The Winslow mail. (Winslow, Ariz.) 1893-1926, 1911-04-15
An Eleventh
HourDecision
By NELLIE c. GILMORE

E@ By NELLIE c. GILMORE "a
Margaret Rrooms had finished the
serious part of breakfast and sat toy.
ing with her tea and toast when the
postman's whistle sounded shriIly at
the front door, She arose eagerly and
hurried out. The letter was from a
girl friend in Chicago whom she was
going to visit and she broke the seal
with little smile of anticipation.
Doris Belknap had written hastily:
1.-THE Naples, Aug 3.-Dearest Mar
garet: Can you not hurry up bit and
reach here by the seventh, instead of
the tenth? All the others are coming
earlier, and I don't want you to miss
any of the gay times we have planned.
You will be glad to know that Robert
Wyatt has consented to lend his aug
ust presence at the weekend, and l
shall send him to the train to meet
you-you little mink
BE sure to bring your tennis suit,
golf outfit and motor bonnet. We shall
have to live outdoors, you know Don't
fail to come. Devotedly, Doris
Robert Wyatt! Margarets blood ran
swift for a moment as she recalled
the little note he had sent her the week
beforehand which she was still hest
tating to answer. For the answering
involved practically her future. and
she was not quite certain-yet. If only
she could forget that other face that,
somehow, kept intruding itself out of
the dim past.
Five years before, Ted Horton had
said goodby to her on the very step on
which she was now standing and his
last words had been: "Wait for me,
Maggie Some day I'll come home
worthy of you But until that time
cannot tell you all that is in my heart
or ask you to make any promises"
The glance she had given him had
been sacred
But year after year had drifted away,
and never a word. No doubt, he had
long since forgotten his boyish ro-
nance, and was perhaps even now, the
husband of some other woman. A
youth of 20-a girl of II. What mat
tered it? The thought brought her
little pang, but pride came to the res
cue and she resolutely turned her
thoughts into a new channel. There
was not another man of her acquaint-
ance whom she admired more than she
did Robert Wyatt He was strikingly
handsome, brilliant, fascinating. He
had loved her for years.
Obeying sudden impulse she tucked
Doris letter in her belt and hurried
upstairs to her desk After repeated
attempts, she succeeded in framing a
satisfactory reply to Wyatt's note. She
would marry him, she said, early in
October as he wished and go with him
to his eastern home Then she sat
down before her trunk and with shak.
ing fingers lifted the lid and took out
a packet of yellowed letters. One aft
err another she burned them until she
came to the last. That she would
keep, together with the crisp, curling
lock of brown hair inclosed within
it. Some foolish impulse caused her
to lift it for second to her hot cheek
and hold it there, while the tears we'll
ed to her eyes.
An hour later, dressed for the street.
she went hurrying along the deserted
avenue toward the post office, the let
ter to Robert Wyatt clasped in her
hands. But as luck would have It, she
caught her foot in a loose board at
the crossing, tripped and almost fell
The letter dropped from her fingers
and 1oated off in a puddle of muddy
water left by the recent rain. When
Margaret had regained her equilibrium
she stood watching it's course with
variety of emotions depicted upon her
pretty, flushed face. Suddenly she
laughed at jerky little laugh of sheer
relief. She made no effort to recover
the missive, but waited till 1t had dis
appeared beneath the murky waters;
then she turned and hurried home.
After all, she argued, she would see
him soon.
The train was an hour late, and as
sailed by the pangs of hunger, Mar
garet rose as the last call for luncheon
was announced and made her way into
the dining car. She sat down at va
cant table and wrote her order hastily.
When she looked up, she met the
glowing eyes of Robert Wyatt fixed
upon her ardently. She blushed and
gave a little exclamation of pleas
urable surprise.
Thought I'd run down the road to
meet you. Your telegram reached the
Naples last night. When l couldn't
find you in the Pullman, I came on in
here, and"
And now you must sit down and
have luncheon with me. I'm so glad
you came. It's such bore to travel
alone"
Her words, and the cordial tone in
which they were uttered, made
Wyatt's heat beat faster. AS he sat
down he tried to meet her eyes, but
she evaded his glance with conscious
all ;n+1