Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1906-05-18
LA PLATA, MARYLAND. FRIDAY, MAY Is. 1906.

clearly, aye, theorize, upon every shiaii'
est intermediate detail OF the pictureP
"He has a ketch-book-must be ac-
compiished-hi thrown bis cigar
away--is of gentle breeding. His
hands do not embarrass him. his eyes
do not embarrass me-
Only giving her as long a glance as
the eyes Of fve-and.twenty can give
Of the blushlng face Of pretty wo-
man, this side OF offense! Then the
strangef steps aside into the deep bar
ley for Mrs. Chester to pass, half
raises his hat sends one quick glance
in pursuit Of the girllsh, graceful hg-
ure when 1t has passed, and continues
his way.
Thus the adventure is over; in a life
sequestered as Daphne Chester's TO
come across a well-looking stranger ON
a summer afternoon may. aided by
meditation, become an adventure.
Thus these two people have met; with
issues literally Of life and death de-
pendent upon their speaking have kept
silence. But now appears the Deus
e.: machina, the first visible link in
that dark chain that binds US and
which 1t is our pleasure to call Fate.
The stranger. absorbed in his
thoughts, or by his cigar, has dropped
letter, and Daphne has barely passed
him by half a dozen steps before she
discovers IT. lying in the path.
She stoops down, Eve-like. specula.
tive. She reads the address.
'Tis written In a woman's hand, up
on an envelope Of blue rep; a square
shaped envelope at least three times
larger than the old-fashioned letters to
which Mrs. Chester's eyes are accus-
toned at Fief-de-la-Reine.
"sir John Severne. Royal Engineers.
Poste Restante, Jersey"
By this time Daphne holds the let
ter between her fingers. The situa-
tlon begins to involve questions Of
conscience rather than of curiosity.
"The affair is none Of yours" sayi
Pride. Leave the letter where yot
found Il, and pass on. Flattering in
deed to a mans yanity-think wha
Audl Isl u ulhn houtAdAc NdhAt4
were you to pursue this youth and ac
cost him-seek his acquaintance. IN
solicitedr'
"But the loss OF that letter may
prove the spelling OF his life." pleads
Daphne's soft heart. at may be from
his wife. poor boyr' The thought
makes her heave sigh Of pity. "0r
from his sweetheart. n | were
young-if I belonged to the world still
what might not the loss Of Il letter
cost mel II is a question Of right. Of
duty to my nelghbor, no matter wheth.
{, my neighbor be a man OF fifty OF
of twenty-five"
Having scared into the region Of
abstract and lofty morals. Mrs. Chester
wavers no more. IL believe this
letter must belong TO you, sir"
She has been forced to run at full
speed to overtake him; her face is
overspread with damask; she pants q
little for breath; curt, reserved in hel
manner; cold, most unsmililng are hel
lips.
Sir John Severne's eyes. habituateC
| of late to Anglo-Indian charms
charms whose idiosyncracy Is scarcely
that of coldness or reserve-rest npou
Daphne Chester with an admiration
which she is, fortunately. too breath
less or too bashful to notice.
81 am extremely sorry that you
Lave taken so much trouble on my ac
count" he begins, mechanically trans
ferrlng the restored letter to his pocket
CIT may have been from his wife. Il
was not from his sweetheart" she
thinks. with prompt decision. mo boy
of his age ever got back possession Of
love letter with such an air Of indif
ference as that."D
Under this broiling sun, tool Real
ly, shall never be able to thank yoJ
enough"
There is nothing to thank me fol
at all, sir. 1 am used to the sun"
Cutting him short without smile,
without the relaxation Of a muscle of
her face, then preparing to turn away.
I'll suppose | am at no great dis
lance from the sea here?" he begins
desperately not rejecting upon the
wisdom of his question. wanting only
one look from the hazel eyes that, a.
yet, have so studiously refused to en-
counter his.
"Well no. In an island the size o.
Jersey you can hardly get very far dis
tant from the sea-"
Cruelty laconic is Mrs. Chester's an
swer. yet do her footsteps llnger.
How strong the pulses of the lusty
year are beating! They stir the earth
as with new creation; they make
themselves felt, even in her own frozen
heart. How the cuckoo murmurs, how
the thrushes call aloud for Joy.
To be Continued.