The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-13
A SLIP OF THE TONGUE.
ny KENNETH HARRIS.

<c..r,,rht 1e05. Daily Story Pub. Col Tbe night was bitter cold. IL was mn uunleasant night altogether 10 uo out in. for the wind inteneined tne chill in the air and carried Wiln shar,, narticles of sleet that drove into sha Face and stung. Then, too, the branches of the trees overheau s"aSs on,inously. and 1t seemed that theii creaking might at any moment pe sa., ceeted by the sharp crack or ren' her and flying oak branches aIe ais to dodge in the dark. ihst' ,sar the man in the fur coat moved cioS s,. into the shelter of one or the or1I hsa tresses O fthe high walls. he heard of such things as Judgments. ,,
 "But they don't happen nowaaass, he said to himself with laugh. grassions are too thick, and half or oui hest people would be killed OH.
 with this reassuring reflection ne moved out from the wall to Wnere He could get A better view of a light that s,,u,,ad hrightlv in A corner of the blaaI abadowy bulk of a house at the end or the avenue Then he looked al ms watch bv the glow of cigarette that he was smoking. Five minutes more to the appointed time,' he mu1tete1' e and the Lord knows now nhucI longer after that. I'm too aruel vunnose when I've done th4s few mof nmes I shall get hardened and make the lady wait. She ought to take lhis as a test of devotion at least.
 He shivered and drew his coat collar closer about him and then began to mace rapidly up and down, keeping "eii In the dense shadow of the wall, now ever and avoiding the gravel ol the driveway. ,,.od
 "I feel like a burglar" he murmureo as the distant sound of mans voice sent him back against the wall Fer hans a sneak-thief would descrloe Mhe M better. I imagine old Caulsy won think that's any too harsh an aPpstia tion. I wonder how he'll take II! fhli nsophfcaIly. I hope. It would be tool- ish to make a fuss about 1t. l guess that was somebody passing along the road.
 q don't know that anybody could blame me-" he resumed, after listen ing until the voices and footsteps hau died away. she's pretty enough to tempt anybody, if that were all' and then-wel I'm not sure that really meant it when I asked her to cut loose Anyway, I didn't think she would take me up so quick Who'd have thought that there was so much of the devil under that saintly eXterlor' <Aio "~" st's come to this!'
 He looked at the light which still shone out boldly. unblinkingly. That means she's still there" he said Fer haps it hasn't come to this. IL ooesn ssem nossible, really. heard Canby say that he knew positively sne hadn't missed a church service in ner life. She's president of Tentnly Mission Aid and she wouldn't call on Mrs, Henderson because she Is Uni- versalist, I wonder what you're thlnk- ing of, up there, my lady!
 He lit fresh cigarette, cautiously and again looked nt his watch. t1ve minutes past the time now" he sald "Perhaps she's thought better or It, And now the clouds are blowing over and the moon will be out the nexl thing. I'll look up an almanac nexl time. But there won't be any nex' time. If she doesn't come and
 The light he was staring at was suddenly extinguished and he gave g gasping sigh and threw away his ciga- rette She's coming, all right, ht said.
 The clouds were now scattering fas' and the moon shone dimiy forth be- tween the rifts from t@ae to time Still the wall was in shaHow and ir that shadow the man waited until through the trees that skirted tho driveway a slight female figure hur' ried toward him and at his low whis- tie ran, threw herself into his arms and chung to him.
 Poor fellow" she whispered. pres ently, extracting herself from his em- brace. You must be frozen. Your face is like ice. How long have you walt cdr"
 Hours" he whispered back, and, al her amazed look: Well, perhaps, not more than half an hour, but any time seems long away from you, dearest and fairest."