The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1911-02-16

| TdnC InlnS TO you!
''The most important thing when you
| left; not now. Well, l was to have
new dress, and | was in great guam
dairy as to whether I'd have it made
| up with large or small sleeves. You
| know. then they had been wearing
small sleeves so long that there was
sure to be change very soon.''
/ gave an impatient grunt. I was
| not getting on. Here was l playing
the part of another not knowing wheth-
| er that other was cousin, uncle, brother
or lover The situation was distress
| ing.
do you mean to tell me-" I said,
"that your heart has had no emotional
| upheavals since l last parted with
your
She turned and looked me square in
the face. Emotional upheavalw she
repeated. aren't those words both too
big to be put together?'
'What l mean is does your heart &C.
cupy the same position it occupied two
years ago, or has it changed?"
"You remember that position was
equivocal.'
II understand that perfectly well, but
| an equiv ocal position may become a
settled one.'
"Well, then, don't mind telling you
| that the position is settled. My mind
| is made up"
l was getting deeper in the mire
rather than getting out of it. Every
moment I dreaded lest l would be
| called upon to make some explicit state
| ment that would give me away. / had
| taken kiss from a stranger / had no
| right to take, and now l was piling up
the sin by endeavoring to extract from
that stranger her hearts secret: New
ertheless pushed on.
"Well, what is the result?'
''That things are the same as they
were before anything happened"
| was getting red in the face
Though the air was delightfully."- cool,
/ took out my handkerchief and mop
| ped my face. Having lost my assur-
ance, l began to fancy all kinds of un-
pleasant happenings. Another train
might come in and bring the real
/ Wardwell. / remembered that on con-
sulting the railroad time table before
starting there were two trains might
take fifty minutes apart. / took the first.
"Im disappointed" said Miss FL
lison.
Disappointed. Why?'' asked.
81 don't believe you are glad to see
me bit.''
How can you say that? I was new
er happier in my life"
My looks belied my words. I was
never more miserable
''You seem to be bored rather than
happy"
This was said with an expression of
disappointment.
WHAT you mistake for being bored"
I said, sis really pain. When I left
you it was under certain conditions,
known only to us two"
"And one other.'
| Another stumper.
"After an absence of two years isn't
| it natural that l should wish to know
how those conditions now stand?"
In my agitation l had changed po-
| sitions SO often that my chair now
faced the ladies sitting on the other
! end of the piazza. One of them gave
| me bow or half a bow, as though
fearful Of not being recognized. Her
face was familiar to me. 1 knew that
l was acquainted with her, but l
| couldn't place her. / was also sitting
with my back to the direction from
which stage was approaching. /
heard the creak of wheels, but was
too intent upon other matters to heed
| ed in time to see man who very
much resembled myself coming up the
| steps. He stopped and stared at me.
| ] stared at MIN. Miss Ellison burst
| into a laugh
Crank" she said, giving him a du-
plicate of the kiss she had given me,
''this is Mr.. Edwards. He came an
hour ago, and | mistook him for you.
Had not Mrs. Gordon, who knows him,
told me when he went in to register
who he is l should have continued to
be deceived
She looked at me and burst into an
other laugh. If / looked as | felt
must have resembled a man who had
been tarred and feathered. ridden on a
| rail and then keelhauled. My legs
would scarcely support me.
Then she kindly came to my rescue
The real Mr.. Wardwell went inside to
register and Miss Ellison babe me be
seated and said:
"Don't be troubled. 1t was my mis-
take. and you were led into it very
naturally Mr. Wardwell is my half
brother. When l saw him last l was
meditating accepting an offer of mar
rage. l declined it,
'"Thank Godw
Sand this is the explanation" she
continued, with a smile, "of what l
was saying to you. But what is the
thank God for?" turning away her
face and continuing the smile.
"For two things-frst, that you de-
, clined the offer and, secondly that
Mr.. Wardwell is your half brother in
stead Of your lover"
"This is quite too much" she said
rising. "for an hours acquaintance.
You should speak to Mrs. Gordon"
left that hotel engaged
n ~