The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-01-10

late too. And it's such a pretty hat"
he added redectively.
"Ohw said the clear little voice
again, and then there was another ST
lerce
Far up the street under corner
lamp they could just discern big
man Flooding along, weighted down
by two umbrellas.
Its my big brother" said the little
clear voice. and then timidly: Would
you mind going on alone? You see, he
might not understand my letting you
but my hat is new-and"-
81 understand. perfectly" Luttrel
told her. But big brothers are some
times dense. have a little sister my
self, and like to look after her pretty
closely, and that's why | looked after
you"
He had gone into the darkness be-
fore she could thank him. But from
the shadows he watched her fly along
the Intervening space and come up to
her big brother. And he heard her say
in that clear little voice: 1T was so
good of you to come after me. Bob"
And then they went along together
through the driving storm, and Luttrell
was left alone.
After that on his way home from
Office he found himself looking for the
girl with the cherry hat But girls
came and girls went, but never the
right one and so the months passed
and the winter came and there We're
no cherries on any of the hats, and
Luttrell gave up his quest in despair
But always he held in his heart the
memory of the clear little voice that
had talked to him so confidingly in the
darkness of the rainy autumn night.
One night he dropped into fashion.
able downtown restaurant for dinner
and at the next table were a big man
and girl in a dropping hat of pale
blue. Her gown was of the same col
Or, and around her neck she wore a col
lar of pearls.
She was vision of exquisiteness
and there was about her haunting
quality that made Luttrell look at hel
more than once. Where had he seer
her?
And even as he questioned the vision
said in a clear little voice: Bob, dc
believe it is raining. If we go out, We
will have to have a cab
1t was the girl with the cherry hat
No other had such a voice, and there
was the wavy brown hair. And in the
brilliant light he beheld clearly for the
first time the gray eyes and the deli
cate pink and white of the oval face
Why, the little girl was beauty!
you shall have two cabs if yor
WISH" he heard the big man say genial
~. 1--WE wouldn't want to christen thai
stunning gown with rain'
At the sound of that big, booming
voice Luttrell stared, and then he
bridged the distance between the two
tables and dropped his hand on the
other mans shoulder.
Bob Raymond" he said, 81 though
| couldn't be mistaken in the voice
But you've grown some, Bobbie, since
l used to pitch you off of the campu:
fence"
Raymond wrung his hand, beaming
isis" he said to the vision in blue
.'it's Mark Luttrell. You've heard mt
tell about our college FRANKS. Mark
this is my kid sister,"
She smiled up at Luttrell from un
der the brim of the broad hat. BIOL
forgets that am grown up" she said
and Luttrell saw that as yet she ha(
not recognized him as the man of the
umbrella episode.
Il remember your picture stood OF
Bob's chiffonier," he told her. "Yol
wore your hair in pigtails, but yoI
were awfully pretty, and fell in love
with YOU"
"Oh" she said, blushing beautifully
"Sit down and have dinner with us,
Raymond insisted. "Felicia and have
the evening before us. It's raining, 81
we might as well stay here FOL
awhile"
He turned to give an order to The
waiter, and Luttrell leaned toward Fe
licia.
"If you will let me-" he said, g
will hold my umbrella over the cher
ries."
There was dead silence for mo
ment and then she whispered nervous
ly: "Oh, you are the man! Oh, wha
did you think of me?y
81 wished that might hold an UNI
brella over you for the rest of my life.
he said feryently.
Her dimples came out in full force
II am afraid you would get awfully