Smyrna times., 1907-10-09
Surprising
Ser1ple.
BY WILLIAM r. BRYAN.
Copyrighted, 1907, by P. C. Eastment.

the plants, won't your pleaded Mrs.
Semple. "Those plants are such beau
ties it would be a pity to have them
die.''
'"They won't" assured Semple. Zone
pint to each plant. l remember"
You're a dearw she exclaimed. Its
awfully good of you, Ned, to let me go
when you won't even have a teeny
vacation yourself. 1 feel almost
ashamed of mgself leaving you all
alone in the hot city"
You have the time of your life" Or
dered Semple. 'I'n be all right. Don't
you worry about me.'
Il have such 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 a bit
of paradise on earth. He hated to
give her up for a whole six weeks, but
he could not get away from town him
self, and she needed the rest and
| 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 were certain deals that 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 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 lef
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 hal
door he seemed to hear her voice cal
a CHEEKY Good evening, dear. 1 hop
you had an easy day. Did yOu?"
Could It be possible, he asked him
self, that Aida had come back? Sh
might be hiding in one of the closets
He lighted the gas in every room, bu
he could find no trace of her save il
the orderly neatness which worked al
: FOR his comfort.
He went back to the parlOr an,
puffed thOughtfully at his pipe. Il
his low nervous state but one explana
ton of the phenomenon was suggested
Aida was dead, and in her love sh
had come to greet him. So thorough
ly wrought up did he become that h
telephOned the railroad company t
ask if the train had been wrecked.
The response did not seem to sooth
his ruffied feelings If it did reassur
A his anxiety, and at last he went to be-
Z only to toss restlessly. Sleep did ne
come until absolute physical exhau'
4 tion closed his eyes
< 1t seemed scarcely five minutes b.
7 fore the alarm clock rang, and i
dragged himself out Of bed. Aid
- had left coffee and crackers and col
densed milk in the house, and he sil
ped a cup of coffee while he searche
- the morning paper for news of
wreck.
He could find nothing Of the sOr
and at last he started for the Offie
AS he opened the door Alida's voiC
rang in his ears again: 'Goodby, dea
hope you have luck today"
1t was what she always said, an
although it did not sound exactly Ill
her voice, there was no mistaking ce
tain tricks of speech. He hastily close
the door and hurried down the step
There was a telegraph Office at Il
corner, and he sent telegram askil
= her to wire her safe arrival. In t
Office building was the booth Of a
/, other company. and he sent secol
dispatch She was not due at her de
= tination for a full two hours yet, al
he could not hope to receive MESA
before noon, but he paced the Off
= impatiently. unable to concentrate
attention upon anything except t
tagging hands of the clock.
II. ffr.v.r I'D how a