The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-11-16
Surprising
SenpIe.
BY WILLIAM r. BRYAN.
Copyrighted, 1907, BY P. G. E~stnsnt.


the plants, won't your" pleaded Mrs.
semple Those plants are such beau
ties 1t would be a pity to have them
die
They won't" assured Semple. Zone
pint to each plant l remember"
You're a dearF' she exclaimed. tits
awfully good Of you. Ned, to let me 20
when you won't even have a teeny
vacation yourself l feel almost
ashamed of myself leaving you all
alone in the hot city"
You have the time OF your life" or
dered Semple. IN be all right. Don't
you worry about me-"
II have such a surprise for you" she
said, smiling through the tears that
filmed her eyes. 81 want you to write
and tell me just how you like it,"
whats the surprise? I'll bet it's a
cat"
Better than that and not half the
trouble" she declared.
There's my train being called. It's
a shame they will not let you pass the
gate. Kiss me again, dear, and do be
Careful OF yourself.
Ned Semple kissed her not once, but
half a dozen times. He worshiped
this dainty little woman who had lift
ed him out Of bachelordom and board
ing houses and had made home bit
Of paradise on earth. He hated to
give her up for whole six weeks, bur
he could not get away from town him
oh Ia
change.
He waited until the train pulled out
of the station and went back to the
hot and stuffy office. 1t was no hard
ship to work when he worked for her.
and there We're certain deals tl@Rt could
not be neglected. If these deals went
through they would both go to Europe
next year, and the occasional problem
Of where the money for bills was to
be found would be solved.
He remained at the office later than
usual to make up for the time he had
lost over their last lunch together. The
occasional charwoman only made the
desolation Of the huge Office building
seem more pronounced. The elevators
stopped at 8, and it was after 8 when
he descended interminable flights of
steps, and the sense Of depression grew
upon him.
In the street the open cars whizzed
past crowded with tired workers who
found in the speeding trolleys the
breeze that could not be coaxed into
their stuffy rooms. Whole families fill
ed some of the cross benches, and Sem
pie thought regretfully of how only
two nights before he and Aida had
taken a ride in the cool of the evening
going clear to the end of the run and
stopping at the restaurant for a bite
TO eat
He did not feel hungry tonight,
though he had had no dinner. He left
the car at his corner and crept up the
stairs to his apartment.
By this time he was thoroughly blue,
and the darkness Of the place crowned
his misery. As he opened the hall
door he seemed to hear her voice call
q CHEEKY Good evening, dear. hope
yen had an easy day. Did your
Could it be possible, he asked him
self, that Aida had come backl She
might be hiding in one of the closets.
he lighted the gas In every room, but
he could find no trace Of her save IN
thu orderly neatness which worked all
fus his comfort
He went back to the parlor and
pulled thoughtfully at his pipe. In
his low nervous state but one explana-
ton Of the phenomenon was suggested.
Aida was dead, and In her love she
had come to greet him. So thorough
ly wrought up did he become that be
telephoned the railroad company to
ask II the train had been wrecked.
The response did not seem to soothe
his ruffied feelings II 1t did reassure
his anxiety, and at last he went to bed,
only to toss restlessly. Sleep did not
come until absolute physical exhaus-
ton closed his eyes
II seemed scarcely ave minutes be
fore the alarm clock rang, and ha
dragged himself out Of bed Aida
had left coffee and crackers and con-
danssd milk In the house, and be sip
ped a cup Of coffee while he searched
the morning paper for news Of
wRck.
he could find nothing Of the sort.
and at last he started for the once.
As he opened the door AffdA's voice
rang In his ears again: ~Goodby, dear.
hope you have luck today.
II was what she always said and,
although 1t did not sound exactly Ike
her voice, there was no installing GER
tain tricks Of speech. BE hastily closed
the door and hurried down the steps
There was a telegraph once at the
corner, and he sent a Telegram askins
her to wire her safe arrival. In the
office building was the booth OF an
other company. and he sent second
dispatch. She was not due at her des-
tination for a full two hours Jet. and
be could not hope TO receive q message
before noon, but he paced the Office
impatiently, unable 10 coneent1te his
attention upou ANYTHING except the