The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-19
Y OUR DAILY SHORT STORY !


 commonplace remarks. long and m comfortable silence followed. The kes to the situation appeared to pc miss ing, and Philip at any rate was ~ loss to understand what was the mAt' ter. This was indeed Cecilia, icokana | too much the same as on the day n left only a great deal taller, ana ye' there was difference. and very great one. He couldn't disguise From himself that he was bitterly disap. pointed, It was so unlike what he had l expected and pictured to himself. Yet he hardly knew after all what ne had expected. He had no claim on her. was not even any relation. and seven years Is a long time---a girl makes otn CT friends She would not meet ms , look as in the old days. but Kept ner , eyes bent on the ground. He couidn remember just what color they were and wondered how 1t was that sucn an important point had never inter ested him before. He could see. in deed. that the eyes were frfnged witn long. dark flashes, and the outline or the face, which was so carefully turned from him, was perfect: her figure was tall and straight, her head erect and shapely, crowned with masses of dark curling hair, which fell below her waist. She was decidedly the most Ocdutikuf 8lTi nf ldu CNFi the moment he realized this fact, per feet fury Of Jealousy took possession of him. He understood everything now--it was clear as daylight-Ceciiia had lover and did not want his friendship any more.
 At last the girl broke the silence. My father} will be so pleased to see yor." she said, but if you will excuse me now will just finish cutting some rnc zoe and 1x. xr-tf v,rA
 She began to cut roses feverishly, not seeing or caring where she stepped, till the thorny branches laid hold of her long loose hair and held her fast, almost as though they knew what they were about, and determined to make her prisoner
 In her struggles she stepped at last on loose mound of earth which gave way suddenly beneath her, and in a moment myraids of tiny brown in- sects. each carrying precious egg all most as large as itself, were swarning about her feet and ankles
 She had stumbled into an ants nest!
 The young man was just disappear ing into the house. but at the first cry he turned and with two or three bounds. which would have done credit to an active kangaroo, was by her side and had taken In the situation. It Is to his everlasting credit that he did not laugh, but treated the affair with E the seriousness 1t deserved. Fortu- nately he carried his "machete" with him. that useful if rather dangerous knife without which Mexican seldom rides abroad--and with few strokes of the sharp blade he freed the girl from the prickly branches, when she fled hastily into the middle of the path and commenced to stamp and shake her skirts vigorously ,lnog after every insect had taken himself off in a greater fright than her own.
 Then the branches which still chung to her hair had to be disentangled, oh. so gently! Such glorious hair, too, tho touch of it thrilled him. Then she looked up and their eyes met, and sud which had seemed so real few min utes ago all melted away and they knew.
 "oh. Phil. am so thankful you came" was all she said. but she gave happy little laugh and tried to hide from Is gaze by shaking her mane about her blushing face, but he took her hand and drew her to him.
 Do you know have had such a terrible fright" he said. T thought oh, you can't think how wretched 1t made me--that some one had stolen you from me; but 1t isn't true, Cecilia, tell me it isn't true"
 And I thought. she answered, .evad- ing his question. that thei girls in New York;"
 There are no girls in New York" the young man gravely interrupted her. There is only one girl in the whole world. and she is right here- in my arrnsrr