The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-10-13

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hold you prisoner until you listen to an
explanation"
IF You propose to use brute force
shall not make Il scene" she said cold
Is, but l have assured you u dozen
times that | have no desire to reopen q
dead issue"
1T is not dead issue to me-" he
pleaded. 1t is my very life"
Who was it said that life was made
up Of tliiles?' she asked.
Il don't know and don't care" he
said ungfaciously. The only thing
can think of at this present moment Is
that tomorrow morning we shall be on
land and that unless 1 can make you
see matters from my point Of view I
shall lose you forever"
One cannot lose what one does not
possess she suggested
"bGt did possess your love-" he said
eagerly. You did not tell me so in
words. but there were little things
that night on Zen Nevis, for instance"
The girl trrmblcd. Even against the
light gcmmed shore of Staten Island
she could see those misty heights; she
could remember how she chung sobbing
to KelWay, fearful of the danger
lie laid his hand upon hers. She
shook it off, and there came the re-
membrancG of another scene, a crowd
cd railway station and Kelway, who
had just left her, kissing Il most at
tractive young woman as the train
m Ihi. 70 hn ho1
given her heart to, man who kissed
others when they were as good as en-
gagged
Il wish,'' she said petulantly, that
you would not refer to that most un
pleasant experience"
Il did not think it unpleasant l am
willing to be lost again-with yeu."
Possibly your companion of the rail-
way station might object" she sneered.
Have l not told you that the girl
kissed me by mistaken" he asked.
"A very reasonable explanation" she
commented
~ man never does get credit when
be tells the truth to a woman" COM
mcntcd Kelway. Now, If 1 had said
she was Il cousin or something of that
sort, would you have believed me?"
Certainly not was the prompt re-
ply. 1t is immaterial whether l be
lievc you or nott'
1T is not immaterial," he declared
Il may have loved YOU" she said
but whatever affection felt for you
is dead. ! have put you out of my
mind and heart. l have done with you
forever, and if you were kind you
would take yourself out of my life"
rs that your WISH" he asked very
softly lis there no hopeT
None at all" was the decisive reply
Il never want to see you again"
For one brief instant his hand crush
ed hers as it lay upon the rail. Then he
had raised his cap and was gone The
light blinkcd and duttercd in an odd
fashion. 1t might have been imagined
that Miss Clovis was viewing them
through tear dimmed eyes had she not
savagcly repeated: I'm glad he's gone
Pm glad he's gone"
The customs officers invaded the cab
in Immediately after breakfast the
next morning, and as the WandereT
steamed slowly up the bay the passen-
gers made out their declarations.
Kelway had nothing to declare and
stood on the deck watching tie ship
ping, and not even when Miss CloTis
passed did he take his eyes from the
water. And, strange TO say, Miss Clio
Wis resented this literal compliance
with her request.
She went to her stateroom, and Kel-
way did not see her again until she
came to her trunks under the Cs. He
WAS sitting upon his own steamer
trunk under the X s waiting for an in
spector ana by the arrangement of the
letters he was right beside Miss Clovis
1t was a very rude thing to do, but
he watched as the inspector, suffering
from an Intermittent burst of official
energy, dug down to the very bottom
of her trunk.
On the top of tile tray was framed
picture of himself, with bit of heath
or inside the glass. Miss Clovis sprang
to the tray, but Kelway had seen. He
came forward
Il am going back on the steamer to-
morrow" he said to her
Why she asked as the bushes
spread over her face
Since you do care after all | am 60
Ing to get sworn statement from that
girl, the picture Of the brother of hers
she mistook me for, and his declaration
that he was expected to arrive on the
train by which | Travelled !"
1T il not necessary" she said softly.
Il found out after you left me last
night that ii was all right"
WHO could have told you?" he cried
Wondcringly.
Not even the customs officer heard
the whispered My heart" but Kelway
was content.
TO think that | should not have
spoken II that meddling customs In
spcctOr had not shown me that YOU
still loved me-" he cried wonderingly.
UNLESS | had seen that frame | should
have had no hope"
The inspector still wonders why that