The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1912-03-24

could drag you away from that old
book den of yours, Is Mrs B. along or
Is this i little business run alone. Ell?
You have made a mistake. sir" !
said codly, releasing my hand from
his grasp. My name is Pinkhammer-
You will excuse me-"
The man dropped to one side. ap-
parently astonished. AS walked to
| the clerks desk | heard him call to a
| bell boy and say something about tele-
graph blanks.
You will give me my bill" said
to the clerk land have my baggage
brought down in half an hour. | do
not care to remain where l am annoy
ed by confidence men"
l moved that afternoon to another
hotel. a sedate. old fashioned one on
lower Fifth avenue.
There was restaurant a little way
off Broadway where one could be
served almost al frescO in a tropic
array of screening fora. Quiet and
luxury and a perfect service made ii
an ideal place in which to take lunch
con or refreshment. One afternoon |
was there picking my way to table
among the ferns when felt my sleeve
caught.
"Mr Bellford"' exclaimed an amaz
ingly sweet voice.
| turned quickly to see lady seated
aione-a lady of about thirty, with OK
ceedingly handsome eyes. VIII" looked
at me as though had been her very
dear friend
You were about to pass me-" she
said accuSingiy. "DOn't tell me YOU
did not know me Why should We not
shake hands-Ht least once in fifteen
years."
shook hands with her at once. |
took a chair opposite her at the table.
1 summoned with my eyebrows how
ering waiter, The lady was philander-
ing with an orange ice ordered a
creme de menthe.
Are you sure you know me?" |
asked.
mo" she said, smiling; Il was never
sure of that"
What would you think" said. q
little anxiously, eff I 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.
Yes, yOu have" she amended, and
there was a soft, e1ultant note iD her
latest tones. 81 see it now. You
I haven't forgotten. You haven't forgot
ten for year or a day or an hour. |
told you you never could"
"Tm sure beg your pardon" / said,
little uneasy at her gaze. But that
is just the trouble. / have forgotten
I've forgotten everything" ..~~
She flouted my denial. She laughed
deliciously at something she seemed to
see III MY lace.
"I've heard of you at times she
went on. you're quite big lawyer
out west-Denyer, 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 1t in the papers. The
flowers alone cost $1,000"
She had mentioned fifteen years. Fiji
teen years Is a long time.
would 1t be too late" asked some.
what timorously. Ito offer you cougrat.
ulationsg' ...f.. ..
"Not IL you dare do It." she answer
ed with such fne 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
I 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
and dew?"
took sip of creme de menthe.
at 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. need not say how much l 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 a strange quality
In the sound. It was laugh of hap
piness-yes, and of content and of mis-
cry. l tried to look away from her.
you lie, Elwyn Bedford" she
breathed blissfully "Oh, l know you
lie"
l gazed duly into the ferns
"My name is Edward Pinkhammer. -
I said. II came with the delegates to
the druggists national convention"
A shining landau stopped before the
entrance. The lady rose. took her
hand and bowed.
II am deeply sorry" I said to her.