Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-01-26
rs IN the
Long Hgo
BY VIRGINIA LEILA WENTZ

Grown weary of his reading. Kent
Harding glanced across the deck.
There a slender, girlish figure leaning
Idly over the rails caught lis 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 In the lustrous brown hair
that cleaned in the red shine Of tho
setting sun made him think Of a girl
whom he had known in the long ago.
"Bx Jove. l wonder IL it could be-"
he specialized. 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 selfsame 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 l made my
4 stand--a woman against the world"
She smiled as she spoke, and her teeth
glistened prettily in two little rows.
sounds more terrifying than it real
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
twenty" he corrected.
VittOria colored slightly and strum.
med nonchalantly on the arm of her
steamer chair What an appalling
memory said she.
Whereupon they both laughed. and a
little silence fell.
"Nine years." observed Harding sud
~ in his chair his hands beneath his
curly head, his gray eyes staring
straight into the glory Of the western
heavens. Its a good slice, isn't it, IL
one hasn't accomplished"
In the midst Of his sentence he saw
Vittoria nod to some one. Following
the direction Of her eyes. he perceived
a tall. blond girl. smartly gowned ant
Of rather naughty demeanor, walking
briskly toward them. A maid followed
more slowly with steamer rug and al
armful of wraps.
'Ah, it's Marion" he exclaimed hal
to himself. And to Vittoria, do 70,
know herr"
Our acquaintance is only bowini
one" volunteered Vittoria colby. Sc
met her last month in Switzerland"
Hello, Kent" cried Miss Marion
Lane carelessly, as he rose to greet her
From beneath her inky lashes sh
glanced at vittoria indifferently an,
: nodded slightly again. You can joil
mother and me when you like-no hui
ry." she murmured amiably as sh
,, swept ON down the deck, where he
; maid deposited her rug and wraps bt
r side an alert looking little widow 4
!. black.
!. I'm engaged to Miss Lane" Hardin
> said oddly at length. "At least. Nv
> asked her to marry me-"
YOU began Vittoria lncreduloui
: ~. Then a change took place in be
feminine mind. And her answer
: she said simply.
;. 'She's considering it. In the NEAR
t time. of course. it's secret"
"Of course"
II love her." said he, a bit sham,
!, facedly. 1T must seem strange that
\ Ito say this-to YOU he stammere,
mo. l think l understand" she sal
= quietly. And then she listened with IL
s credible patience to his foolish rhal
sodies. There never was such an ado
. able creature as Marion-such wealt
. Of tenderness and undiscovered charm
= Shortly afterward Harding took b.
e leave. The twilight was fast comm
: on, and Vittoria sat for long tin
leaning over the rail again. She We
looking into the long ago.
Now there was once a girl. and ST
was barely seventeen-oh sentiments
- ho c,,rot And ho v-aS ,tao hr