St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1911-01-28

tons name at the end of it suggested
no end of glittering possibilities for a
gay-perhaps a desperate-fortnight
mused Eloise. She waited six hours
for some shadow OF response from
Royce to the packages she had sent;
then, with broken heart and brain
teeming with reckless resolutions, she
began to take out her clothes and pack
them for the trip.
At four o'clock she suddenly remem.
bered that she had not time to write
and must send telegram to her
friend stating when to expect her
She ran to the telephone only to find
that it was dead" The nearest neigh
Dor was block away, but that tele-
gram was essential, and, snatching up
scarf, she wound it about her head
and hurried down to the Kelceys.
Anita Kelley met her at the door.
She wore mammoth bunch of violets
in her belt. The odor of them came in
a sickening rush to Eloise's senses,
but she trampled down her feeling,
as she said, lightly:
What exquisite blossoms! Where
did you get them?"
"The queerest thing" replied the
other girl. "A boy brought them up
about noon from Milford Royce It
seems he's going off on business trip
to be absent some time. But can't
imagine why he should have sent me
the flowers except that we used to be
good friends and I had a sort of half
way engagement to go with him to the
opera next week. But of course you
know all about his going"
"Oh-er-yes-yes, of course. But
came to ask the use of your phone
for moment, dear Ours is out or
order and I'm rushed to death to get
away on that six o'clock train for Gin
cinnati."
Eloise never knew how she got
through with her message nor how she
got out OF the house without betray-
ing herself. Anita Kelley! OF all
girls in the world she was the very
last she would have dreamed of as a
rival. a
At $50 she was ready Mr me jour
ney. At 5:35 she stepped into taxi.
cab and was whirled toward the sta
ton. She took up her position in line
at the ticket Office and waited impa-
tiently for her turn to come to secure
transportation and get aboard her
train.
AS she turned from the window the
hot blood splurged to her cheeks; her
gaze trsmbled bewilderingly into the
earnest, all-at-once entreating eyes Of
the man who had yesterday been dear
er than all others.
''Eloise!" The name escaped him
Involuntary; he took a quick step
toward her, every resolution of the
forgotten.
But the girl lifted her head with a
swift touch of dignity and passed him
with cold nod of recognition. In a
second he was beside her. Her indif-
ference maddened him, and casting
prudence to the winds Royce blurted
out the first thing that came into his
thought.
For heavens sake, what Is It?
aren't you wearing my VIC.
lets?"
Those violets! Could it be possible
that they had been meant for her in.
stead of Anita Kelley? Her mind
worked rapidly. All! That explained
the dozen American beauties sent to
her by young Doctor Brean that morn
were Anita's; the delivery
boy had got things mixed. She half
opened her lips to speak, when Che
suddenly remembered that indignity of
the previous night. Then she began
to walk rapidly down the platform,
Royce keeping imperturbable step at
her side.
Where are you going?" he asked
her sternly, at seems to me that after
you owe me some tri'
fling"
"Cincinnati!" she cut in sharply.
'sthe green car over there"
"The blue car, with the diner at
tached, you mean"
ElOfSe stood STOCK stlit ana STARED
into Milford Royce's perplexed face.
Milford" she exclaimed, relief and
struggling for the mastery
Of her pretty features, Took at me!
What color are my eyes?"
your eyes? Why, brown, OF course"
He looked at her stupidity. "You
haven't been crying, have your"
A train bell rang. With his hand
On her arm, Royce hurried her into
the chair car.
"Oh, dear!" cried the girl, as the
train pulled out, this car is going
TO Chicago"
$50 are we, little girl"
"But-but you don't understand. ]
have an engagement with"
"You had a prior one-with me. ]
shall take you straight to my broth.
sr's house. He's a bishop, you know"
The world grew suddenly black.
When they emerged from the tunnel
Hloise's hat was not on straight, but
aer cheeks were pink and her blue
eyes strangely bright.