Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1906-02-24
Hs I'm the
Long Hgo
BY VIRGINIA LEILA VENT
topWtght In. I'm r. {. PurcUs
BY VIRGINIA LEILA VENT

toiW-iyi1, lo', IN +. {. Pu,rclls
Grown weary of his reading. Kent
Harding glanced across the deck.
There Il slender. girlish figure leaning
idly over the rails caught his atten-
ton. Although the veil of her yacht
ing cap was down and it was possible to
distinguish only the vague outline of her
profile. something in the graceful poiSe
of her head. in the tip of the shcll-like
ear and in the luStrouS brown hair
that CLEANED in the red shine of the
setting sun made him think of girl
VIII I'm he had known in the long ago.
by love! | wonder if it could be-"
he spccUlatcd, looking at her sharply
and blinking through the smoke from
his pipe.
Just then she raised her veil and
turned. Harding saw that she was, in
fact. the scfSHme girl. She knew him
Instantly as he came forward. and they
shook hands heartily. as became old
friends.
''Of course, when we get back to
New York. youth come and see me-"
continued NittDria after they had talk
ed of many things. You know, when
brother married. | issued my declara-
ton of Independence It's n dear little
box of Il house in Greenwich village.
All alone? Why. to be sure That's
the principle upon which | made my
Stand-a woman against the world"
She smiled as she spoke and her teeth
gliStcncd prrttily in two little rows.
sounds more terrifying than it real
ly Is" she went on without giving him
a chance to throw in, for the bachelor
maid has only to acknowledge to thirty
and the world losses up the sponge at
once 1t doesn't care to continue a
fight after il S Cc"Scd to be interesting"
But Harding had put his beloved pipe
in one corner of his mouth and was GO
ing through an elaborate pantomime of
counting on his fingers. Mine and
twenty he corrected
Nittoria colorrd slightly and strum-
med nonch2l|ntly on the arm of her
steamer chair what an appalling
memory said she.
Wh"rrupon they both laughed, and
little silence fell.
"Nine years" observed Harding sud
denly. He had been stretched out laZi.
ly in his chair, his hands beneath his
curly head. his gray eyes staring
straight into the glory of the western
heavens. Its Il good slice. isn't it, if
one hasn't accomplished"
In the midst of his sentence he saw
Nittoria nod to some one Following
the direction of her eyes. he perceived
a tail blond girl, smartly gowncd and
of rather naughty demeanor. walking
briSkly toward them. \ maid followed
more slowly with a steamer rug and an
armful of wraps
"Ah, it's Marion" he exclaimed half
to himself. And to Nittoria, do you
know herr"
"Our acquaintance is only a bowling
one, volunteered NittOria codly. Il
met her last month in Switzerland"
"IIello. Kent" cried Miss Marion
Lame CareleSSly. as he rose to greet her
From beneath her mky lpshcs she
SIaH''u ut NlltoFla lnllH crcntIN ana
noi"ei slightly again. You can join
mother and m" when You like-no hur
ry, she murmured amiably as she
swept ON down the deck. where her
maid deposited her rug and wraps be-
SIDE an alert looking little widow in
black.
IN engaged to Miss Lane" Harding
s~.. Oddly at length. AT least, I've
aSkc,. her to marry me"
~ on - began Nittoria lnCredulOus-
ly. Then change took place in her
feminine mind. And her answer?
she said simply.
shes consider ing it. In the mean
time. of course, it's secret"
'Of course"
Il love her said he, bit shame
fmcdly. 1T must seem strange that
to say thiS-to YOU he stammered.
NO, | think | understand" she said
quietly. And then she listened with in
credible patience to his foolish rhap-
Sodies. There never was such an ador-
able creature as MariOn-Such wealth
of tenderness and undiscovered charm.
Shortly afterward Harding took his
leave. The twilight was fast coming
on, and Nittoria sat for long time
leaning over the rail again. She was
looking into the long ago.
Now there was once Il girl, and she
WAS hardly Saynntnnn- oh sontin,nr+,I