Omaha daily bee., 1905-09-03

you explain this matter?"
IF 1 may give an opinion" remarked
the strange gentleman, we've had just a
little too much secrecy over this matter
already. For my part, 1 should like all
Europe and America to hear the rights
OF it," He was a small, wlry, sunburnt
man, clean shaven. with sharp face and
alert manner.
Then I'll tell our story right away"
said the lady. Frank here and met in
"a, in McQuires camp, near the Rockies,
where pa was working a claim. We were
engaged to each other, Frank and l. but
then one day father struck a rich pocket
and made a pile. while poor Frank here
had a claim that petered out and came to
nothing. The richer pa grew the poorer
was Frank; so at last pa wouldn't hear OF
our engagement lasting any longer and he
took me away 20 Frisco Frank wouldn't
throw up his hand, though. so he followed
me there, and he saw me without pa
knowing anything about it. 1t would only
have made him mad to know, so we Just
fixed it all up for ourselves. Frank said
that he would go and make his pile, too
and never come back to claim me until he
had as much as pa. So then 1 promised
to wait for him to the end Of time and
pledged myself not TO marry anyone else
while he lived. why shouldn't we be mar
ried right away, then said he, and then
I will feel sure OF you and I won't claim
TO be your husband until I come back?
Well, we talked 1t over, and he had fixed It
all up so nicely, with a clergyman all
ready In waiting, that we just did it right
there, and then Frank went off TO seek his
fortune and went back to pa
1.-The next I heard of Frank was that he
was in Montana, and then he went pros
pecting in Arizona and then I heard OF
him from New Mexico After that came a
long newspaper story about how a miners
camp had been attacked by Apache In
dams. and there was my Franks name
among the killed. tainted dead away and
was very sick for months after. Pa
thought I had a decline and took me TO
half the doctors in Frisco Not word OF
news came for a year OF more, so that
never doubted that frank was really dead
Then Lord St. Simon came 20 Frisco, and
we came to London, and a marriage was
arranged, and pa was very pleased; but
felt all the time that no man on this earth
would ever take the place in my heart that
had been given to my poor Frank.
"Stnl. II ia married Lord ST. Simon. OF
course. I'd have to do my duty by him. We
actions l went 10 the altar with him
with the intention TO make him just as
good a wife as II was in me to be. But
you may imagine what l felt when. just
as / came to the altar rails 1 glanced
back and saw Frank standing and looking
at me out OF the first pew. I thought IL
was his ghost at first, but when l looked
again, there he was STILL with a kind OF
question in his eyes as IL to ask me
whether I were glad or sorry to see him.
wonder didn't drop. / know that every
thing was turning round, and the words
of the clergyman were just like the buzz
OF bee in my ear. 1 didn't know what to
do. Should l stop the service and make a
scene in the church? l glanced at him
again, and he seemed to know what was
thinking, for he raised his finger TO his
lips to tell me to be still. Then l saw
him scribble on a piece of paper. and
knew that he was writing me a note. AS
I passed his pew on the way out I dropped
my bouquet over TO him, and he slipped
the note into my hand when he returned me
the flowers. II was only line asking me
TO Join him when he made the sign 10 me to
do So OF course, 1 never doubted for a
moment that my first duty was now TO him.
and / determined 10 do just whatever he
might direct
when 1 got back I told my maid. who