The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-11-01
Surprising
Sen1pIe.
BY WILLIAM r. BRYAN.
Copyrighted, 1907, by P. Q. Eastment.


Mrs. Greer will look after the
canary, but you will surely look after
the plants, won't your pleaded Mrs.
Semple. Those plants are such, beau.
ties 1t would be a pity to have tthem
die"
"They won't" assured Semple. Zone
pint to each plant. 1 remember"
you're q dearr' she exclaimed. cts
awfully good of you, Ned, to letme go
when you won't even have a teeny
vacation yourself. 1 feel almost
ashamed of myself leaving Fyou all
alone in the hot city"
You have the time of yourtlife." or
dered Semple. "I'Il be all right. Don't
you worry about me-"
Il have such n surprise for yous" she
said, smiling through the tears that
filmed her eyes. Il want you to write
and tell me just how you like it.
whats the surprise? I'll bettit's q
cat"
Better than that and not half the
trouble" she declared.
shame they will not let you passSthe
gate. Kiss me again, dear, and dotbe
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
nF on nth n
give her up for 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 Q 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 Il 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
4 CHEEKY Good evening, dear. 1 hope
| you had an easy day. Did your"
Could It be possible, he asked him
self, that Aida had come back? 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
the orderly neatness which worked all
| for 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
" wrought up did he become that he
telephoned the railroad company to
ask if the train had been wrecked.
The response did not seem to Soothe
his ruf1ied feelings If 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,
1t seemed scarcely five minutes be-
fore the alarm clock rang, and he
dragged himself out of bed. Aida
had left coffee and crackers and con-
densed milk in the house, and he SIP
ped Il cup of coffee while he searched
the morning paper for news of
| wreck.
He could find nothing of the sort,
and at last he started for the office
AS he opened the door Alida's voice
rang in his ears again: "Goodby, dear
1 hope you have luck today"
1t was what she always said, and,
| although it did not sound exactly like
her voice, there was no installing GER
| tain tricks of speech. He hastily closed
the door and hurried down the steps.
There was a telegraph office at the
corner, and he sent telegram asking
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 yet, and
he could not hope to receive message
before noon, but he paced the office
impatiently, unable to concentrate his
attention upon anything except the
tagging hands Of the clock.
At last the blue uniformed boy ap-
peared with yellow envelope and de-
parted richer by half dollar tip. BE
vas back in an hour with another
message that ran: Both kilograms
received. Photographed upon arrival.
OF course nothing is the matter"
The assurance brought contentment.
and that afternoon Semple put through
an important deal. In his citation he
dinctl at their favorite restaurant, and
hand. 1t seems that those three cows
bought over in Delevan last week
had Il chattel mortgage on them. The
holder of it wants 500 from me.
must either pay or be sued. told
him to sue as soon as he pleased, and
he'll probably summon me tomorrow.
And you'll have to have lawyer?'
asked Pruc.
"Of course. I'm going to drive into
town to see Lawyer Parsons"
But why not give Mr., Livingstone
the caseF"