The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-01-25

SS
~ Fa
AT the window in a room on the
~ second floor Of shabby,
lower Broadway hotel, Rosie
Blake sat and waited for
a 4 Leighton Itwasrainingout-
side. had been raining all day, and the
street below was crowded with drip
piny trafFic-roaring teamsters, clang-
ing trolleys and dodging pedestrians.
This, and the gray fog which seemed
& 70 rise up from the pavements towards
evening, brought, suddenly, to the
girl a mcm~ry Of London and the
Strand on just such a night She
clenched her hands tightly, and her
pretty gray eyes closed
The very last time, Tom says, !"
she repeated to herself but then, it
Is always the last time with Tom. /
wonder"
A little later theevening papers were
brought to her, and she turned the
electric switch, Aooding the room with
light 1t was shabby, cheap room
ina shabby, cheaphotel but she didn't
care nor stop to glance deprecatingly
around at the furniture Standing
there near the chandelier. she picked
up the papers. and finding what she
wanted in each. read the news with
eager interest.
The Earl Of st. Aubyn and Edith
Tamcrcy Whytc were to be married
ID the morrow. St. Aubyn gave his
title and the famous St. Aubyn dia-
1fonds and Miss Whyte gave her youth
and her millions twenty Of them
sAs beautiful and as priceless as were the
5ther presents, carved silver, costly jewels,
sxquisite china, antique furniture nothing,
i was declared, could equal the famous
iiamond known as the St. Aubyn Rose.
This jewel, the gift u the Earl, was called
thc most perfect stone Of It's kind in the
world.
Rosie was still hungrily scanning par
/ ticularIy yellow journal when She heard
footsteps outside in the corridor, and then o
tniick, dG;ble rap on her door Silently she
uDssed over and turned the key in the loCk
AID Tom Leighton stepped into the room.
He was good-looking young man with
blue eyes and brown hair, and perfectly
expressionless face. He might have been
dfty and he might have been twcnt-tlve;
the blank look tn surprising cmotiCnIcss
stare he presented to the world we're most
battling lie vas even stupid-looling you
would have said at first glance
He came into the room and Rosie helped
i'm of with his long. dripping rain-coat.
Then she pulled up chair 70 the wood FIRE,
yhich was burning in the od-iashioned
rate and pointed to il invitingly before she
poke to him Only when he was seated
and comfortable, his lace little relaxed
and showing the fantesl touch OF excite
nent. did she begin her questions.
Tom she cried @How's everything
I tel me quickly Did you get III Arc
you ready? Has there been any htchp"
Everylt ny lovely. and can sec nc
hitch, be lswercd. Yes, got the Rose
all right look"
He felt in his waistcoat pocket and
brought out little folded BIT Of paper
about the size of an almond This he un-
wrapped carefully until he got to The jewe
"a beautiful rosc-colored stone in dull
gold setting and made in pendant
He passed it to her without a word, anc
she held il in the palm Of her hand, clos,
under the electric light
" Is this right OF the prongs thai
holds the setting IS broken of, she said al
once.
Henoddcd That's right he told her
"The cngtaying1' she hazarded again
"idea@cal he replied
She turned il slowly over " her hand
saying nothing for several minutes.
"It's wonderful Tom, she declared
after short silence, giving il back to him
"WeIl the next move is mine And, Tom
after this Suffolk, eh, hoy2
"You bet you' he cried, emphaiically
"Lost in nest Of roses, you with YOU
flowers and | with ny chickens Wei
grow old and rusty and forgotten together
down there Rosie This last time
Bul Is this tl.e last Tine, rom2" "a
interrupted eagerly.
"The very last, he smiled
~Oh-h-hl" She gave little sigh tha