Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1905-08-15
At the Court
of Rex
BY FANNIE HEAsLIP LEA
Copyright. 1895. by FdnRls Hsaslip Lea

She stood back against the window
OF a big department store on Canal
street and scanned the .surglng crowd
before her IL was Matll Gras day In
New Orleans. aud the pretty maiden
had been in town only three hours. two
OF which had been spent In q hotel.
IL have lost my mother" she said
again as II TO impress the fact upon
herself-"and my Authorization she
added as an ,afterthought "and my
purse"
In the street the people crowded each
other for more room, and there was a
constant stream OF maskers. gay dom
inoed fellows with tinkling bells and
swapping whips. and the pretty maiden
watched them from the entrance t0
the department store. and her ideas
quite lost their balance and toppled
over into the mad whirl OF carnival.
I'm glad I'm lost" she said 10 her
self; they'll know | was separated
from them 10y the crowd and they'll be-
fearfully worried. but after awhile
they'll find me. and meantime feel as
II something We're going TO happen-a
wild adventure perhaps oh. l love
carnival I'm glad came"
A drum throbbed sGbtly I'm the dis.
lance. the crowd surged 10 the edge of
the banquette. then surged back again
with easy laughter. for no parade ap-
peared
"Ah." said some one at the pretty
malden's elbow. Il beg your pardon.
but | thought / was never going 20
find you. The crowd Il 50 thick"
The pretty maiden stared. A young
man, clean shaver and cminently pre-
sentable, was regarding her. hat In
hand
I'm afraid you don't remember me-"
he suggested. trlhe crcstfallen. Isn't
this Miss Prestonf'
The pretty maiden's eyes widencd
To herself she cried, The adventure
but aloud she said quite coolly:
I'm afraid the advantage Is yours"
I'm sorry" he answered stinly
But please don't think me m impcrtl.
lAfiAN NAA HAiNfAH AAN ANNNIA " TUT NNNN NW
meet you here, you and your sister
She asked me 10 show you around FOR
the parade. my name is Robert Ran
dOlph." he finished awkwardly
The pretty maiden hesltatcd bare
moment. but the carnival spirit was
strong within her. and the trick that in
her natural environment would have
been impossible unfoldcd Itself like
magic In this atmosphere.
The moment was u bare one-then-
oh" she said. with the frlendllcst
smile imaginable, you are Bobby Ran
dolphy'
"Of course. he agreed checrfully.
Its been a great while since we saw
each other but still''-
$50 il has" said the pretty maiden
cunnlugly let me see, just how long
exactly
Just ten years" said Mr.. Randolph:
ten years. three months. seven days.
two hours aud. think. twenty
minutes"
Dear me-" she murmurcd breath. !
lcssly.
And. by the way where's your sis
teri Didn't she Gomez"
MY sister, said the pretty maiden. |
quite astonlshed MY sistcrg Oh-er /
yes Of course she came. But she |
had a fearful headache. and she decid. /
ed TO stay at the hotel, and hate 10
miss the parade, you see"
"Of course. Too bad she won't see
H." said Mr.. Randolph regretfully.
The trip was so long and tlresomc."
said the pretty maiden incautiously
Two hours long! | like that. Why. |
it's only forty-eight miles between here
and Pass Christian"
Distance" said the pretty maiden
sententiously. lis not matter OF miles
with me, at least" she added pru.
IDENTITY.
We'll, We can have a jolly time by
anyhow" Mr. Randolph as
sured her.
The pretty maiden hesltated- Is.
she would have hesitated, but Mr. Ran
dolph's cheerful confidence left her no
room TO do so.
They walked on rather slowly. for
the crowd was dense, and Mr.. Ran
dolphs shoulders acted as a buffer
more than once.
wen have time TO go and get some
hot chocolate before Rex gets here"
he calculated cheerfully. Look out
there, will your This last 20 a line Of
college boys who were going through
the crowd like an animated wedge
The pretty maiden laughed deli
ciously.
you looked so angry" she explain
sd between gasps, then stopped sud
denly because a small red devil, with
battered mask. aimed a shower OF con
fetti az her laughing face
There was a blare Of trumpets down
the street and the long roll Of a drum.
A wave Of excitement submerged the
people Randolph used shoulders and
elbows with skill that bespoke long
experience on the football field, and the
pretty maiden found herself IN the
front OF the crowd. Mounted policemen
paced slowly past her, a band shrIlling
forth III Ever / Cease to Love- aud
then Rex and his cohorts.
The pretty maiden dimpled and blush
n from sheer delight nc the gorgeous
,ug tIa .uU.rFv,s. r,u9trara an I