Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-08-07
What do you mean by giving US


this stateroom?' he demanded.
"'Cause hits yours, that's why the
negro answered with a grin.
'Mine-ours?' They both spoke at
once. Why. we've been married for
two years.
There came a laugh from the car
and Douglas and his wife swept an
angry glance around. They saw that
no one believed them Their faces grew
redder than ever.
what names was this stateroom
taken out in?' Brent asked.
"'Mr. and Mrs. Douglas the porter
answered That's you. amt it?'
"'Yes, they admitted dazedly. But
there's a mistake somewhere-there's
got to be a mistake.
"'No, they aint.' the porter an.
swered.
For just a minute they both stood
there as angry as they could be. Then,
little by little, the humor OF the situa,
ton began to break in on them.
don't know what 1t Is, but there is
something about weddings and honey.
moons that gets into the heart OF
everyone And even Mr.. and Mrs.
Douglas, much as they believed they
wanted to be separated from each
other, were affected. saw Mr.. Doug.
las smile bit-and his wife smiled
too. Then he turned to her.
"'Well, Jeanette, he said, I don't
think there's anything for US to do
until the train stops the next time, and
then we can get off. l guess we've
got to be honeymooners until then
"She laughed bit. She looked at
him, and he looked at her. could
see that in their minds there was
flooding forth the memories OF another
time in the past when there had been
white ribbons and old shoes and rice
and happiness. And | knew that
sooner or later, left to themselves,
those memories would overwhelm the
things that had come between them IN
the last two years-the gradual break
ing away, the influence Of friends and
VI luc iiSNNi'So ~
them as they went back into the state
room and l waited for them to speak.
maybe we'd better take this stuff
down; what do you think?' Brent
asked after pause. No, don't think
SO, after all. What do you suppose
this means, jeanette?
"I guess 1t just means that there
were two staterooms reserved on two
trains for two Mr.. and Mrs. Dou'
glases.' she said. and the friends OF
the other couple became mixed up and
decorated the wrong place. Either
that Or
"'But how could that be. when
didn't know you were going to get on
the train and when you didn't know
was going to be on the train? Brent
asked suddenly. BY the way, might
/ enquire where you were going!
"Certainly, l was going down to
st. Louis-to see my aunt there
Didn't know you had an aunt
"Didn't you? Might I ask where
you were going?'
d. Brent hesitated. Il was
going down to st. Louis on some busi'
ness
"'Oh,' said jeanette, I didn't know
you had any business.
Then there was a long. long
silence, in which l knew that each was
studying the other, that each was won
dering what other one was up to.
worried then for that was the crucial
moment. If suspicion was stronger
than memories, then my plan had
failed. But If the environment OF the
stateroom, the fact that everybody in
the car took them to be young mar,
ried couple, II all these things could
work harder than the new things
which had been born in the minds
and which | had forgotten to foresee
at all-then my plan would work. And
minute after minute | waited there,
while from within there came only
silence.
"'Brent, tell me- came at last in
the voice of the wife, were you really
going to st. Louis on business-or was
1t something else?
"He waited a moment before he re,
piled.
"No, l wasn't he said. I was go.
ing down there for something | can,
not tell you about, but something
want you to know was not dishonor,
able nor unfaithful. Somehow or other,
Jeanette, since I've been sitting here
looking at you, and thinking-well
thinking about another time when you