The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-04-04

difficult task. he began four epistles.
to tear them UP. At the fifth attempt
he concluded q short note and handed
ii TO AIoysius.
Take this letter to the Benson" he
said, and wait for an answer. If the
lady says there isn't any, come back
and let me know. Here's ten cents for
carfare and quarter for yourself"
Aloysius pocketed the quarter
right
The tall young man sighed heavily.
He had large melancholy eyes, and
features so deicately nodded as to APP
pear rather weak. Altogether, he was
good TO look upon, and the dinner
coat which he wore by no means de-
tracted from his appearance.
Hustle. now" he said, and if you
come back in less than half an hour
there's more coffee down stairs
Aloysius grfnned, and hurried for the
| elevator. On his way down he dis
covered that the envelope none too Sc
curely sealed, had broken open. and in
| the street car he drew the letter from
ITS covering and perused it with
| frown
Dearest" it ran, tell me you didn't
mean what you said this afternoon.
The boy will wait for an answer
Hubert"
Oats hot one!" Aloysius mutter-
ed, replacing it in the envelope. The
| car logged over the points in the rails.
and Aloysius. seated for warmth over
a grating of the electric heater, took
MS harmonica from hi stunic and
passed 1t furtively across his mouth.
Inc only other occupants of the car
| were the conductor. who stood inside
| the door. and an old gentleman curled
| hob io1
page of a conservative evening paper
AT the first strains. the old gentleman
| glanced menacingly over the celluloid
| rims of his glasses and the conductor
darted UP the aisle of the car.
Hey" he yelled. Yer Wanter cut
dat out. See?"
Aloysius rose slowly
Who for?' he inquired, and as the
conductor grabbed for him he lodged
and jumped nimbly from the rear
platform. Standing on the sidewalk,
ne carefully inserted his two index
fingers in either corner Of his mouth
and sent a shrill defiance. after the
retreating car. Three times. and with
great solemnity, he repeated the per-
tormance, and then turned and enter
ed the portals of the Benson.
Dis is for Miss Ethel Wetmroe,'
ne said to the clerk, IAN dere's an an
swer''
The clerk handed the note to a bell
boy who returned a moment later.
She wants to see the messenger
he said
Aloysius was ushered into a room
on the third floor in which a lady was
sitting-a lady of such compelling
charm that Aloysius removed his hat
and gasped.
Az
worthy sent?" she asked.
"A tall guy wild a dress-suit?"
Aloysius queried.
The lady nodded.
"Yes'm," he said.
Slowly she removed from thethird !
finger of her left hand a solitaire dia-
mond ring that sparkled brilliantly in
the subdued lighting of the room. But |
Aloysius had no eyes for the gem. He |
gazed open-mouthed at two round |
drops that rolled gently down the |
lady's cheeks.
Now" he commenced huskily-"now. |
lady-don't yer. now"
He recognized in her the original of |
the six photographs in the room at the |
Altrincham, though the beauty of her
features was many times enhanced. by
the magnificent coloring of her oval
face and the gilded wealth of her hair.
She wrapped the ring in Holworthy's
note and handed it to Aloysius.
Take this to Mr.. Holworthy," she
said, land let me know what he says"
She fumbled in her pocketbook and
produced a quarter.
Take this" she continued Hurry
back
Tanks, lady," said Aloysius, plac- |
ing the package in the lining of his hat. i
He stood in the door hesitatingly.
well, why don't you go?" said Miss
Wetmore.
Now, lady" Aloysius stammered,
don't yer go ter beefin' no more" He
blushed at his own temerity and ran
wildly down the stairs
The tall young man was pacing nerv-
ously up and down his room as Alloy
sius entered.
"Well?" he blurted out.
She gimme dis ter hand ter YER"
said Aloysius, taking the ring from the
lining Of his cap.
Holworthy seized it with shaking fin
gers, and his face turned a CHASTITY
white. Aloysius stood waiting in the
door.
That's ALL" Holworthy said. You
may CO."
Still Aloysius fingered.
What are you waiting for?" Hol-
worthy croaked.
"She told me ter come back" Alloy
sius replied, land let her know what
you said
Holworthy swallowed In an effort to
control his tones and made a gesture
of dismissal.
"Go!" he managed 10 whisper, and
sinking down OH the bed, covered his
face with his hands, while his Shout
ders heaved with great choking sobs.
Aloysius turned and tiptoed from the
room. A quarter of an hour later he
was again conducted to Miss Wetmore's
apartments in the Benson. She raised
a fearful face toward him.
We'll" she said, what did he say?"
Aloysius shook his head.
"Narten, lady"
She folded her hands in her lap and
gazed into vacancy.
What did he do?" she continued,
and her lips trembled piteously.
s'NoW Iadv" said Aloysius don't