The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-11-09

70 Nell introduction, out Horace
could scarcely command his senses.
Marian Hastings!" he heard himself
mutter.
ut does sound a little strange,
doesn't it?" Mrs. Evans said merriy.
That is another reason why Tom
changed my name. Marian and are
first cousins, you see, and were given
the same name"
And as Marian is the elder, she
had first claim" Tom broke in, and
Marian gave his nearest ear a playful
tweak.
1t was happy family party, and
Horace felt himself yielding to its
charm, and losing his sense of en-
barrassment. No two women could
have been more different than these
two, the Marian of his dreams and
this hesh-and-blood Marian. One was
small and dark, with glowing red
rose beauty, the other was tall, well
developed, daughter of the century,
with hair smooth laid and deep blue
eyes. Yet they had one thing in
common their voices. 1t was difficult
to tell which cousin was speaking I'M
less the face was seen, and Horace
found his heart responding with dan
gerous frequency whenever the sec
ond Marian spoke. 1t brought back
all the pangs of three years back,
when he was poor, and obscure. Now
he could offer a woman more than
Tom, and he knew he had developed
in other ways than in the direction of
his bank account. Still, as he had
then underestimate himself so did
he now, and hesitated as the weeks
slipped by. for the little romance con-
tinued through the summer, and Mrs.
Evans, to say nothing of Tom. helped
it on with all her heart.
The summer drifted away, leaving
beautiful memories of delightful days,
and yet Horace knew he was storing
up for himself such unhappiness as
he had never known before, if he was
not to succeed. He had loved the
Marian Hastings he had thought Mrs.
Evans was, but when he met her
cousin he knew that the latter was
his ideal, for outside of his admiration
for Nell Evans, he had always pre-
ferred blondes; he himself was very
dark, and tall women to those Of
small proportions.
rs he never going to speak?" Nell
asked Tom more than once, but Tom,
remembering how hard it had been
for him to realize that he had won
Nell, sympathized, and longed to give
comfort, but did not know exactly
how to administer the dose.
Matters were in this state when
Mrs. Nell resolved upon a master
stroke. "Ill do it," she decided, and
shook her pretty head, although I
suppose 1t is going outside the limit
of the law, but then AIS fair in love
or war;" and she laughed softly, and
made her plans, not even taking Tom
into her confidence.
That very afternoon, delightfully."-
warm Sunday in early September she
managed to get Horace and Marian
into the little summer parlor with
windows opening on the side veranda.
Then when they were absorbed in
each other, although sitting in that
somewhat silent communion which
comes to those who are mentally
mated, she stole up on the veranda,
carefully gathered the floating ends
of the lace curtains into her be-ringed
little hands. A moment later she
fairly scuttled back to the main ver-
anda where Tom was blissfully nap
ping, and picked up the book she had
abandoned. She did not see a word
Of the printed words. however, and
she was as pale as death, this gor-
geous little rose, until she heard a
long. thrilling scream. It was what
she had been waiting for.
Wake up. Tom, quick" she cried,
shaking her husband. Marian is
screaming; something has happened"
Tom was on his feet in an instant,
and the two ran into the house, guided
by the screams, which were loud and
insistent. Throwing open the door of
the summer parlor, Nell gave little
sobbing laugh. and then dropped her
head on her husbands arm, shaking
with laughter.
Marian was standing, her skirts
drawn about her. gazing with terror
upon a spider. while Horace was lean
Ing back in his chair laughing until
fairly faint.
DO stop" he pleaded between
gasps.
"A spider does make me SO nervous.
I'm afraid ! will kill 1t by mistake,
and yet can always feel them crawl
ing ON me-" and Marian stopped
screaming long enough to shudder.
Tom and Nell we're silent, and Nell
gave glance toward the lace cur.
tains. They were still floating. al
though their lower edge was slightly
singsd.