Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1908-07-17
A Case of
Mistaken Identity
By lNEz HAYNES GILMORE
(Copyright.)

Livery DOuy Ill II1e Car looked plQCQoQ
and tired and cold. For the last few
minutes, Olive Hastings had been
considering subject unpleasantly
recurrent in her thoughts nowadays
Is Life Worth Living? Then her eyes,
injurious, lack-luster, rowing along the
row opposite, fell on face.
1t was face that she had not seen
more than half dozen times all told.
1t was face that she had not seen
once in the last two years. But it was
the same face about which, nightly,
she wove her waking dreams. And
it had all it's old magic. Her heart be.
gan to leap, her head to whirl, her
blood quickened to racing speed.
Praying that the emotional illumina-
ton would not flare through her skin,
she managed to follow up her recogni.
ton with a bow and smile.
Lawrence Crane had arisen and was
coming toward her. She made a place
at her side. In another instant her
hand was in his. "This is perfectly
charming!" she was saying.
Its providential," he announced.
Size felt his amused gaze beating
through her eyelashes. give only
been here day or two and I've
had it on my mind to look you up
the first free evening. That's tonight,
I may add-unless you're going to be
cruel to find another engagement"
There was the old fascination in
his voice-she noted them one by
Observation-Disclosures tricks of inlec.
ton; it was distinctly magnetic
voice.
She was trying to stay the culver of
her lips. But she had to hold the low.
er one still with her teeth after she
had said: eyes, I'll be at home"
How wonderful he was! How hand
some! 1t made her dizzy to meet his
eyes in that long-ago visit to Helen.
Undeveloped, silent, awkward as she
was, every word that he gave her
seemed a 'caress. Now it was even
worse-his very presence was a vibra
ton, his words were bliss.
Was she dreaming? Had the skies
fallen? She tried to find something to
hold to. Everything comes to him
who waits" came uppermost in her
mind in stupid reiteration. She won.
dered If that explained. Next she was
conscious of being glad that she wore
Helen's gray dress-it was the most
becoming thing she had. Heavens!
he must have seen Helen in it again
and again. But men never remem-
bered. Would Helen really have mar
ried him, she wondered. He had en-
gagged in a desperate Irritation with
her cousin during that week that they
had both met him for the first time, and
his Irritation had actually Tapped over
the announcement of Helen's betroth-
al to another man. The first thing
that had occurred to Olive when she
heard of Helen's broken engagement,
six months ago, was that Lawrence
Crane would renew his suit. Perhaps
he had, and perhaps Helen had re-
fused him. She would not speak to
him of her, she decided-especiall
now when there was a GOODNESS be.
tween herself and Helen.
she ran from the car to the Office.
| She raced up the four flights of stairs
mo elevator could hold her spirits
that morning. Opening the door with
jerk, she rushed in, precipitating
herself into the arms of six feet of
the other sex about to rush out
"My hands are up" he said with.
out further parley. "My moneys in
my inner coat pocket
She laughed and drew back.
I'm Merriam, the new partner.
You've got me roped, thrown and tied
but don't mind me"
She stared at him nonplused. He
looked fresh, young, absolutely un-
tanned, and yet he might have been
80. His skin had been weather-beat.
en- until it was cheerful mahogany.
He had big, unabashed gray eyes as
clear as child's.
Olive hung up her hat and jacket,
and her hands played carelessly back
and forth over her hair. Her cheeks
were still brilliant with excitement.
I'm ready to take any letters,"-
she was beginning when the door
opened and the senior partner came
in.
The elder man went out after a
little while, and she was left to tete.
a-tete with Merriam. She had never
talked to any man in her life as she
talked to him. But while she was chat
ting her swiftest, laughing her merri-
est and coquetting with him in the
way that seemed to be the natural
effervescence of her mood, her heart
was beating to the single refrain
"He Is coming to.night!"