The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-03-21

/ about what was the most important
thing to me at that time"
ANY change thereT'
"Where?"
"Why, in what you have just men
toned"
Yes. indeed. What was it we were
talking about? Oh, yes! I'm so glad
to see you that can't think of any
thing else
well, about this change of heart"
"Change of hcart:"
Eyes Weren't you saying you've had
a change of hearth
mo, What put that into your head"
ooh, tell me about that most impor
tant thing to you"
"Thc most important thing when you
left; not now. Well, | was to have a
new dress, and was in a 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 a change very soon"
l gave an impatient grunt. | was
not getting on. Here was | 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-" | said
that your heart has had no emotional
! upheavals since l last parted with
you?"
She turned and looked me square in
the face. Emotional upheavalT she
repeated. aren't those words both too
big to be put together?"
What l mean is does your heart oc-
cupy the same position it occupied two
years ago, or has it changed2"
"You remember that position was
cQuivocal"
Il understand that perfectly well, but
an equiyocal position may become a
settled one"
We'll, then, l don't mind telling you
that the position is settled Ny mind
is made up
l was getting deeper in the mre
rather than getting out Of it. Every
moment l dreaded lest I would be
called upon TO make some explicit state
/ ment that would give me away. | had
taken a kiss from a stranger ! had no
right to take, and now was piling up
the sin by endeavoring to extract from
that stranger her hearts secret. Nev-
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,
I took out my handkerchief and mop
ped my face. Having lost my assur-
ance, | began to fancy all kinds of I'M
pleasant happenings. Another train
might come in and bring the real
Wardwcll. l remembered that on CON
sulting the railroad time table before
starting there were two trains | might
take fifty minutes apart. took the first
I'm disappointed said Miss FL
lison.
Disappointed, Why?" asked
Il don't believe you are glad to see
me bit"
How can you say that? was ncv-
er happier in my life"
My looks belied my words. 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"
l said, lis really pain When l 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 I should wish to know
how those conditions now stand?"
In my agitation | 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 knew that
l was acquainted with her, but |
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
it. 1t stopped before the door. l turn.
ed in time to see a man who very
much resembled myself coming up the
steps. He stopped and stared at ME.
l stared at him. Miss Ellison burst
into laugh,
Frank" 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 l looked as l felt
must have resembled man who had
been tarred and feathered, ridden on
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: