The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-07-26
49,
=, | ady in Green
445e ......and COld.......
All Paris was talking about her.
BY SEAMAN BRIGHT.


friend, Nancy Forbes, insisted on
ment
But, my dear Nancy, l am not in
violent hurry to see her." protested
Evelyn. Il have whole fortnight
in Paris before me yet. And be-.
sides, we haven't seen each other
since the days when we wore pig
tails, and there is far more to in
terest me in your own doings than
in-what do you call herr"
The Lady in Green and Gold
Ser real title is Memory, but since
Paris has gone wild over the matter
every one calls her The Lady in
Green and Cold And you must
see her," insisted Nancy, "if only
for the extraordinary resemblance to
yourself. 1t is really uncann.-. When
you stepped out of the train last
night 1 thought you were The Lady
in Green and Gold herself.
''It is fiattering at any rate, if the
lady is as wonderful as you say"
laughed Evelyn 'And now, as you
have reused my curiosity to excite.
ment pitch, when am I to see herr"
"At once. 1t is a heavenly morn
irsy, and besides I have arranged a
Ia little appointment hesitated
Nancy, coloring a little. 81 didn't
tell you last night, as it was late,
and you were tired; but, you see
well-you see," and Nancy held out
her left hand, on which diamond
ring glistened in the sunlight.
Engaged? Oh! my dear, I am
so glad,' and Evelyn bent down and
kissed her friend tenderly.
HE is dear, and his name is
Dick-Dick Wingrave," explained
Nancy. HE is an American, and
an artist, like myself; only, unlike
me, he has had many decorations
and honors in both France and Ger
many. You will see him in half an
hour at The Salon; we are to meet
there, and-good gracious! it it near
ly II now. We must really hurry,
for I want to introduce you first to
The Lady in Green and Cold To
think" she continued a few moments
later, as they stepped out into the
whirl of the Paris traffic, sit is
nearly ten years since the day we
said goodbye to each other on the
steps of Miss jays academy. Ten
years! 1t frightens me when I
think what little I have to show
for it. Just an odd little canvas
and yes, there is Dick" she broke
off, with note of triumph in her
I voice. Dick! He was worth all the
years of waiting"
"All the years, Nancy, l am sure
every one of Them" said Evelyn,
with an inflexion in her voice that
somehow brought the tears and a
question to her friends eyes.
And you, Evelyn. What have
you been doing all these years.
mean really doing? OF course read
of your fathers death, and how you
were one of the richest and most
beautiful girls in England, and all
that sort of thing. But of your real
self-the self that said goodbye to
me on those old steps ten years ago
the one that used to sleep with a
pillow, once upon time?"
ooh, don't Nancy! 1t was only
the usual silly boy and girl affair,
and one day, when the boy grew up,
he-he changed his mind"
'And the girl?" queried Nancy,
impetuously.
1.-THE girl? Oh, the girl never
quite changed. It's silly way girls
sometimes have" said Evelyn, a
little piteously.
Nancy's brown eyes filled with
tears and she felt for her friends
hand and squeezed it lovingly as
they entered quiet street.
You see, no one was to blame, -
explained Evelyn. There was never
any real engagement My father
wouldn't hear of it till the boy had
made a name. He was an artist
you see, with nothing but promise
So he came away to Paris, and for
a time everything seemed to prop
hesy splendid things. Then a letter
came-it was a very brief letter,
continued Evelyn, after a pause
'and-and was not even written by
himself. A friend wrote it. l sup.
pose he was too busy to do it him.
self"
What a horrid thing to do"
burst out Nancy, angrily.
ut wasn't nice. But 1 suppose
there was reason, and it didn't
matter much, anyhow There was
nothing in it but few lines, to say
that something unforeseen had hap
pened which must end our-oul
friendship. He asked to be forgiven
and forgotten. and that was all
There was no address,
but his friends-his relatives? .
~He had no near relatives. and hi;
friends, he dropped them all, as HI
did me. None of US ever heard o
him again.