Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-02-04

l understand that you don't answer
letters, so will save my feelings nv
venturing nothing more than a picture
card"
Il would like to know how az
quired such an unpleasant reputation
Although 1 am sometimes dilatorv
think l am no more remiss than most
people In regard to correspondence
In fact, l always write, sooner or
later"
Sooner or later might cover very
extended periods of time" laughed
Mason.
We'll, It Is usually sooner, but you
haven't yet told me where you heard
such bad stories of me-"
Il was doubtless misinformed and
I'm not going to believe them any
more. have no doubt that you are
a medel correspondent" Mason re-
Piled, with exaggerated solemnity.
Why don't you tell me who libeled
me? Surely IT was not aunty?"
Heavens, mol She descants upon
your virtues and leaves your faults. IL
you have any, severely alone"
You long-suffering martyr!" Eve
lyn exclaimed alphabetically. What
a relief 1t will be for you not to hear
me praised to the skies every day"
Il don't feel sure OF that" an
swered Rodney. gravely. 'I shall miss
everything connected with you-even
your aunt" he added mischievously.
and Evelyn, moving that he really
liked the dear old lady and treated her
with unfiaSging courtesy and consid-
GRAFTON, could not resent his speech.
You are most exasperating," she
pouted. Il have asked you one cues
ton at least three times and still you
won't or don't reply"
You know I told you that 1 had
been out of the world, before l
started on this trip. 1 had been up in
Maine logging camp looking for my
young brother. A good friend of mine
went with me. He Is a man who
never deserts one In trouble. and l
was greatly troubled about my moor
wilful brother"
Evelyn murmured something sympa-
thettc.
"Oh, the boy is all right now, hope.
Though he is a wonder for getting
into scrapes. the shock of his disap-
pearance and all the anxiety was
rather hard on me, so the doctors sent
me on on vacation. much to my dis
gust. but"-he bowed elaborately-"I
have found 1t most delightful"
Thank you, Mr.. Mason. but you
haven't told me yet"
VIII you call me Rodney, Just once,
II l do? II would sound so friendly.
believe 1 have a slight touch of
inconsistencies. At any rate, I'd like
to hear you say it,
Evelyn smiled. Yes. Rodney" she
answered. with just a shade of hes;ta-
ton. He let his eyes rest on her a
moment before replying. then he
turned from the blue in them to the
blue In the Mediterranean and finally
rested his gaze on the pale distant
Island of Capri. 1t seemed, in its
shadowy outlines. symbolical of the
happiness which he knew might never
be his.
My friend was very much disturbed
because he received no reply to let
ter he wrote when we first reached
camp. explaining his hasty departure
for New York. / happened to see the
letter. 1t was addressed to you. sup
pose 1t never reached you. Now you
know"
Yes, now know" repeated Evelyn,
softly, and / thank you, Rodney, for
telling me-" This time the name came
quite naturally. Really, / must go
back to aunty, for our packing is not
yet done"
Rodney looked at her gratefully. She
was very pretty In her light gown with
her cheeks changing from rosy red to
clear white and then back again. He
knew that he should always remember
her as she was just at this moment,
with his name on her lips, but he
knew that the moment was some ones
else.
The soft rays OF the slender young
moon were penetrating the darkness
OF the Colosseum, seeming to restore
with their kindly light the great
crumbling structure to almost It's full,
gloomy grandeur Of old.
Evelyn bIOOQ In the arena endur1n e
listlessly her aunt's discourse on the
tragic history OF the immortal spot.
She linked her arm into her aunt's.
Have you noticed that man, aunty &?
He has been watching us for several
minutes and now he is certainly fol-
lowing US. Nearly all the sight-seers
are gone. II Is rather q lonely place,
aunty. I don't believe the guards are
much protection"
What a fdget you are, Evelyn. I
wouldn't be afraid to go all over Eu-
rope alone, while you are nervous If
we two are out together after dark.
It's absurd" Miss Morton looked ex-
eremely fierce and commanding, and
Evelyn thought that the most hard,
ened ruffian would prefer to keep out
of the way. But when the tall, cloaked
figure of the man drew nearer, she in
stinctively shrunk back
Would You Ike an English-speak-
ing guide?" he asked. In mufied tones.
No, thank you" Miss Morton re-
piled, decisively.