The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-06-21

il dressed man who looked as if he had
been abducted from a morning stroll
down the avenue to his club; that the
plump, ruddy, high-bred woman, sur
veying the west disapprovingly through
a lorgnon, would be her mother Shep-
Ter he knew by sight, with his big
head, massive shoulders and curious
4 ly short, tapering body. Some other
men and woman we're scanning the
hosting machinery with superior looks.
! The girl, before starting toward
him, had waited hardly longer than it
took him to eye the group. And then
came an awkward two seconds upon
her whose tact in avoiding the awk-
ward was reputed to be more than
i common.
With her hand extended she had Ut
tered: why, Mr." before it flashed
upon her that she did not know the
name of the young man she was greet
ing.
The Mister" was threatening to
prolong itself into an ''r" of excruciat-
ing length and disgraceful finality, an
"r" that is terminated neatly by no
one but hardened hotel clerks. Then
a miner saved the day.
| Mr.. Bines,' he said, coming up hur-
riedly behind Percival with several
specimens of ore, 'you forgot these
"-r-r-r. Bines, how do you do!' con-
cluded the girl with an eye-aash Of
gratitude at the humble instrument
that had prevented an undue hiatus in
her salutation
They were apart from the others
and for the moment unnoticed.
The young man took the hand so
cordially offered, and because Of all
the things he wished and had so long
waited to say, he said nothing.
isn't it jolly! I am Miss Milbrey,"
she added in lower tone, and then,
raising her voice, Mamma, Mr.. Bines
and papa,' and there followed hur-
ried and but half-acknowledged intro
| duction to the other members of the
| party. And, behold! in that moment
| the young man had schemed the edi-
flee OF all his formless dreams. For
| six months he had known the unsur-
passable luxury of wanting and of
knowing what he wanted. Now, all at
once, he saw this 70 be a world in:
which dreams come more than true
shepler and the party were to go
through the mine as a matter of sight,
seeing. They were putting on outer
clothes from the store room to protect
them from the dirt and damp.
Presently Percival found himself
again at the bottom of the shaft Dur
ing the descent of 1900 feet he had
reflected upon the curious and inter-
esting fact that her name should be
Milbrey. He felt dimly that this cir
cumstance should be ranked among
the most interesting of natural phe-
| nOmena-that she should have a name,
as the run of mortals, and that it
| should be one name more than an
! other. When he discovered further
that her Christian name was Avice the
phenomenon became stupendously be-
wildering.
They two were in the last of the
party to descend. On reaching bottom
he separated her with promptness and
guile from two solemn young men,
copies of each other, and they were
presently alone. In the distance they
could see the others following ghostly
lamps. From far off mysterious re-
cesses came the musical clink of the
sledges on the drills. An employe who
had come down with them started to
be their guide. Percival sent him
back.
''I've just been through; 1 can find
my way again.
EVER WE'LL" said the man, with the
exception that it don't happen some
| thing-yes?" And he stayed where he
| was.
Down one of the crosscuts they
started, stepping aside to let a car Of
ore be pushed along to the shaft
DO you know" began the girl, Il
am so glad to be able to thank you for
what you did that night"
I'm glad you are able. l was be-
ginning to think should always have
those thanks owing to me-"
Il might have paid them at the
time, but it was all so unexpected and
SO sudden-it ratified me, quite.'
| Il thought you were horribly cool
headed"
| 81 wasn't"
| Your manner reduced me to a
groom who opened your carriage
door,"
But grooms don't often pick strange
ladies up bodily and bear them out Of
a pandemonium of waltzlng cab horses.
Id never noticed before that cab horses
are so frivolous and hysterical."
"And grooms know where to look
for their pay"
They were interrupting nervously,
and bestowing furtive side looks upon
| each other.
IF I'd not seen you," said the girl,
"glanced at you-before-that evening.
I shouldn't have remembered so we'll:
! doubtless I'd not have recognized YOU