The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-02-08

xrow. AWAY. scuawu n .ntoo1y
coUe. n TIE hOEss- Ee~f IESs BET
safeguard against earraAra Poor
thing Il we're 90 afraid c. burglars
I'd EaTTy a-weu. q great. big brave
zan-
Her laugh vas catching. Der smile
Irresistible. and J. Gorooa furnd hsE7-
seH planning little tricks With her Cd
that goose. 10 the vsx&fson Of tss OWE
O.. Over haf the time fhey held u
for ransom. which ranscEn the poor
woman would send By her maid. and
which money Ma kamford would
send back
And how she sang and how vel she
played the piano. Each night ]. Cor
don went to slesp 20 sweet tones noa;-
ing II n his open Window. and each
morning awakened 70 the same he
had not known Mrs. Numford could
sing.
Twice j. Gordon. how. be never
could tell was toiied over 20 the Mum
ford veranda. and each time came away
wondering IL IL were possible for Q
man Of his regulated mind 10 fall In
lore with another mans wife.
4 few more days Of this merry sub
urban friendship and he pulled himself
together to fee the spot. for be real
lied just the power she was exercis-
Ing over him II was not pretense At
love on his part. now II was q genu-
Inc case TO be fought out as he would
fight IL lie would 60 away.
Next morning, after this resolve. he
saw Mr.. Mumford on his veranda. He
was home again
Out in the bushes Mrs Mumford
was silently trimming some small
shrubs. Mrs. Mum<ord, her dress of
subdued color. her manner retiring.
She raised her eyes to him, then nod
ded demurely.
He spoke TO get q look into her eyes.
They had surprised him. He had
thought them blue, but they were q
dark hazel now. Mr.. Mumford In
back" She glanced up and he had
an excellent glance into the changed
eyes. In fact the change that had
come into her face was actually start
ling. He was glad Of IT. Better could
he forget her now. But why the
changer"
Yes" she replied. I'VE came back
last night He went two days before
| did. Some business took him a little
out of the way. We had a delightful
vacation. Bell says you helped her
pass some of the lonely hours; thank
you. She kept house for me-"
"Bell!" Light was breaking Your
twin sister,"
"Oh. no, / never had a twin sister
Bell is my cousin. They do say We
look very much alike"
And so they did. lacking the viva
city, the blueness of eye. the pink Of
cheek and lips on the part of Mrs.
Mumford These were the cousins
charm. And Bel was not married.
With elation j. Gordon guessed 1t,
and guessed right
She was coming along the path
humming Catching sight of him, she
called:
The woman with the goose as body
guard wasn't an old maid She was
charming young widow. Yesterday
she was married, and this morning she
sends me the goose with her compli-
nents. What am to do with It? VIII
you help us eat 1t. If | roast it?''
Come. here, very close" he called
across the fence.
When she came, ignoring the goose
question, he asked: why did you al
low me to cali you Mrs Mumford? I
came pretty close to falling In love
with another mans wife"
"Ah. no. you didn't. No danger of
that. You simply fell in love with
me and" she paused. her eyes allur-
ing
rs 1t all right that I did," And now.
across the fence his right hand was
reaching out to her. She nodded.