Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-26
TleMaid gArts.
 By M. C. SANFORD. Copyrighted, 1907. by c. H. Sutcliffe.
By M. C. SANFORD.

Along the deserted beach and through the empty streets Autumn swished her rustling skirts with no one to heed her passing-no one. at least, save solitary man who, having escaped at length from the stern dictates of "the law, had come to Surfside for few weeks freedom. Leaning over the fence which skirtod the path around the rocky coast he gazed dreamily out to sea, following the ragged outline of the shore and breathing in the salt of the ocean with the sweetness of the earth beneath him.
 Suddenly q fresk cut in the weather worn rail caught his eye. I'll. T., w., 'O4." Some one beside himself had evidently sought out the shore late in the season. "W.-'04?" he queried. "Wellesley" He had it! For was not a knife blade broken off half short in woman's work?
 "So," he unused, 'I am not to be alone with the natives and nature, after all" He started to move on. Again he was arrested this time by a small, bright object at his feet. It proved to be Wellesley class pin.
 Host it while she was carving her name with that dolls knife, I s'pose" Van Dyke argued to himself, as was his legal habit, fastening the pin mean- while to his vest beneath his own Harvard pin.
 Stroling on, he renewed his ac- uuaintance with one after another of the favorite haunts of his boyhood- "swallows cave,' the rock that boom- ed like cannon at high tide and in- numerable cozy retreats to be gained by careful climbing over the chaos of big powders on the cliffs. He whis- tied like boy as he went and sang snatches of the college songs so fresh in his heart At last, in utter aban- donment, he curled up in the lee of an overhanging rock and, soothed by the Hull of the waves and the minor vail of the October wind. fell asleep.
 He was awakened in curious man. ner. Opening his eyes, he found them covered with soft transparent some thing that wrinkled when he winked He raised his hand to remove It and gazed in astonishment upon his sudden acquisition of womans handker- chief A monogram was embroidered in one corner His logical mind deci- phered 1t in flash with little expend iture of eye strain.
 Exhibit e." he murmured, jump ing up eagerly. Now, here's hoping for the lady herself"
 But the most searching scrutiny of rocky nests" and inches failed to dis cover her. Indeed, after several days of faithful explorations Van Dyke be- gan to think his lady of the mono grams q teasing myth.
 Nevertheless he would have contin- ued to hope for her realization If a letter from his sister had not put cruel end to his romance.
 Dear Richard" 1t ran. 'I have just learned that Helen Tudor. q college friend of mine. is staying at Surfslde with her mother. She's very clever girl; has just written remarkable tbesis on some learned subject and got an A. NJ. degree. You ought to like her. She's your kind. Be sure to look her up. I've written her you're going to. She's staying at the Sea Cliff"
 That dished the whole thing. His kind." indeed, He abominated "blue- stocking" So he fought shy of the Sea Cliff and ceased to look for I'll. T.. w. '04," in his daily rambles.
 But with the proverbIal irony accred- ited to her Dame Fate as soon as she perceived Richards back turned upon her bobbed up in front of him most unexpectedly. or. to be strictly accu- rate. Richard to his own astonishment bobbed up in front of her.
 With characteristic alacrity he had taken handspring over a jutting rock and landed fin n secluded niche below. His sudden appearance so frightened the young person curled up in 1t that she dropped her book into a pool of water.
 T beg your pardon" Richard blurt- ed out. Let me get 1t for you" C'It's probably dry enough to be proof against a wettIng' was his mental commentl 'I hope 1t isn't injured fa- tally" he added aloud. handing the water soaked volume to It's owner who. he was surprised to notice. was a dlmpled. rosy checked young woman with mischIeyOus eyes.
 -GoodnesS, hope not" was her em- phatie reply. T couldn't go to sleep tonight if I didn't find out how the story ended" "FictiOn?" queried Richard cautious ly.
 "Yes. of course. What else does one read on a vacationT' Now. here was an incongruity 10 ponder ove=-he hadn't fancied that 'H. T.. ". 'O4." would like fiction. But he would not be nisled 'On a vaca- ton she had said Doubtless the rest of the year she gave mp to more solid literary accomplishments Realizing that he was expected to say something. although he had quite forgotten that her last remark had been in the form of a question. Rich ! ard braced himself for the ordeal
  "This is my favorite haunt he an- nounced. unconscious of displaying any air of prcpriet0rship. as he estab- I lIshed himself comfortably beside her . The girl smiled nysteriously- aYeS I indeed so- she s1Suerei I