The Alaska citizen., 1910-08-22

a shadow or cast it aside and con fess that she was mistaken in the strength of her affection for Jim.
 Prater came home with her after the matinee and stayed until Cousin Kate felt obliged to ask him to re main and dine. He accepted, and in the evening Wagram called. Pra- ter's intuition told him that this was Jim's most formidable rival. and he was hostile in consequence.
 When Margery went up to her room she had come to the conclusion to write to Jim at once and break of her engagement. Fearing lest her resolve might weaken in the night trying to word her letter so that it should not sound too cruel and yet to show that her decision was final. When she sealed the en- velope she was not satisfied and it was a white faced, fearful eyed Mar gery who crept into bed and sobbed herself to sleep. She had not dream ed the actually break would hurt so much.
 Wagram came in the morning to escort her to church, and she kept him waiting beyond the usual tradi- tional half hour, and it took her so long to dress that she forgot to mail the letter lying on her desk. had scarcely time to think, but when Wagram tried to draw her away from the others, suggesting that he had something of importance to tell her, she put him off.
 Not tonight"
 Then tomorrow. Will you listen to me tomorrow, little girl?"
 She nodded, not daring to trust herself to reply. In the morning she would post the letter to Jim, and in the afternoon she would tell Wagram what she had done. Never theless, in spite of the fact that she had stitied all regrets, her sleep was broken, and when she awoke her head ached so frightfully that she could not raise it from the pillow.
 About 3 o'clock in the afternoon she crept downstairs for a cup of tea. Her cousins had gone to a musicale, and the house was very quiet. The tea refreshed her, and she curled up on the sofa in the library and rested cozily among the cushions. She awoke with a start to find a tall clean-shaven man look ing down al her, heart full of love and loving in his honest eyes. She stared up at him. wide eyed, cul- prit.
 "Margery, my darling, have I frightened you? I wanted to take you by surprise, sweetheart, so I told Prater not to tell you that l l was on my way home. But now, Margery, speak Aren't you glad to see me-"
 He was terrified at her continued silence. This was scarcely the girl whose memory had never left him day or night, whom he had loved during the long, dreary months he had spent in the tropics. She had changed; she was no longer dainty child; she was a woman. And then he grew tender Women were made of softer stuff than men. She knew what his coming pOrtended, and she was a bit afraid. In a little while she would forget and give herself up only to the joy of their reunion. He had been too impetuous. He should have let the maid announce him. But as he had been as sure of her as himself he had insisted upon going in alone.
 At the sound of his voice Mar SGly lcll HtI litdiI Stll pam uliS and as she kept on staring at him his dear face gradually plotted out all memory of that other till when he paused and the silence between them grew embarrassing. A rush of feeling swamped all other emo ton, and she put up her arms sud denly.
 Jim, oh Jim! I am so glad!" she cried, and the rest was lost as he gathered her to his breast.
 About an hour later, when Jim's ring was again on her finger and they sat side by side on the sofa, her hand in his, he spoke of Prater.
 He IS a fine fellow, and I'm sure you got on famously together" he said.
 Yes" Margery admitted, Then, with a burst of confidence, she add ed. Nevertheless, Jim, I think after all, don't care for substitutes" She blushed as she said it, and Jim interpreted it in his own fashion
 Still, with Prater, darling, you were perfectly safe. You were in no danger of falling in love with him, no matter how he felt about you"