Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-03-17
RQSAAIND AT RED GATBS3

daisies, and walked toward her slow
ly-it must have been slowly-and I
think we were both glad Of mo-
ment's respite in which to study each
| other. Then she spoke at once, as
though our meeting had been prear-
| ranged.
q hoped l should see you," she said.
gravely.
II had every intention Of seeing
you! l was killing time until felt
l might decently lift the latch Of Red
Gate" '
She inspected me with her hands
clasped behind her.
please don't look at me like that"
laughed. Il camped in barn last
night for fear shouldn't get here in
| time"
II wish to speak to you for few
minutes-to tell you what you may
have guessed about us-my father and
me-"
Yes; II you like; but only to help
you il I can. 1t is not necessary for
you to tell me anything"
She turned and led the way across
the daisy field. She walked swiftly,
holding back her skirts from the
crowding flowers. traversed the garden
of Red Gate, and continued down to
the houseboat.
1--WE can be quiet here" she said,
throwing open the door. my father
is at Tippecanoe village, shipping one
of his canoes. We are early risers,
you sect"
She grew grave again.
II have important things to say to
you, but it's just as well for you to
see me In the broadcast of of daylight,
so that"-she pondered a moment, as
though to be sure of expressing her.
self clearly-"so that when you see
Helen Holbrook in an hour or so in
that pretty garden by the lake you
will understand that it was not really
Rosalind after all that-that-amused
you!"
But the daylight is not helping that
idea. Your are marvelously alike, and
, yet" l floundered miserably in my
uncertainty.
'Then"-and she smiled at my dis
comfiture, 'if you can't tell us apart, 1t
makes no difference whether you ever
see me again or not. You see, Mr.
but did you ever tell me what your
name Is? Well, l know it, anyhow,
Mr.. Donovan" ...
The little workable was between
us, and on it lay the foil which her
father had snatched from the wall the
night before. l still stood, gazing
down at Rosalind. Fashion, l saw,
had done something for. the amazing
resemblance. She wore her hair in
the pompadour of the day, with ex-
actly Helen's sweep; all her white
| gown was Identical with that worn
| that year by thousands of young WON.
en-. She had even the same gestures,
the same little way of resting her
cheek against her hand that Helen
had and before she spoke she moved
her head a trifle to one side, with a
pretty suggestion Of just having been
startled from reverie, that was Hell.
ems trick precisely.
| She forgot for a moment our serious
affairs, to which l was not in the least
anxious to turn, In her amusement at
my perplexity.
1T must be even more extraordinary
than 1 imagined. l have not seen
Helen for seven years. She Is my
cousin; and when we were children to-
| gether at Stamford our mothers used
to dress US alike to further the re-
semblance. Our mothers, you may not
know, were not only sisters: they
were twin sisters! But Helen Is,
think, trifie taller than l am. This
little mark"-she touched the peak
lis really very curious. But our moth
ers and our grandmothers had it. And
you see that speak little more rap
idly than she does-at least that used
TO be the case. I don't know my
grown-up cousin at all. We probably
have different tastes, temperaments
and all that" I'D
81 am positive of it," l exclaimed
yet l was really sure of nothing, save
that l was talking to an exceedingly
pretty girl, who was amazingly like an
other very pretty girl whom | knew
much better.
You are her guardian, so to speak
Mr.. Donovan. You are taking care o.
my Aunt Pat and my cousin. JUS
how that came about l don't know"
CTo BE CoNTINUED)