The Press., 1911-12-06

like seeks like. and the young men. finding her, preoccupied- and unenter,. taining. gradually drew away to more animated companions. 1. too. with the secret on my mind. was moody and i'll disposed to join in the gay sports our host provided for us. And short ly before the expiration of the term for which I had been invited l made an excuse to leave Charlie drove me to the staflons and while we were walt Ing for the train said to me:
 aEIleen is greatly disappointed at the failure of her effort to make . match for you"
 "I'm sorry not to oblige her, but you know those things can't be forced Possibly had. Il known the girl your wife picked outl for. me I might have done better.
 "She's a. splendids wouau
 ''I say. Charlie since we've enot mats ed and it's all oyers suppose youa tel me who she isl,'
 "Eileen would dfvorce me if n tdidls''
 'On my honor she shall never know from me"
 There was. a whistles and thes train. rolled up Just as Il waSz about to- get aboard Charlie, whispered in mys ear;
 'Hestere eAdams.
 I hurled into the car and sank in my seat in semi-stunned conditlon1
 The little god likes. startling things Better disagreeable episode than none at alLs Some ofs the most yio lent loves have started with aaa Quarrekt The secretsI carried with me had kept Hester Adams in my! minds to the exx cIusion of all others Eileen Duncan had told me that the girl she had dlpicks ed out for me had shown me a pref , erence And now comes Charlie and reveals her as the girl had caught pilfering. Surely Cupid must have ehuckled over such complicated sit uation-
 Charlie's information capped the climax, It revealed to me that the plan to mate me. so far as l was con cerned. had been enlnently successful. but q plan to marry me had resulted in catastrophe The happy issue in my case would be paradoxical-mar riage with thief
 Soon after the Duncans returned to the city I received a note from Eileen us follows:
 A confession has been made to me con corning something that occurred during your recent visit to us. One of our guests -one esteem very highly-has made me her conffdant- I believe every word she says, and your and my friendship here after depends upon your believing, her too
 1 paused to remark that this was a very womanly statement. It confirm ed my ideas of the inconsiderateness of the sex
 Please come over on Tuesday evening and hear what Is due the lady that you should know.
 To describe my feelings at this promised explanation of what re garded inexplicable would be impossi- bic. counted the hours till Tuesday evening, then went to the Duncans'. |. was ushered into drawing room. where stood a single person. That person was Hester Adams She seem ed to have lost twenty pounds since l had last seen her l bowed defer. entialIy. and without seating herself
 
 During my visit at the Duncans one day went upstairs. so wrapped in something of which l was thinking that passed over two flights of stairs instead of one and entered the room directly over mine. Advancing to tue dresser. still thinking of what was on my mind, picked up u scarfpin. At that moment my reverie was broken by a footstep in the hall. and in the glass before me l saw you"
 .'ts meE &-4Heerrapte .s.-.1z-i---
 Tt dashed upon me that 1 was in a mans apartment l have since seen how unwise I was not to come out and take the consequences. feared not to be believed It seemed to me that must bear the imputation of having gone to a mans room for a purpose. preferred that purpose to be consid- arpd theft mt the srarfnin T had inadvertently taken up In my corsage and turned slowly enough to enable you to pass on without our meeting"
 'I have been a fool" l exclaimed. not to have known that you could see my reflection as well as could see yours. It is l who have been to blame. not you. l should have been chevalier enough to attribute your presence in that room to a mistake. Had known that you saw me l should have certainly assured you of my perfect confidence in your inno- cence"
 And so it was that my friends ef fort In my behalf. notwithstanding my folly. turned out to my advantage They were much pleased at its ulti mate success, and I was made happy in the wife they had placed In my way.