The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-11-10

yellow as corn silk, Her eyes We're di-
rect in their glance, like these OF her
own school children, ANA far more dis
connecting.
Carlton Cross, another guest at the
house. failed TO interest Tom very no
ticeably, although Hiss Late. appeared
70 Ike nan Cross was spending Il few
weeks i'll town settling up an estate for
which he was counsel. lie devoted
his evenings TO 4 pretty obvious effort
TO settle the estate of matrim0ny 50 far
as Miss Latch ana he were concerned.
Every evening after supper the two
sat Oh the broad porch while sun
set giorifed the valley below them and
twilight crept out of the deepest wood,
where it had been lurking ANA hiding
from the sun all day.
Tom Redding worked in one of the
drug stores of the village That meant
that his evenings went into the drug
gist's profits till such time as he could
command Il store of his own and hire
some other poor soul to work for him.
That was the end toward which Tom
was slowly advancing, but for the pres
ent he was forced TO pass out of the
door after supper, walk resolutely
across the porch TO where the more ia
vored man and the girl they both want.
ed sat, and with a brave spontaneoN
cheerfulness bid them good evening.
On two or three occasions Cross had
spared him this pain by taking the girl
off for a drive. That was worse yet.
1t is true, Tom had his Sundays, but
part of these lie always spenHwth his
mother He felt that Cross was forg-
ing ahead Of him il the race. The thing
that discouraged Tom most was this.
As he walked downtown he thought of
the beauty Of the long evening that was
just beginning. Having thrilled. him.
self, under the spell of twilight he
feared its power upon Thisbe Latch.
IF that clever chap thought Tom,
half knows his business and says the
right thing anl Keeps still at the right
time. I'm afraid there's no chance for
me" Eut it was not his way to be
melancholy for long He vowed if the
other man did sc, her he would at
least make a little place for himself in
her memory.
lie thought Of her through the day,
and every night he passed her on his
way downtown he had some word
commonplace it might be = that was
charged with the days repressed affec-
ton IN the general chat Of the table,
in the Sunday visits ana in many I'M
considered greetings Miss Latch was
coming to know Tom far better tran
be realized.
One night as Tom crossed the porch
to so to his work Thisbe asked him
lightly:
what would happen to your old
drug store IL you should sit here with
us awhile? believe You don't trust
anybody but yourself 10 mix the pre-
scriptions. You couldn't sit still
whole evening, could you?'
YES. / could" answered Tom. 81
do. anyhow, only you don't see me. l
sit right in that chair and listen to ev-
erything you say" He pointed TO an
empty rocker near the one in which
Tmsbe sat 4 look Of amused under
standing came into her eyes.
80 when the charming Miss Richie
thinks YOU are serving her an ice cscam
I soda it's only an illusion--I mean you,
not the soda. You are really here all
the time?"
Tom nodded Mr.. Carlton Cross
looked bored He was not troubled
with very much Imagination. Later he
had a chance TO continue his account
of very grand reception he had at
tended ut Rochester Miss Latch heard
the sound Of the young lawyers voice,
but her thoughts were with the drug
clerk. The idea that he, down at the
store, imagined himself in that partic-
ular chair fascinated her She looked
at the empty rocker, and MS the twi-
! light deepened and the street lamp was