Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-04-24

caught. -
mr.. Bellford' exclaimed an amaz-
ingly sweet voice.
turned quickly to see a lady seated
alonea lady Of about thirty, with ex-
ceedingly handsome eyes. who looked
at me as though had been her very
dear friend
You were about to pass me-" she
said accusingly. Don't tell me you
did not know me. Why should we not
shake hands-at least once in fifteen
years?'
shook hands with her at once. /
took chair opposite her at the table.
I summoned with my eyebrows a how
ering waiter. The lady was philander-
ing with an orange ice. ordered
creme de menthe.
care you sure you know mey"
asked.
NO. she said. smiling; II was never
sure of that
what would you think" l said,
little anxiously, IF were to tell you
that my name is Edward Pinkhammer
from Cornopolis, Kan.?"
"What would think?' she repeated
with merry glance. "Why, that you
had not brought Mrs. Bedford to New
York with you, of course. do wish
you had. I would have liked to see
Marian" Her voice lowered slightly.
you haven't changed much, Elwyn."
felt her wonderful eyes searching
mine and my face more closely.
Eyes, you have" she amended, and
there was a soft, exultant note in her
latest tones. II see it now. : You
haven't forgotten. You haven't forgot
ten for year or day or an hour. I
told you you never could"
I'm sure beg your pardon" said,
little uneasy at her gaze. But that
is just the trouble. have forgotten.
I've forgotten everything"
She fouted my denial. She laughed
deliciously at something she seemed to
see in my face.
give heard of you at times" she
went on. you're quite big lawyer
out west-Denver, isn't it, or Los An
geles? Marian must be very proud Of
you. You knew, suppose, that mar
ried six months after you did. You
may have seen it in the papers. The
flowers alone cost $1,000"
She had mentioned fifteen years. Fiji
teen years is a long time.
''Would it be too late," asked some
what timorously, ito offer you congrat-
ulations?"
''Not if you dare do it," she answer
ed with such fine intrepidity that was
silent and began to crease patterns on
the cloth with my thumb nail.
''Tell me one thing" she said, lean
ing toward me rather eagerly-"a thing
have wanted to know for many years,
just from a woman's curiosity, Of
course-have you ever dared since that
night to touch, smell or look at white
roses-at white roses wet with rain
land dew?''
took a sip of creme de menthe.
1T would be useless, suppose"
said with sigh, ''for me to repeat that
have no recollection at all about these
things. My memory is completely at
fault. I need not say how much re-
gret it."
The lady rested her arms upon the
table, and again her eyes disdained
my words and went travelling by their
own route direct to my soul. She
laughed softly, with strange quality
in the sound. It was laugh Of hap
piness-yes, and of content and Of mis-
cry. 1 tried to look away from her.
"You lie, Elwyn Bedford" she
breathed blissfully. "Oh, know you
lie"
gazed duly into the ferns.
"My name is Edward Pinkhammer,' -
said. Il came with the delegates to
the druggists national convention"
A shining landau stopped before the
entrance. The lady rose. I took her
hand and bowed.
Il am deeply sorry" said to her.
that cannot remember. could ex-
plain, but fear you would not under
stand. You will not concede Pinkham-
mer. and really cannot at all conceive
of the-the roses and other things
"Goodby. Mr.. Bedford" she said,
with her happy. sorrowful smile, as
she stepped into her carriage.
l attended the theater that night.
When returned to my hotel quiet
man in dark clothes. who seemed in
terested in rubbing his finger nails
with silk handkerchief, appeared.
magically. at my side.
"Mr. Pinkhammer." he said casually.
giving the bulk of his attention to his
forefnger. may I request you to step
aside with NE for little conversation?
There is room here" .e-
'Certainly." answered.
He Conducted me into a small .pri.
vate parlor: A lady and a gentleman
were there. The lady. l surmised.
would have been unusually good look
Ing had her features not been clouded
by an expression Of keen worry and IA
dgue. She was Of style Of figure and
possessed coloring and features that
were agreeable to my fancy. She was
me an earnest look of extreme anxiety
and pressed an unsteady hand to her
bosom. think she would have start
ed forward. but the gentleman arrest
ed her, movement with an authorita-
tive motion of his hand. He then came
hi 60 Ia -