The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1910-12-16

the well remembered bench as she
happened to walk through the park
Upon each of the occasions she mere
" inclined her head In greeting and
passed ON. One morning the florist
had delivered Il box with the card OF
Mr. Bryce attached, and as Helen re
moved the tissue wrappings from the
bouquet of blue eyed forgetmenOts
! she wished heartily that Lolita had
never made her a parting gift
This same morning. while she was
on a shopping tour. the young rector
of Trinity church came and sat In the
cross seat beside her. She was ad
miring his clean cut features when ne
produced his watch and gazed at Ii
renectively. Helen sat upright with
a start. A small square locket lay In
his palm, and its forgetmenot setting
seemed to be winking at her. She
drew her hand across her eyes. Its
my Imagination" she told herself re
signedly; probably l do not see these
charms at all"
The rector studied the locket atten
lively. Presently he found the spring.
the ease few open. and Heien read:
From Lolita. Success Attend You"
II ought to tell him about 1t now"
she thought, "for In a few minutes It
will not be 10 his possession" But
she sat silent as he left the car. soon
to be lost from view In one OF the
large office buildings.
Her mother met her at the door
when she returned late In the after
noon "a gentleman is waiting to see
you, my dear" she said.
Helen's heart beat rapidly. She was
prepared 10 welcome MIR. Bryce and TO
forgive him for ignoring her condi
tons. but the expectant look left her
eyes as she entered the room. for II
was the singer who bowed low before
her.
II am more than pleased" he said,
ito be able to restore your lost proper
ty."
She looked skeptical. There must
be some mistake she was beginning
Mr.. Malcolm smiled. "Will you kind.
iy examine the locket?" be asked. 1T
is, indeed, the very one that you lost,
and the mystery was easily solved |
inserted an advertisement In the pa.
pers and also had a card placed in the
public library. A young girl had found
your locket among the books, where II
had evidently fallen. and was glad to
return 1t this morning"
Then this is not the u you wore?"
Helen asked.
at is not" the singer responded
coldly and vouchsafed no further In
formation.
For a few she exerted her.
self to be entertaining and thanked
him gratefully for his trouble when
he left, but In her heart was a great
disappointment. "He can never come
now" she sighed. and her thoughts
were of the blond young man.
She was playing a sad little tune
that evening when the maid ushered
Mr.. Bryce into the room. Eagerly she
advanced TO meet him. Il am SO glad"
she said, that you did not wait to
bring the locket."
He seemed puzzled at her change Of
manner. but | have brought It," he
announced triumphantly and placed a
small box in her hand.
Helen sank into b nearest chair
and regarded him with suspicion. Then
she laughed 1.-The city must be full
of them.'' she said. placing the two
lockets with their duplicate inscrtp-
tons before him. The man looked
dazed "Mr. Malcolm recovered this
one by advertising, Now | would like
your explanation"
For u moment they looked at each
other. then joined In laughter. Pres
emily he came aud stood before her.
81 did not intend to make a confess
sion." he said. you will have some
thing to forgive. When your friend
Lolita left the country she also left
two lockets. The counterpart of yours
was given to my cousin. Olivia Trent.
You may remember her at the acad-
envy, though she says she has not seen
you for years. Olivia Is a little bunch
of superstition and relies implicitly
upon her locket to carry her through
many difficulties. | had dined at her
uOluC IL CfOhAh6 oSAOfC ehot bfShtO
rable day in the park and was telling
Olivia's father of an important Ia wsuit
which ! hoped to win the following
day. when Olivia clasped the little
charm upon my fob. assuring me that
it would bring success in my under
taking. The verdict had. indeed. been
satisfactory. int | stopped IN my way
home that afternoon to tell Olivia ana
return the locket- You may imagine
my chagrin upon receiving your note
and upon the events which followed
Yesterday | told Olivia all about II,
and She unraveled the mystery which
has troubled US both.
st seems that she had accompanied
Maurice Malcolm to the reception that
evening and had urged him to wear
the charm to insure the success Of
his song. | also told her"-he looked
down into Helen's e~yes-"of my great
desire TO see you and of the condition
imposed. Ii was then that she agreed
to sacrifice her locket and insisted that
| return 1t to you as your own"
The man smiled. Dear little Oliv-
ia" he said. Her days of tirting
and superstition are over. for she Is