Free press., 1906-09-22
49, -.,,,--L- 2. ..,;.,.s-iIls

a girl, and there was really nothing else
that would do justice to the occasion" 5"
1T was the least you could do, should
think" Mrs. Gordon declared, with
feeling.
ooh, promised to do more than that, -
he added laughing little, apparently
ashamed of his feeling q assured her
that some day, when l was man,
would come back and repay her for what
| she had done. | promised never to for
get her. And | never have forgotten
her, for that matter; though, of course,
| never went back there and never even
knew her name"
you really ought TO have gone back
You ought to have gone back and mar
ried her. said Mrs. Gordon, laughingly
That's the way they do in books"
oh, ] spoke extravagantly," he admit
ted, little hurt by her tone "A man
will when he's just escaped with his
life. But meant it all at the time am
not ashamed of it. She saved my life,
and if could have repaid her I should
have done it. And even now, though
probably forgotten all about it, I should
like to meet her, if only TO acknowledge
my Indebtedness. Oh, no. A man
doesn't forget thing like that
The retirement of the ladies inter
rupted their conversation.
AS Mrs. Gordon left him, she paused
to remark: ooh, I am sure | appreciate
your feeling. 1t does you credit. And
i am very glad you told me this
A startling thought had come to Mrs.
Gordon as she was leaving the table, and
she was engrossed with the possibilities
it suggested. When the men struggled
in from the diningroom she was sitting
in window seat, quite alone She looked
up at Downs with smile, and as he
approached she rose, and with an impul-
sive movement held out her hand. He
looked puzzled.
81 don't know but it was wrong not
to tell you at the table," she commenced
hurriedly, ito let you tell me that story
without knowing. But l could not speak
somehow, there before them ALL And /
may have seemed not to appreciate your
noble remembrance of me- But | am
sure you will understand my feeling II
did not realize it at first And then it
all came over me-the rush of old memo
ries-"
Downs dropped her hand and gazed
at her moment in sheer amazefnent
Why" he stammered. why, II
Good heavens!" he exclaimed do you
mean to say that you"
"Yes," she said. Il think I was the
one / feel sure | must have been.
Though, of course, I was so young that
/ can't really be certain. I remember
such an incident-of Northern soldiers
stopping there and the horsemen riding
up. But l never should have guessed
it was you.'
H. 7
found there at the spring house." Downs
exclaimed why it's simply astonish-
ing" He looked at her critically. |
BLACK hair and eyes," he muttered do |
you know, believe-there's no mistake |
You're not as l thought that girl-you, |
| mean-would look. And yet" he gazed |
at her again, there is something about |
you that seems familiar, too-an express
sion about the eyes, a look that 1 seem
to have seen before. This is certainly |
wonderful coincidence"
Eyes, isn't it" She motioned him to |
seat beside her own, Il wish / could
remember it better" she added, "but l |
was so young then, and so many things |
happened in those war days / used |
often to watch the soldiers march past |
the house. And when the stragglers |
would come along I would sometimes |
slip off down to the spring house. where
they stopped"
We'll, I'm glad happened to tell it,
said Downs. "And, do you know, | felt |
from the first that there was something |
strangely attractive about you. / must
tell Fenwick and the others"
No, please don't mention it," she |
said hurriedly. 1T would be most en-
barrassing for me-"
'Of course, whatever you wish. But |
1 feel as though owed you the public |
acknowledgment. don't see why
Call it woman's vanity she an
swered, with a laugh.
Vanity"
"Why, yes. Don't you see, if I 'was
eight years old in war times, / must be |
oh, ever so old by now"
"Eh? Oh, yes, I see. / understand |
But I'm sure you don't look it. Upon |
my word, you don't. But I'm very glad |
to have discovered you again, for / have
often wondered whatever became of you.
But at all events, can thank you now,
after the years that have passed, with
out fear of being misunderstood. And
If there was anything l could do to re-
pay you-I don't mean that. Of course,
never could repay you-but to show my
appreciation-if there was anything
could do to prove that, I would do it
gladly"
Would you?' said Mrs Gordon, low
ering her voice and gazing earnestly into
his face There is something you could
do-something that is of great import
ance to me. But l fear-Pm afraid l
ought not to ask you"
Downs gasped. If it had come in any
other way he could have met it.
Anything l can do-anything that it
is in my power to do" he began
1T may seem a very little matter to
you" Mrs Gordon observed 1T is only
some shares of stock in the Manhattan
Consolidated Improvement Company
think Manhattan Consolidated is the