wraps and kissed her friend.
j ltdlly uuoL iOL oIdy 1AoIhCi iiiH-
ute," she said. IF I'm here when you
go your mother would never forgive me;
she'd think ought to have stopped you.
Good-by, dear. and good luck"
When the street door closed behind
her, Constance pulled the high collar Of
her fur jacket well up about her face
and started resolutely for the corner
where she knew an impatient lover and
q closed carriage we're awaiting the mis-
guided Gertrude. She shivered, but less
from cold than from nervousness. For
despairing of all other means of saving
her friend. she had decided upon an ap-
peal to the gentleman in the case.
Then a man came quickly out of the
shadows. and strong, masculine hand
closed over her arm and hurriedly assist
ed her into the waiting carriage. She
had moment of uncomfortable fright
lest his lovers instinct would warn him
that he was eloping with the wrong girl
But it didn't, and with soft little sigh
of relief Constance settled into her place
and prepared to repel any proffered fa-
miliarity on the part of her companion
But 1t seemed that there would be none
to repel, and she was conscious of dis.
tinct feeling Of disappointment and dis
appreciation. She had had no expert
'ence, of course, but she had a woman's
instinct of what would have been fitting
to the occasion, and she wondered that
Gertrude should have selected a man
who hadn't the courage to venture even
a mere hand clasp.
Finally, in sheer desperation, she
leaned forward, bringing her face we'll
within the circle of light cast by one of
the infrequent electric lamps they
passed. To her surprise she found her
self staring full into the eyes of her
companion. They were very attractive
eyes, and seemed somehow to match
their owners smOoth-shaven fase and
square, determined chin.
"What a nice face he has," flashed
through Constance's mind. And then.
to her unspeakable dismay, she realized
that quite involuntarily she had spoken
the words aloud.
"Am to infer" inquired deep and
SOAy pACdodhI IuGL you are re-
ferring to my face?"
Constance, blushing furiously at the
very personal nature of her opening re-
mark, was Obliged to admit that the in
ference was correct. Then she hastened
to make bad worse by saying: "You
don't look like person who would
elope?"
"of course wouldn't elope with any
one," he said, with the air of a person
determined to please even at the cost of
veracity. Except the one GIRL" he
amended hastily, for Constance's un-
compromising attitude was thing to be
felt.
"Oh!" said Constance. feebly. And
the conversation languished.
Irrationally enough. Constance found