Catoctin clarion., 1910-03-17
FREDERC

her presence, ana. WITH tlie lnlpe' llO"ly
which was so apt to characterize her
actions, she left the abbey. Going rap
idly back to her hotel and iii ding that
she could leave Melrose at once. she
packed her few belongings. made her
way to the station. and zen Hnr-
court returned and called fer her she
was gone. He was mystitiea enough
Wha, had happened! He could not
imagine. He had not knowiAgl! hurt
her in any way. How lonely II was
without her. How he missed her
bright. cheer. ways, the sparkle OF
her brown eyes, her eirlish lauchter!
Can it be-" thought the young fel-
low. that | am in love-"
Before the next day he felt there
could not be much doubt ab. VI it. for
he had never spent Il more miserable
twenty.fu,lr hours Then ii was that
he determined to follow her and tell
her he loved her with all tn ardor of
u nature that had never fritt"red Itself
away in the love of many W men. lie
Travelled day after day getting now
and then il clrw of the gill. but b"
never found her. aud when he inn.iy
re- he'd London he was almost dis
couraged lie could not remember the
steamer SHE was to lahp back to Amer
lea nor the port from which she was
to sail. but he scanned passenger lists
and haunted steamboat otli rs with
pcrtnucity that laid him ol'"n to rri,i-
If: Cot, ,,,I .ll
declared the truth that he was IN
love-
Gertrude for her part. vas miHera-
bic indeed. The thought ot the hla'k
eyed beauty who had kissed The Eng
lshman and called him Edward was
torture. but the thought she had so
tamply surrendered herself to love
which had been unaH.:ru and evidently
undcSired was far greater torture. by
the time she had reaC..ed London she
was very weary girl inGred. and she
waited impatiently for tn time when
she was to return to America. In
sort of aimleSs way she did West
minister abbey and the galleries. and
during those days Of waiting she took
a fancy to the omnibuseI. which are
so great a feature of LonGon life. Day
after day she rode on the tops of the
buses. looking at the sights OF Lon
don, listening to the sounds. but for
the most part thinking of the young
fellow who had become 50 much to
her. She was impatient with herself
but she felt Il little sorry for herself
also and when one begins to pity one
self one is in bad condition.
One evening she felt so thoroughly
blue and discouraged that she did that
which she had never attempted be-
fore in the evening-tOok bus ride.
She was just homesick enough and out
Of sorts enough to want to lose her
self for Il time in London traffic. She
went out to Trafalgar square, sig,
nailed bus. mounted to its top and
gave herself up to the contemplation
of London streets in the evening from
the top of a motor bus. She rode an
hour or so until finally arousing her
self with start. she saw that she
was approaching her starting point.
She started down the steep flight OF
little stairs to the ground. just be-
fore she reached the bottom step the
bus gave lurch. and Gertrude was
precipitated to the ground. 1t seemed
as If thousands of vehicles were ready
and waiting to pass over her body.
There was shouting and oaths and
shrill screams from women. but In the
midst of ii all she felt herself lifted
by two strong arms set on her feet
and hurried to II place OF safety.
Trembling and shaken. she looked up
to her preserver. or course II could
be none othes than the Englishman.
There was only one pair OF strong
arms like that In the world.
Three times and out. my darling.
said Harcourt. You are not to be
trusted alone ever any, ,more. You are