Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-03-17
she snppea the solitaire nom ne,

she slipped the solitaire from mel
finger. Il am sorry-but cannot stand
bad temper and we would only find
things out later"
Suddenly the gate swung to with
click. Both looked out the open win
dow. Helen's face went brilliant
crimson and Geoffry turned in time
to see 1t. A man was swinging up the
walk.
$50! / suppose this is the man
whom you have never seen and whose
name you don't know! You might at
least have stuck to the truth"
Helen dropped the ring on the table
between them and Geoffry stalked
from the room banging the door be-
hind him.
Helen wanted to laugh and cry at
the same time She was young and
this was her first broken engagement.
1t was distinctly beautiful but
rather hysterical girl who turned
when the maid announced Mr.~Noel
Dorian.
"You are the picture man." she said
with catch on her breath.
And you are the picture girl
aren't you?" he asked. for this girl
was far more exquisite than the pho
tograph, This Is rather a peculiar
circumstance, Miss Ware. l hope you
can pardon my call-it seemed the
easiest way to straighten things out"
Perhaps 1t Is time they were be-
| ing Strengthened out" she replied with
a glance from beneath her lashes. i
had not been in town for week or
-" She fioundered because he was
looking at her with the steady eyes
she knew so we'll. They were brown.
ITO be frank, Miss Ware" he said
with short laugh, II would not have
come yet, but had the pictures taken
for the mater. She and the governor
are going over to England-to the
home land-and wanted to show me
off to the rest of the Dorlans."
Helen laughed and the sparkle of
her eyes held him.
But, by Jove-I would set for an
other picture If l were you-these
don't begin"
His eyes caught the fash from the
solitaire lying forgotten on the table.
Helen followed the direction of his
glance and blush mounted slowly
under his searching glance. She tried
to take the ring up in careless, in
different way,'but her fingers tremblec
SO that the thing fell to the floor be-
tween them.
He stopped quickly and restored it
to her. For a second she met the
frightened look about his face and her
own wreathed itself in smiles.
There is no use in my not telling
you," she said laughingly, that your
| photographs have caused a broken en-
gagement."
CONSERVATION. surprise and perhaps
Joy fitted across Dorlan's face. Being,
first a gentleman, poignant sympathy
predominated.
please don't feel so badly about It,"
Helen said seriously. The situation
which came about through my having
your photograph only proved that l
had made mistake. We-never cared
much" she added.
Still. l am sorry to have been the
cause"
Don't worry about It," she re-
marked with sidelong glance.
Honestly, Miss Ware, l don't feel
bit like a stranger to you l know
l should, but you see have had your
picture for seven days and it seems to
have given me the idea that l am not
exactly stranger to YOU"
Helen tapped the floor nervously
with her foot. This situation was even
more difficult to handle than her pre-
vious scene with Geoffry. With her
ex-fiance she had been calm; had felt
herself master OF her heart and words
now there was an unusual humping
through her veins and her speech re-
fused to come at her bidding
She found that she was holding out
own and Helen knew that she would
always like the touch of his hands.
Then I am not a Stranger" he
asked
NO" ;.
Il am going to drop a part of my
watch fob here on the table so that
will have to come back for it,
Noel Dorian turned toward the door
and when she had watched him far
out of sight Helen returned to the
room he had left and picked up
small gold locket.
An exquisite miniature, taken from
one of her own pictures, looked back
! at her from Dorlan's watch fob.
$50 that's the reason he kept them
so long" Helen bowed her head in &C.
acknowledgement of the greater love.