Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-06-10

and conventional that I mentally
freed him again from my accusation
that he was in the midst OF q warm
irritation though you will agree with
me that appearances had been very
much against him.
But that evening when he and I
were having our nightly bedroom col
loquy was obliged to admit that
Vincent. considering his methods, haA
accomplished great deal. With some
embarrassment he related to me the
tale Of his horseback ride in the morn
Ing, and / must say 1t completely I'M
settled my belief In the discovery
had made as to the identity Of the real
Honorable Agatha Wyckhoff. Neither
Vincent nor knew what to make Of It.
,"Do you know, Arch" he said, stri-
ding up and down my room, I've been
through q horrible experience today
II was an awful shock to me, and
lesson"
I'm glad 1t was a lesson" said /.
There are SO few lessons In vincent's
me.
"Yes." he said. Il feft like beastly
cad And I don't see what I've done
TO deserve IT, OF course, I've held
her hand couple of times"
That bad habit Of yours again."
murmured.
And I've looked at her lot-she'S
got the most soul-moving eyes y
know"
didn't know, but l nodded. The
boy was very much in earnest.
But l never thought" he weaA on
II never thought she-she-" He
stopped and the words seemed to stick
IN his throat.
Great heaven. man." i cried in my
Impotence. get It out. What didn't
you think she'd dor
Il never thought she'd really care
for me-" he muttsred. shamefacedly.
and turned his back ON me.
what do you meanT demanded,
impatiently. He is most exaSperating.
a~a why. this" He ceased his restless
walk and stood on the hearth rug. n
cling me. Wed been out about an
hour this morning, Agatha Fifth and
I. and we'd been getting up into the
hilly country, when suddenly we came
out of the woods and saw below uS
the grandest stretch OF country you
can imagine"
Here he broke or and went into q
rhapsody over the skyline and the
grazing sheep, and said something
about Utopia and Eden and other
things like that, until he got through
at last and came to the interesting
part. They can't help going on like
that, these artist fellows, and Vincent
never losses an opportunity to get In
q bit of description,
Wen he continued, Il was jusa
enjoying that view and saying nothing,
when she stopped switching the tops
of the harebells with her crop and,
turning those warm hazel eyes Of hers
on me, she said in a low voice, as IL
what she said didn't matter at all, 7
love you!'"
"What!" shouted, "She didn't?"
"She did" asserted Vincent ruefully
but with firmness--"She did. Just like
that, out Of clear sky. Simply folded
her hands and looked at me and told
me she loved me-"
Angels and ministers Of grace, de-
fend us!" calculated. Nothing else
seemed adequate. What under the
sun did you d0?"
"Why, II told her amply that didn't
love her, and couldn't marry her. and
l was very sorry. but I thought we'd
better get on our horses and so home"
quite right. II you don't really
care" l said, but oh, Vincent" IS .
thought struck me. "just think. she
might have been the Honorable Agatha
the real and only honorable!"
she was!" said Vincent.
/ was speechless. This was the END
Of It, then. saw the millions taking
unto themselves wings. and my par
Of milk spilled. The real Honorable
Agatha had been discovered, tho
secret was out. but she had avcr'aa
herself as loving Vincent and he ad
spurned her. After such per- IN
ance there was no chance for either
of US.
"How do you know she was?" I
asked, weakly.
"She told me so herself" he an
swered.
But after you refused her, sup
poser"
"of course" said Vincent. resign
eddy.
But. wilfred, my boy" ! cried,
springing up, and knocking OF my
glasses in my excitement, couldn't
you change your mind, couldn't
you fix it up? II she really cared I
should think you could"
Though this event would have
proved the deathblow to my own
hopes, still my interest in vinceIt's
welfare is SO genuine that couldn't
help this anxious expostulation. But
again he misunderstood.
""You don't mean that, know,
Arch" he said "Of course wouldn't
marry the girl when really don't
care for her. But wasn't II the deuce
OF a position to be in?"
"Oh, Wilfred. Wilfred!" / mourned,
twenty millions right in your grasp,