Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-05-09

Mr.. Cowles, didn't you-that is. haven't
you
NO" said |, Il haven't and didn't.
think. But think also
The girls face was tribe flushed
but her eyes were merry. Yes" said
she. Il think Mr.. CowleS and have
met once before" She slightly empha-
sized the word once" as | noticed.
But still may remind you all, gen.
tlemen. said |. that have not yet
heard this lady'S name and am only
guessing. Of course. that il is Miss
Meriwether, whom you are taking out
to Laramie"
why, of course" said Belknap. and
"Of course" echoed everybody else.
Yes" said she. I'm going on out to
join my father on the front. This is
my second time Across, though. Is it
your first. Mr. CowleS|'
"My first, aud am very lucky, You
know also am going out to meet
your father. Miss Neriwether"
How sinSular" She put down her
tin cup of coffee on the blanket
My father was an associate Of Colo.
mel Meriwether in some business mat
tiers back in Virginia.
"Oh. | know it's about the coal
lands that are going to make us All
rich some day. Yes. | know about
that, though think your father rarely
came over into Albemarle."
n1 ~ Al
care to intrude my personal matters,
SO | did not mention the cause or eN-
plain the nature Of my mission in the
west. Il suppose that 70. rarely came
into our county either, but went down
the Shenandoah when YOU journeyed
to WaShington| | said simply, II
have never met Colonel Meriwether."
As we rose from the ground at the
conclusion OF our meal the girl drop,
ped one of her gloves. FASTENED to
pick it up. walking with her few
PAGES afterward.
The next time we are shipwrecke ed
together" said |, Il shall leave you ON
the boat. You do not know your
friends
why do you say that?"
and yet I knew you at once. saw
the ring on your hand and recognized
1t. 1t is the same | saw in the fire
light on the river bank the night we
left the Belle"
How brilliant Of you! At least you
can remember ring"
al H..
wear once hefore-at n certain little
meeting between MIR. Orme and my
self"
You seem to have been a haber-
Your memory Of q lady'S wearing APP
parel is very exact. should feel very
much battered" None the less saw
the dimple come in her cheek
She was pulling on her glove as she
spoke. saw embroidered on the
gauntlet the figure of red heart.
My memory is still more exact in
the matter of apparel" said |. Miss
Meriwether, is this your emblem in
deed-this red heart? 1t seems to me
l have also seen it somewhere before
when Columbus found America"
she answered, 'it is said that the saw
ages looked up and remarked to him,
'Ah, we see we are discovered!
Yes" said l; you are fully discov-
ered-each of you, all OF you, all three
or four of you-Miss Ellen Meri-
wether"
But you did not know it until now
until this very moment. You did not
know me. could not remember me, not
even when the masks were Off All,
it was good as play"
II have done nothing else but re-
member you
How much ] should value your ac-
quaintance. N.r Cowles of Virginia!
How rare an opportunity you have Civ
en- me of seeing on the inside of a
mans heart!' She spoke half bitterly,
and | saw that in one way or other
she meant revenge.
Il do not understand you" rejoined.
NO; | suppose you men are all alike
that any one of you would do the
same. 1t is only the last girl. the near
est girl. that Is remembered Is 1t not
SOP
ut Is not So | answered.
"How long will you remember me
this time-me or my clothes, Mr.,
Cowles-unti you meet anotherY
"AlI my life" | said, ''and until /
meet you again IN some other infinite
variety Each last time that ! see you
makes me forget all the others, but
never once have | forgotten you"
"In my experience" commented the
girl "al men talk very much alike"
yes. told you at the masked ball"
said l, that some time | would see
you. masks off Was 1t not true? !
did not at first know you when you
broke up my match with Orme. but |
swore that some time ! would know
you. And when ! saw you that night
on the river it seemed to me | certain
ly must have met you before. have
known you always, and now
my experience with men, went on
a,