Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-28
With ClAudia's
Assistance
By INA WRIGHT HANSOf
Copyright, 1895. by f. c. PARCELS

she refused me" he said.
I've got 10 20 10 Mrs. Writings din
Iser," l answered.
Fitz nodded and threw himself heav-
lily into Il chair
Il wouldn't 20, you know, after Mrs.
t.L tiug's niece refused me, SO she had
. J. stle mp you"
Jared 1T him, then Jerlled open the
top drawer
Seems 10 me, in the interest of hu-
uauity. YOU might have STAYED off
sour old proposal till after the dinner.
I've got 10 take Miss Whiting in. What
SHAH | say 10 her? I'm no society
man"
You might talk about me. It's
da,ued strange She refuses me" Fitz
res gJnded modestly. "Of course I'm
fat but what Of that? Look at my
money!
| turned from my hair brushing and
regarded Eitz with surprise.
shes different from other girls" he
went on moumfully You never know
what she IS going TO do or say next.
She said II she ever found the man she
wanted 10 marry and he didn't ask her
she would propose to him You say a
word for me, old man, and maybe she
Will change her mind about IT."
"All right" | said and started for the
Internal dinner. Ii | had been left in
peace ! could haye translated a few
more pages Of that Latin work | was
on.
Why l shout have (dguratively of
course fallen Oh my face and wor-
SHIPPED ClauUlL Whiting the moment |
saw her | don't know That any man
could help adoring her after he came TO
know her Is Incredible. but | think |
bean before ever she said a word to
NE. Ii cOul4n't be because her eyes
We're the blucst ! ever saw or her hair
criukled sunshine suppose a poet
would describe it better--or her lips
red as the roses she wore in her belt
one day since that dinner she told me
something about afiinities. II may be
that mysterious word holds the reason.
What we taincd Of is vaguely remem-
bered | know that | walked home
ward carryiIE with me vision of
sweetest seri Sness, ior that describes
Claudia as sire appeared that day
When | turned the corner, beyond
which were my lodgings. ! saw Fitz-
gerald at my ate, his broad back to-
ward me | remembered my forgotten
promise anC lied incontinently |
couldn't face him. Later | stole into
my room like thief in the night.
Next day | went 10 call ON her and to
make my peala with Fitz, who had in
terviewed me that morning She was
IN the garden. and | stated the object
OF my call at once.
III you know him better you would
appreciate h-n more" | said and
launched forth 1t some length into his
peculiar graces and virtues. Claudia
listened, and when l had finished she
leaned toward me. smiling roguishly.
And didn't you care about coming
10 see me: If II had not been for Mr..
Fitzgerald you would have come any
way wouldn't you"
To think that she should have looked
straight into my heart and discovered
my perfidy | almost let 20 of my Sc
crct | almost answered II came be
cause | love you" And this on the
second meeting.
Then because | must talk, and there
were some things | must not say, |
began talking Of myself-my college
life my failing health, forcing me 10
live for years In the pine forests; then
when my d alth was restored how the
woods still hell me with their soil
tudes SO thlt | was unhappy and III at
ease Ia society.
Il have quite a pretentious cabin
there" / said In It are my books
and my violin. Back Of II flows
clear stream with trout waiting for me
TO catch them for my breakfast. Moth
ing il wanting there 10 make me en-
tirely comfortable"
My face grew hot, for all at once l
be filIed. That If | went back to my
cabin now il would bc as lacking as
the body whose soul is not within.
Il was born and bred In the woods
exclaimed Claudia. The stars look
closer and digger than they do In the
cities Of th- lOwlands. u there in the
mountains are ferny nooKs and man
zauita. there Is water cress which
makes me hungry this minute. Oh, |
know about the woods" Her blue eyes
were shining Ike the stars Of which
she spoke
Then she asked me about my books.
and ! told her Of my published ones
and those IN cOntemplatiou-dry old
tones why should | have supposed
that they would interest a young crea-
ture Ike her:
But | rambled on, lost In her sweet
companlon-hip. TIN the sun suddenly
dropped ont NJ sight. and / saw her
shiver In yhe breeze that stirred the
pOplars Then | remembered Fitz
DO give him another chance" | said
perfunctor.ly AS l rose to go. She look
cd at me seriously, but made no an
swer
For the greater part Of a month FitZ
was away from town. and | saw Clau-
dia nearly every day. Before going he
asked my promise 10 say word IN his
favor every time saw her There are
limits 10 the duties Of friendship, but /
promised because felt that he would
make her good husband He was an
honorable man and had more money
than b. know what 20 DO with
She was such hewilderlng little
creature wa4 Claudia. At the nrl.
meeting she was SO swectly serious.
she had tod m, since that she was
frightened D. death Of me because |
knew So much Fancy Il. The day she
told me. though she was bubbIing over
with laughter and | suspect she was
pOkiug fun al mc iu her lrrepresslble
way Then there was the morning
when We walked together 10 church
and she talked 50 quietly Of holy
Things, and there was that last after
noon ia the garden before Fitz came
home