The Marshall republican., 1909-01-01

a. olOulu dlulltbSlJ FWdlLlnE until
1t was time to go to church.
When it was finally time to get
ready my head ached from the sun,
for ] had been sitting without my hat,
and decided that / would not 20 that
morning, though there was a hattering
chorus of protests when I made this
announcement.
Il shall CO." said Vincent, positive
ly, just as II anyone had disputed It.
81 always go, don't |, Miss Marsh" ap-
pealing to the secretary, who was pres
ent, but who, of course, had been rath-
er left out Of the conversation.
Yes" she answered. smiling at him
family. you always do-ever since
we've known you, hat it. You're a
lsaint, Lord Wilferd." But she laughed
gas h said II, and Vincent, for no rea-
son at all, looked pleased.
Then the girls all went into the
house to change their frocks, and Vim.
cent, too, had to go and get himself
rugged out in all the sweetness Of his
Bond street afternoon things.
Are you going to ride or Walk" 7.
asked him as he came downstairs
ahead of the young ladies'.
Walk" he said. IT'S such a rip.
ping day the girls thought they'd like
II. The phaeton is coming for us after
church. What's the matter with you?
We shall miss you"
"Oh, just a bit off my feed this
morning. But, Vincent, my boy, DO
you realize that you're going to church
all alone by yourself with six girls, the
prettiest in E%ngland?"
Seven" corrected Vincent, un.
moved. The secretary is going with
Ut this morning"
= shook my head at him a%dmiringly.
You're a wonderful fellow" told
Vim; II couldn't manage seven OF them
at once to save my skin. Il keeps me
busy enough when / take 'em one at
a time"
At this moment the girls trooped
downstairs. They had their prettiest
gowns on and were fully aware OF the
admiration In the eyes Of Vincent and
myself. And that admiration was per.
fectly ~excusable, for the six Agathas
were looking unusually lovely in their
lowered frocks, big white hats, and
the dainty parasols to match the wide
sashes. and | should have been hard
put to IL to say which was the hand.
soonest But as they filed out OF the
big door / saw Vincent look longest
at the secretary, who walked a little
behind the others, her plain, dark blue
silk gown and little rough straw hat
with the pink roses being a conspicu.
GUS contrast to the frills and furbe-
LOWS OF the six Agathas. thought
/ nau never seen her look so well, and
she passed us men without so much az
glancing In our direction, though Vim.
cents gaze, ] thought, was q tribe
rude.
They had been gone some Is min.
utes when it occurred to me that II
might do my head good to go out and
get some fresh air. Besides which !
had begun to regret that l had per-
mitted Vincent to go to church the
only esquire of such a galaxy of beau
ty. So l put on my hat and strolled
out over the lawn and down the long
drive, and before / knew 1t l had
reached the bottom of the hilly road
and had set out over the fields. The
church party had gone by the way Of
the path over the fields, for that was
a shorter route. than the main road.
AS | walked quickly along the we'll
, beaten path between the thickets |
stopped suddenly and stopped to pick
up a small dust-covered object which
proved to be a prayer book. "One of
those careless girls has dropped it," /
said to myself, for they had all car
ried them. Opening 1t to find the
owners name, / "a much agitated to
read on the lyleaf this inscription:
ITO my daughter Agatha, from her
father, Fletcher Boyd" and the date,
1900. 1t was, then, a gift which Fletch-
er Boyd had made to his daughter only
two years before his death.
] was wild with excitement In a
minute. / would keep the book, and
some time when all the girls were
gathered together l would nou
that / had 1t in my possession and
see II one of them did not betray her
self by asking me for 1t. But Fate
decreed that | should make my test
Of the prayer book more speedily. for
l spied in the distance the white figure
Of a girl fastening back. The path
was dusty and the sun was shining
right In her face, SO trusted she
had not seer me, and, putting the little
vxlume down Just where i had found
ix jumped behind the bushes, The
p6wner of the book was looking for her
property, On she came, running slow
ly and glancing eagerly from side to
side of the pathway. AS she came OPP
posite me she stopped and snatched up
the book, and when she had run back
again the conviction that the Honor
able Agatha was no other than Agatha
Fourth was forced In upon me.
So reused was ! by this event that l
turned my steps homeward at once,
Suspicion had now fallen on every one
OF the six Agathas, but this--this was
the most convincing OF proofs! That