Charlevoix county herald., 1908-05-02

anyway" he observed, dryly.
"By proXy?" Her brief disconcer.
ton went off in a laugh.
Not at ALL" He puzzled second
to know what she meant
Then how will you reach there?"
| she asked, curiously.
| Il won't"
what! The bridegroom"
ooh, the bridegrooms all right, as
/ bridegrooms CO." he replied amused.
ly And he looked into her face again !;
his betrayed a certain amount of
wonder; hers underwent a stereopti.
con series of changes.
II really don't understand what
all this means" said the girl, with a
touch of dignity.
You would if you knew old Bill
as we'll as | do. After spending five
years of his young life in the pursuit
of that girl, he isn't going to risk his
good luck by allowing the ceremony
to be postponed
BILL" she calculated, "Bill-who?"
The Honorable William Prescott
mayor Of Redville, son of the late
Jonathan Trescott-frst cousin to
your humble servant
OH" There were volumes, and a
supplement or two. in the exclamation
Your cousin!" she breathed with a
! swift heartbeat.
ITO my everlasting sorrow, let me
assure you of it. We are, as it oc-
ours, brothers children and at one
time, hailing-both of us-from
Shreveport. You see, it was pretty
tough on me when ! had to fall heir
to all his duns and bills, while he was
coming in for all the good things. Oh,
it was considerable of a joke, of
| course; but | shall have to admit that
both Of us enjoyed some famous es-
capes, to be exact"
Miss Sheplar turned nonplused but
decidedly frightened eyes upon her
companion. The first genuine smile
for many weary week flckered about
her lips. Then she laughed. How
absurd it all isl" she said. The look
he flashed back at her broke down the
pretense between them all at once.
Kitty" he said, there's a reason
for it, and I've already more than
half guessed what it is. But / want
you to tell me with your own lips the
reason for your sudden coldness-the
abrupt cessation of your letters; the
return of mine, unopened
The girl broke into a second laugh,
a little uncertain sound that carried
the suspicion of tears in its tran
science. Its all so ridiculous"
she jerked out, coloring furiously, but
when Leona wrote me that she was to
marry a Mr.. William Trescott OF
Shreveport
Prescott nodded Understandings.
Just as l thought" he interposed in
dignantly, land now" he bent toward
her with very earnest. an almost
commanding fire in his eyes, there's
only one thing to be done, Kitty. We
really haven't a right TO tamper with
Fate any longer. You see, don't you?
Bill might take it into his calamitous
old head to get smashed in railroad
accident, or something, whereupon,
should-as sure as the heavens are
| widow" He paused
Miss Sheplar had been watching the
ground and walking very fast; when
| he finished speaking, she glanced up
archly, a river of red running from
! throat to brow under his impassioned
| eyes.
There never was any actual prom
Use between u.s. he hurried on ar
| IDENTIFY, but i was right, dear, in be-
lieving that you cared, was | not?"
Billy Do let's make haste; the
| train is coming. | see the smoke down
| the track. Look"
Right now, sweetheart, | can't pos
sibly see anything but you. Besides,
that is the wrong dir He checked
himself quickly. Come along, then,
! it's only half block" lie drew her
arm into his and together they hur
ried. half-running, toward the painting
| train. They had just time to get their
! baggage and board the Pullman when
the engine bell rang.
The girl was the first TO say any
thing. do you shink we shall arrive
in time for the wedding, Bily?' she
| asked.
(Which one?" He pulled down the
shade.
"Why-why, Leona's, of course!"
Trescotts next words came in a
rush. He bent forward quickly and
gathered her hands in his Listen
he said we're going north to my
! 4 eli ,t,lt
couldn't risk that other deal We
got on the wrong train; it'll be easy
enough to explain. And--and a nice
quiet wedding is much more to my
taste. What do you say?'
1t is not recorded but the conduc-
| tor coming through at this iuncture