The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-05-16
The Ambassadors.
by Hortcnse u. Wales.

AS Jack Starting waited In tht
4 parlor of the Keane residence h,
had time 10 complain with himself
as he had done continually on hi.
way across the continent. for con
senting TO intercede In love affair
Here ] am he meditated forty
miles out of my way to New York
all because that yacilating partner
Of mine hasn't the courage and de.
\ c2ncy 10 face his iiance and tell her
he has ceased to care for her" An
angry scowl spread over his hand
some face and his gray eyes looked
| gloomily at The carpet.
His reflections We're interrupted by
the entrance Of d fair-haired girl,
with trim little figure and features
delicately cut. The mans fool. ?
thoughs Starling Her appealing look
Of uncertainty made his task seem
harder than ever
rs this Miss Keane? he asked,
looming d step toward her.
Yes she answered. cordially ex-
tending her hand And you, so tho
maid told me, are a gentleman from
Alaska, she continued. as she mo-
toned him 70 a scat. What an I'M
taresting life YOU must have had. /
suppose I've no conception OF it,
though I've caught little glimpses
from letters
Why won't she help me out by
asking for SAM was his unspoken
query, but as he looked across at the
bright. girlish face he could rot help
postponing his disagreeable errand.
Led on by her questions and evident
interest. he yielded to the charm OF
talking again TO a woman Of his own
class and told Of the adventures, the
joys, and the hardships Of that
northern life, till at last he found
himself speaking Of the more intin-
ate experiences. the longing for
home and friends and the refining
influence of womens company be-
came at times almost overpowering.
But I've talked too much about
myself already, ! forgot we we're per-
feet strangers" he added APOLOGIZE
cally
We're not exactly strangers. she
AT least | used to hear a
great deal about YOU.
r suppose Sam Hasn't written
much to her lately" reflected Starl-
ing THE scoundrelt"
AT any rate, I've been horribly
slow In coming to the point he said,
determined to wait no longer.
That she was bravely struggling
for composure he could see BY her
lightly closed lips and the nervous
way in which she clasped her slen-
Ter fingers Her distress tore his |
heart and he felt that he |
vas absolutely inhuman to augment /
ler suffering, "My dear girl I" he /
aid impulsively, coming to her side
md resting his hand on her chair, |
'Imhere on the most unpleasantema /
,assy ! ever undertook Ny partner, +
IS you know, planned to return from
Alaska with me-" he continued, look
az down pityingly into the startled
epths of her blue eyes, "but af the
lst moment he told me that he had
hanged his mind and wished to send
message by me
but who is your partner?" she
sked in perplexity
How awkward / ami" Startling
sclaimed I'm sorry to say nay
artner is Sam Lincoln" II
He had often tried to decide, while {
. his long journey just how the
ri would bear the news. When he j
Nv her he felt sure she would be
game" that she would not weep
ysterieally nor fall fainting. He
as, however, prepared for almost
lything, but her next question, spo-
N in tone Of utter amaze: Then
III are not Mr. Lincoln?"
Good heavens, We don't resem-
e each other in the least. Have you !.
rgotten how your fiance looks In
csc three years."
AS she rose and stood confronting
m be saw that she was actually
lghing Tin not his fance" she'd
planned That's my sister Eliza
tn I'm Beatrice. and as | was n
road at the time they became en- K
ged I've never seen the nckle gen. q,
man"
The man groaned despite his re- :
at not hurting her as he had 4
}ected And must go through K
my agony again to tell your sis 3
4? Won't YOU do it for me?" His \
le was almost eloquent in It's q
aiding
She looked up with most tanta- -
ng smile at his distressed counte-
ice, Yes, I'll help you out In c
e. IL won't be a very painful rev.