The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1912-02-25
"Miss Stone is not at home. sir" the

bitterly as he reflected that h had
staked his opportunity of seeing Ger
aldine alone on this ont evening, and
she was out.
On Thursday evening Stand.Sh, too,
faced the Stones pariov malu
Miss Stotte is not 1T home, sill. she
said in reply to his i1lU&!ry.
Standish turned away. and quea-
ton arose to bis lips Good tuSte fOi
babe its utterance but jealousy forced
him to say:
Mr.. Winfred was here last evening,
of COURSE"
Yes sir said the maid demurely.
Standish returned home, mentally
blaming himself for being such fool
as to make the absurd proposition he
had put up to his rival Winfred had
called the evening before, while be,
Standish. must wait another week be
fore he could see her
The next Wednesday evening fouua
Winfred again waiting on the doorstep
of Geraldine's home.
Miss Stone is not at home, sir.
said the maid respectfully.
Winfred was suspicious. He thrust
his hand in a pocket aud withdrew it
rafting crisp dollar bill.
Miss Stone is out, you say" lie
asked. dropping the money on her
saiver,
! She slipped it into the pocket OF her
dainty apron and smiled at him.
Eyes. sir; she is out,
"Humphr' grunted Winfred as he
went home
In front of the little fire that bright
ened his bachelor abode he unused over
the period of his acquaintance with
Geraldine Stone. In the beginning be-
fore he had known her he and Jim
! Standish had been chumS, classmates
at college. neighbors i'll the big bust
ness building downtown. occupants OF
this pleasant apartment. Then had
| come Geraldine, their mutual admira-
ton for her. her Indifferent acceptance
| of their attentions. their fierce and
| Jealous rivalry that followed the de-
parture of Jim from the apartment.
From warm friendship they had
developed a bitter enmity. Winfrel
| missed his friend and in his darker
/ moods sometimes wondered whether
the distant friendship that Geraidine
accorded him was worth the affection
of his old friend. Standish.
Rather would he have continued the
bitter sweet pleasure of calling in uni,
son with his erstwhile friend. At least
Geraldine had treated them equally
we'll Now that they had severed forces
it would not take long to discover
| which was the favored one. He Mas
i positive that it must be Standish. fol
she had denied herself to Winfred Oh
two Wednesday evenings. and the last
time he was sure he had heard her
light laugh from the drawing room
Perhaps Standish had broken his prom
Use and was calling there
He banished the unworthy thought
If Jim Standish was one thing he was
square.
/ The next day was Thursday. and in
the evening Winfred strolled restlessly
about his rooms entirely conscious thai
1 if his wandering feet had their way
| they would carry him straight to the
Stone residence merely to walk pas
the windows and torture himself will
the knowledge that Standish was being
entertained therein.
j He was thinking of Jim and how
handsome he looked when be smiled
in that peculiarly winning way of bis
when the door opened suddenly and
Standish appeared before him, white
and sullen. He walked to the table
and slapped his gloves down on the
books. He looked down at his OWL
clinched hands and slowly opened them
wide, with wry smile.
whats the matter, Jim p demanded
Winfred. taking quick step forward.
Nothing much-now." said the Other
bitterly. Il thought you had done me
a wrong. and came up here to KNOCK
you down. but as | entered the build
ing bought a newspaper. last edition
and coming up in the elevator ! learn
ed that we are both in the same boat.
Explain yourself" said the Other
impatiently .Geraldine-anything the
matter?''
Look" Standish held up the wide
spread sheet and Winfred dazedly
read the blood red headlines that I'M
derscored two large half tone portraits
OF man and a girl.
..MilIionaire's daughter .elopes with
her chauffeur. Marriage of Miss Ger
alGine Stone and Timothy Merton in
San Franciso after a sensational flight
from her New York home.
The two rivals stared at each Other
across the sheet. and the glance OF
mutual commiseration was followed
by handclasp.
when did you learn about it, ask
ed Winfred quietly.
a half hour ago. | called there and
the maid announced that her mistress
was married ] asked, like fool. if il
was to you. and she said she guessed
so. | came down here to eat you up