The Somerset reporter., 1906-01-18

There 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 shell-like
ear and i'm the lustrOus brown hair
that cleaned in the red shine of the
setting sun made him think of a girl
whom he had known in the long ago.
BY Jovc. wonder if it could be-
he speculated. looking at her sharply
and blinking through the smoke from
his pipe.
lust then she raised her veil and
turned Harding saw that she was. in
fact the sclfSame 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. you'll come and see me-
continued Vittoria after they had talk
ed of many things You know. when
brother married. | issued my declara.
ton of independence. It's dear little
box of house in Greenwich village
All alone? Why. to be sure. That's
the principle upon which | made my
stand--a woman against the world y
She smiled as She spoke and her teeth
glistencd prettily in two little rows.
Sounds more terrifying than il real
" 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 it's ceased 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. Nine and
twenty" he corrected.
Nittora colored slightly and strum-
med nonchalantly on the arm of her
steamer chair. What an appalling
memory. >lld she
Whercuppu they both laughed, and Il
little silence fell.
Mine years" observed Harding sud
denly. He had been stretched ont lazi
lv in his chair, his hands beneath his
curly head his gray eyes staring
straight into ihc glory Of the western
heavens LIS a good slice, isn't il, if
one hasn't accomplished
In the midst of his sentence he SAW
Yittoria nod to some one. Following
the direction of her eyes, he perceived
a tall. blond girl, smartly gowned and
of rather naughty demcanor. walking
hriskly toward them A maid followed
more slowly with steamer rug and IN
armful of wraps
All. its Marion" he exclaimed half
to himself. And to Nittoria. "Do you
know her"
Our acquaintance is only II boWing
one" volunteered Nittoria coldly. Il
met her last month in Switzerland"
Hello Kent. cried Miss Marion
Lane careleSSly. rs he rose to greet her.
From beneath her inky lashcS She
glanced ut Nittoria indf1crcntly and
nodded slightly again. You can Join
mother and me when you like no hur
ry" she murmured amably rs She
swept on down the deck where her
maid deposited her rug and wraps be-
side an alert looking little widow in
black
I'm engaged TO Miss Lane Harding
said oddly at length. Al least, I've
asked her to marry me"
You began Nittoria lncrcdulous-
! ly. Then change took place IN her
! feminine mind And her answerf'
she said simply.
shes conside. mg it. In th" mean-
| time, of course, it's Il secret"
"Of course
81 love her said he, a bit shame
tacedly. 1T must seem strange that
to say thiS-to YOU he Stammcred.
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 Nittolia sat for Il long time
leaning over the rail again She was
| looking into the long ago.
Now there WAS once Il girl, and she
WAS barely seventeen oh. sentimental,
| to be sure. And he was Il nice boy
| home from college on his senior Yaca-
| ton. She had cared for him for he
was nice boy and had such manly,
honest graz EYES, And then one sum
mer day a. they had stood alone in the
old fashioned garden he had kissed her
All, how unforgcttahly vivid was the
| background the gold of the Sunhowprs
and the crimson of the hollyhocks.
And the next day they had walked
over to the village where he got her IA
foolish little ring set with blue stones
because blue means true love" said
he. Just hoy and girl affair And
the next week HE boy had been whisk
Ell off on q continental tour and had
contemplated the University Settle
ment. Finally however he had com
promised with parental authority by
going in StreuuouslY for football.
Football as "A specific for lovesck-
ness! Niltoria laughed softly at the re-
membrane. l'ut il had cured him.
When three Years later they had met
I again she saw that tho episode with
the Suatower aud hollyhock back
ground WAS already too remote to oc-
oaSiOn even momrntary embarrasS-
ment. The knowledge that he'd forgot
ten had hurt little Yes If one must
hp honest nine ypare AGO il really had