Las Vegas age. [volume] (Las Vegas, Nev.) 1905-1947, 1907-07-06

done. Perhaps the tone Of ho,
showed him. Better lifelon, -.' ,O'Ce
derstanding than a Disclosure .s-
that. He breathed a sigh Of vorn'e '
relief. "uins
And yet you refused me-" ba at.
watching her, and seeing for the s-.
time that tremulous color. "wbvT
You have right to ask. Yet-t.
difficult sometimes for a woman 70 ="
plain her reasons"
But you gave no hint In voDr =,
swer. 1t was not that-that I am Al.
tasteful to your"
His voice was unreasonably anx,or.
and he was unable now to tska NJ,
eyes from her face. How beautiful !.
was in its unexpected blushes,
"Ah, no! You must understand th,.
at least ii was not that But. ureIv
we have known each other too lons
you and l, for any nonsense Of sent'
ment between u.s."
'Our engagement could have boen
the shorter" returned Mr.. sherinshsm
almost gaily. Now that his ordeal wa,
removed, he found himself ENJOYING
the interview amazingly. And 50. 70,
this no reason at all, a whim which
you cannot even explain, you have con.
demned me to solitudev He sighed
with gentle self pity. a mental picture
Of his bare bachelor lodging, In con.
trast with this dainty room, coming IN
add pathos to words In which already
he more than half believed. "Ah, cruel
cruel -
My dear friend" said the widow,
"is II possible that you have not yet
seen the absurdity OF wishing to Join
your life with that OF an old woman
like myselfT'
old cried Mr.. Sheringham gaL
lanty. Perish the thought. you have
the advantage of me by years" He
meant II, too with the danger behind
him, he felt that he could safely allow
himself the luxury of little sentlmen
tai regret. IF you are old. Annette
what of meT
"A man Is different; a bachelor Is
a youth at CO."
Because he has never lived."
She smiled, and half held out her
hand as though TO place 1t upon his
then drew 1t back again. Your views
are not altered then" she said softly
after a moment (and surely the hesta.
"A
still wish to hear my reason for reply.
ing to you as l did?"
Can you ask it?"
Then | will tell you. 1t was be.
cause, having to answer to you imme-
dately, | wrote in such haste that per.
haps"-again she hesitated. then fin.
ished In tones that weer barely audi
ble-'perhaps l did not wait to know
my own mind"
What" Mr.. Sheringham had been
listening in a pleased reverie, soothed
by the gentle murmur Of her voice.
He sprang up, white with emotion.
rs ii so difficult to understandT-
Mrs. Pilkington raised her eyes TO his,
smiling shyly-"the womans privilege,
| am an old woman, but not yet,
fear, a very wise one How astonish'
ed you look. Could you not see what It
was that has been making me so fool
ishly nervous ever since you came In!
If-if you. too, had regretted your de-
cision, you should never have known.
But now-now, Augustus, II you still
want me. 1t shall be as you wish!'
Mr.. Sheringham gasped- The come
ly figure OF Mrs. Pilkington danced
grotesquely before his vision. the floor
seemed to be giving way beneath him.
Only two Ineligible thoughts remain
ed In his mind-one was that It was
now become absolutely impossible to
undecelve his old friend, the other that
somehow, In the last ten minutes, he
had fallen in love with her.
Annette :" he said, Annette" 1t
was the only thing to say, and he fol-
lowed 1t gallantly with the one action
that was appropriate to the crcum'
stances.
How we shall astonish people,
murmured Mrs. Pilkington.
YES" said Mr.. Sheringham truth
fully. lit IS no doubt something OF
surprise-for everybody"
Tell me, Augustus" said his nance
somewhat later, when they were seat
ed upon the sofa, "how came you 10
be at West Point yesterday"
AT West Point?" Mr. Sheringham
looked bewildered.
"Yes. Your letter-the letter-""e
post-marked from there"
"Oh. of course, yes" said the lover
the fact is l ran up TO have LOOK ii
nv nephew, Tom-Mary's eldest you
KNOW" he explained.
Mrs. Pilklngton gazed at him admir-,
ingly. "How like your kind hear''
she said-'to think of a schoolboy-a'
such a crisis"
Not at ALL" said Mr.. Sherinsham'
As a matter of fact he was thihhins
Of him at that moment, but his thousn@
,,,o,.o of too tumultuOuS and cOntrauIc-