Sharp County record., 1907-04-26

When that day comes, however, l will
write and tell you
For two weeks Clarrickston wore
that letter next his undershirt and
faithfully read it each night before
going to bed, but after a time he
failed to find in it the consolation
which was so very manifest in the
beginning.
1t was at this period he happened
to fall foul of newspaper which
gave glowing account of an abnor-
mally large Sunday gathering at
COney Island notwithstanding to
the reporter-"pretty nearly every
body of note in the show business
was as usual, present" and this put
an idea into his head.
He dressed himself in his Bond
street best and flew to Coney by spe-
cially-chartered trolley. If she was
there he caught no glimpse of her,
however; but that did not deter him
from going again the next day, and
the next, and the next after that, un-
til another week had gone and Despair
sat once more upon the heartstone Of
his Hopes.
BY this time he mad become con-
vinced that. search for her in this
particular section Of the universe was
as unlikely to produce the desired re-
suit as watching the stage door of
the Hippodrome had been, and he had
just made up his mind to abandon the
field when something happened which
sent a sort Of electrical shock zig
tagging up and down his spinal col
umn.
1t was merely the passing Of a
young woman-a very gaudily-dressed,
strident-voiced young woman who, in
endeavoring to get by him in the
crowd and join some other gaudily-
dressed young women who had gone
on in advance, had managed to catch
the lace founce of her parasol in the
prongs Of his jeweled scarf pin.
And it was here that Charleston
received the shock. For, in the frac-
tion of time her hands had been busy
sparkling on her wrist the indentical
jeweled bracelet he had sent to La
Papilllon in the early days of his in
fatuation.
His cerebrum whizzed, and for one
dreadful moment he stood speechless
and immovable while his dorsal re-
gion behaved itself after the manner
of concertina worked by invisible
hands.
Clarrickston waited until she was
near the door and then walked for.
ward and met her
"Gee!" she said in a tone of com,
plete despair and then for an instant
they stood looking at each other in
silence.
"Well, I've run you down you see"
said Clarrickston, severely. "I hope
you know, young woman, that it's a
criminal offense to be found in pos.
session Of stolen property"
81 didn't steal anything
"T'll know more about that when I
have confronted you with the person
to whom I gave the bracelet you are
wearing and heard from her whether
she has lost It or not"
"She hasn't lost It, tell yer. She
lent 1t to me-she always lends It to
me-"
"I'll believe that when | hear her
say So"
"I tell yer she won't see yer. Now
let It 60 at that"
Look herel" she said, laying a
shaking hand in Clarrlckston's sleeve,
"She's in there now a gettn' ready for
her turn, | know, for I'd ought to
been here half an hour ago to help
with her clothes. Now, If go ag'in
orders and take you behind and let
you speak to her will you take your
solemn oath not to say stole the
things and not to prosecute nor moth.
in? VIII yer?'
ClarrlclSston thought Of nothing,
cared for nothing, but the chance to
speak with Her-the one "Her" In all
the world for hlm--and let his hand
slide from the womans shoulder,
yes" he said, eagerly, "Yes, |
will"
Her hand closed tighter on his
sleeve; she half led, half raced him
along the pavement and In through
the stage entrance and thence, by
dusty stairs and winding ways lie by
dimly'burnlng, wIre'hooded gas Jets
to q room beneath the stage The
door was closed She pushed It open
and drew Clarrickston In.
The lights were burning brightly
enough here, All round the room hung
the costumes CaMlekston now knew
by heart and, at the far end, where a
wig of long light hair hung on q peg
a young fellow Of two or three