The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-15

"A Letitia Manton turned at thu
 A question and fixed her round blue eyes upon the speakers face. "Oh Miss O'Connor," she said with the fright ened air of a debutante, "I never know whether you are in earnest or not"
 Eileen OConnors s full red lips parted wide in a smile displaying rows of teetf dazzling in their whiteness. You funny child" she said. "Of course 1 expect tC find everything in Washington extraor dinary."
 "Wen he isn't" said Letitia decidedly g,ancng at the subject of their conver sation. Mama says matrimony is his profession"
 How many times so far?'
 "Oh, not once-yet,' said Letitia witt charitable haste They say he Is looking for a rich wife. He will probably be very attentive to your
 And so you are forewarning my van ity?" said Miss OConnor
 Letitia looked a little bewildered He g only a government clerk" she said irrele- vanity. But he owns a plantation in Virginia and people here call him le grand seigneur, for he's considered SC exclusive. I heard him tell mama that he had a horror of the nouveaux riches "
 Miss OConnors large gray eyes mar rowed under their heavy lashes, and for g moment she regarded Lettia suspiciouslyi but that persons eager little face was guileless. "Then your friendly fears for me are groundless,' she said good hu- moredly. "Will you kindly tell MT What s-his-name?"
 "Mr. Philip Kerwin."
 ''Well, tell him, please, that I'm from the woody west, and that my grand father drove pigs in Ireland and that my grandmother tended cows until they come to this country, and that afterward she took in washing-I suspect" She deliv- aroHf ifc nf hors for lxT h h, out bitterness or apology. And when MT Philip Kerwn reached her place in the line and was introduced to her she said T suppose l ought to continue my after noon conventionality and tell you tha I'm glad to meet you, but I'll indulge in the luxury of truthfulness. Tn sure we shouldn't like each other"
 MT. Kerwin showed neither surprise nor embarrassment. Perhaps you are rash in your judgment" he said pleas antly, and the next moment he had passed indifferently on.
 Oddly enough, Miss O'Connor was thinking of this first meeting as she stood on the rail of leaning fance that outlined dusty Virginia road way. Here she was in a torn riding habit, her hands scratched and bleed- ing, her hair dish evelled, her silk hat dented in the crown, standing like a lone tramp amid strange surroundings without her horse and with out hope of company to guide her on her way.
 As she stood there she suddenly re- membered that Letitia had told her tha at the old Kerwin home was five miles from the Mantons' place, and in spite of her predicament she began idly to wonder, as she had so often done be- fore, why this man had seemed to avoid her purposely whenever they met in their social rounds in Washington. If he were really looking for rich wife, her wealth ought to have proved an attraction. for the daughter of "Croe- sus" O'Connor-as her father was called-was not unmindful of this re- puted attraction. Had she been ugly, or stupid, or awkward or less admired by other men, she would have accepted his neglect indifferently or humbly and thought no more about it. But as IL was he haunted her as psychological problem. It was at this moment that Philip Kerwin appeared coming around a bend in the road, mounted on lean horse and leading her own.
 His panting horse showed that he had been riding hard.
 E "You're not hurt?'' he called out in a relieved tone as he caught sight of {her You're not hurt?
 You speak respectfully" she smiled, clambering down to meet him. "No I'm not hurt, only feel like a heroine in a second-class melodrama, or rein carnation of Mime. BlavatslSy practicing telepathy.'
 "Why?' he asked with his usual calm, descending from his horse
 ..Because l was thinking of you," she said with an indifferent candor that precluded boldness. 'Tm 1ost-I was wondering about the natives. It sud denly occurred to me that your house .1 foh discover some of your family's old re- tanners to guide me on my way. My horse fell and threw me into tho ditch.
 And I caught him mile down the road" he returned "I recognized him as one l have seen you ride in Washing toni was afraid that you had me, with a serious accident Were you all aone?'
 "Yes, I escaped this morning."
 From where?"
 Prom Senator Manton's-they have col lected a house party--did you come today as one of their guests?'
 NO, I came yesterday to spend two weeks of my holiday and to look after things at home."- As he spoke she noticed subtle change fin him. He seemed younger more buoy ant. with happiness and an enthusiasm of which she had never seen an evil dence before Ut Is beginning to rain, he said. looking up at the lowering sky "My home Is near here-I would like you to meet my mother"
 "Thank you" she said, with an odd sort of humility. 'I confess to being sur prised by the fact that you have a mother. though Letitia told me. Some ho I never associated you in my mind with any close family ties.'
 He smiled faintly he helped her into he saddle.
 "A man doesn't proclaim the number of his relatives" he said. We shall have to hurry--the rain is almost here and the wind is turning cold-it has been most unnatural daybfor December"
 "In every way she agreed, as she waited for him to mount. 'I seek solitude anu even my horse deserts me and find you, the only man in Washington who has resolutely and unremttingly avoided me Please don't think I mind." she added as they rode along under the ominous creaking branches of the trees. I'm only curious and I would like to ask you a question. Life is so short-we can understand so little after all, that think it is mistake not to be blunt at intervals. I really would like to know why we have never exchanged more than three sentences at a time in Washing ton?"
 For a moment he regarded her curious y.. ,, siIapca uXNo11ld yor like mo to