Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-26


like all women to bow to the conven-
tions. You think that women in gen
eral-"
Il don't think anything about women
in general" he retorted, rudely, land
l don't care, either! I'm thinking about
you. We have had marvellous luck so
far, but positively sometimes l have
been afraid to turn the corner of the
street for fear of catching sight of
some one.
"Oh, yes, 1 know" he continued,
cutting me short in an acid retort.
Your motives are very noble, and
all the rest of it; but if you meet a
person, and he is on the other side of
the road, and he merely bows and
passes on, or, worse still, doesn't bow
and looks the other way-you-you
can't explain your motives at the top
of your voice, can you? It's useless
to say you don't mind being misunder-
stood, because you were disagreeable
enough to me about it-and-and, take
it on the whole, it's the most insane and
idiotic proceeding I ever heard of, and
it can't go on"
Pray do not concern yourself any
further with my affairs" | said, when
he paused for breath. Il can't get out
of the train while it is in motion, of
course, but as soon as possible l will
relieve you of the risk of being seen
with me-"
You are purposely aggravating," he
replied; "but you have got to answer
my question. Are you or are you not
going back to your friends?"
Certainly not at the dictation of a
person who has no right to interfere"
| answered.
Very WELL then" he said stiffly, eff
you insist on remaining in Aberyst-
wyth, perhaps you had better know
how | got your boxes for you"
Pardon me- 1 interrupted, "I re-
fuse to be lectured and dragooned; but
as it happens, 1 made arrangements to
leave tomorrow some time ago"
You are not leaving to go anywhere
else as Miss Smith?" he queried
sharply.
II am leaving and going home be
cause 1 find the place dull" I eX-
planned.
II am sorry you have found it so
dull" he explained. in tone of Of
fense.
1T is a matter of no consequence"
I replied "but now that I have ex-
planned my motives for departure, per-
haps you will be good enough to tell
me how you obtained my boxes?"
Really, don't know that it is worth
while" he said, evasively. IT'S no
use going into all that, now that you
are going home"
II don't like mysteries" l remarked,
land I must insist, Mr.. Dixon, on your
telling me all about it,"
"Oh it was very easy" he said
"Easy?" 1 queried.
"Quite" he answered. II just told
the railway men what l knew they
would believe"
And what was that, pray?'
"Well, it was practically what you
told them yourself-about changing
your name when you left home"
"They didn't appear to believe me,
said.
mo" he answered. at all depends
on the explanation; and, you see, you
didn't explain it."
"And may ask how you explained
it?" 1 demanded.
IT offered them the explanation that
had occurred to me-" he answered,
looking steadily out of the window.
I sat up with a gasp. "Then you
said"
"I said that, of course, they would
see how it was-and I tipped them
sovereign-that was all
you implied that I had come here
alone to meet some one-in fact, to
meet you?"
Anyhow, they wouldn't have be-
lieved any other story" he muttered,
obstinately.
ut was abominable!" I painted
"They were just going to wire to
Honey HILL to make all sorts of in
ouiries," he observed.
"Mr. Dixon" said, you have com
promised me most shamefully! You
have violated eVery-eVery-