Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-01-19

| small, low seat on the other side OF the
little table, had seized upon a japanese
fan and was agitating 1t violently. Roy,
upon a footstool between the two ladies,
was made much of by both Of them,
and seemed to be enjoying himself
amazingly.
Nothing makes one so hot as FAM"
said Gertrude. DO keep that thing
still, Felicia; you set all my nerves on
edge"
ut is deliciously cool and breezy out
Of DOORS" said Felicia. you ought to
go out, Gertrude. | wish could drive
you, but 1 have promised to call for
papa"
Il am going out this very minute in a
hansom," said Gertrude, jumping up.
Sir Roy, will you go with me? l am
going to pay call. | am going to see
charming, lovely, delightful little woman.
Somebody quite young, quite unsophisti-
Gated; better than all, quite new"
Il wouldn't go with her If l were you,
Roy" said Felicia, when the door had
cosed upon their hostess.
"Why not-will it create a scandal If
| go in a hanson with the beautiful Ger
trude?"
Y Don't you know-cannot you guess,
Roy, who it is she wants you to call
upon? 1t is Mrs. Desmond"
''Kitten-" pause. Felicia would
not have lifted her eyes for the world ;
htr glove buttons seemed to give her an
infnity of trouble.
How does she know herr" Roy asked
presently, and she could hear that his
voice was altered.
'Oh, it is very simple. Gertrude met
Mr.. Desmond in the park two days ago.
| was with her, and he introduced US to
his wife, and asked us to call on her.
II would not go if | were you, Roy"
Did she look-happyW he asked.
"Oh, yes. | suppose SO; she was very
well dressed. You have not got over it,
am afraid"
Mrs. Talbot came back gay and gush-
ing; the hanson was summoned, and Fe-
licia was driven away in her brougham IN.
II don't think I'll come with you
to-day" said the young man hesitating-
. ly when he had helped Gertrude into the
hanson.
"Oh, Roy"-She dropped the Sir
, when they were alone4"you promised
oh. do come
"Well, l will go little way, then,
and he got into the cab. you can
drop me, you know"
r ITO Lowndes square," said Mrs. Tai
bot She had no mind to drop Roy any.
where.
And Roy went with her. II can't help
; myself he said to himself; but 1t was
the old story of the moth and the candle
Brian, on leaving his wife to go out
alone intended to wend his way to his
club Had he gone there straight from
his own door, he would have received a
certain note which had been waiting for
him there all day, three hours earlier
and-so little does it take sometimes to
alter the whole history of mans life
: had he done so. it is probable that most
of the events which ensued would have
so far been changed or modified that they
would not have been fraught with Ger.
tain important circumstances to himself
and to others. But as he was strollinp
idly along he met an old college friend
who hailed him joyfully and linked his
arm within his. So that it was Just !
o'clock when he turned eisurely I'D the
steps of his own club
The hall porter gave him a letter a.
he entered. He stood with it in his
hand without looking at it for seyera,
minutes, talking to an acquainta nee
whom he met in the hall Then Brian
looked down at his letter, turning il
round as he did so.
And suddenly he recognized the hand
| x-rIt tItlfr
it. whole century of new thought.
and feelings seemed to divide him like
yawning gulf from that other far away
life, in which those even rounded char
acters had played so important a part
1t was like an electric shock to Brian
: Desmond to see it once more-to hold 9
letter from her once again in his hands
A letter from Rosamond! An unstam
ed letter, too-sent not by post, but by
hand. What could it mean? He haf
' thought of her vaguely, dimly, as a some
9 thing dear, yet dangerous to his peace OF
! mind, that was on the other side of tn,
world. She had been to him but dis
s tant memory of past which was ovel
forever. a something which he had hopet
( and prayed might never again cross tn,
' new life he had built up for himself
: Often he had thought of her thus, il
q misty dreams, thinking that he and sh,
: had drifted apart forever, and woulc
= meet no more, save in that other worlt
! where those who have loved and despair
ed shall meet again under other condi
: tions, and be perchance at last-happy
$ And 10! she was here-at his yer,
doors-in London-alive, and writing t,
= him! He tore open the letter and read
e II have come home, and am longing t,
a see you. arrived late last night, an,
= am at the Langham Hotel. Come to m,
a as soon as you receive this. l shall no
leave the house until I hear from yo,
: or see you. ROSAMOND.
t He glanced quickly up at the clock
1t was the minutes past seven. He tor
+ nnataira threa atens at n Tina into +h