The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1913-02-20


said coldly. releasing my hand fror
, his grasp. my name is Pinkhammel
You will excuse me-"
The man dropped TO one side. az
parently astonished As | walked L
the clerks desk | heard him call to
bell boy and say something about tele
graph blanks.
you will give me my bill,' | sait
to the clerk. land have my baggag,
brought down In half an hour. d.
not care TO remain where / am annoy
ed by confidence men"
| moved that afternoon TO another
hotel. sedate. old fashioned one OF
lower Fifth avenue.
There was n restaurant q little way
or Broadway where one could be
served almost al fresco in a tropic
array OF screening fora. Quiet and
luxury and perfect service made II
an ideal place in which to.take lunch
con or refresbment One afternoon
was there picking my way to table
among the ferns when felt my sleeve
caught.
"Mr Bedford" exclaimed an amaz-
ingly sweet voice.
| turned quickly TO see lady seated
alone-a lady OF about thirty. with ex-
ceedingly handsome eyes. who looked
at me as though | had been her very
dear friend
! you were about to pass me-" she
said accusingly. Don't tell me you
ala T. ma htys hpnI1 VIZ
shake hands-at least once in fifteen
yearsT
| shook hands with her at once.
took a chair opposite her nj the table,
| summoned with my eyebrows a hov.
ering waiter The lady was philander-
ing with an orange ice. | ordered
creme de menthe.
Are you sure you know meT" I
asked
mo she said. smiling; 81 was never
sure of that"
what would you think" l said.
little anxiously, 'ff | were TO tell you
that my name is Edward Pinkhammer
from Cornopolis. Kan. 2"
"What would think q she repeated
with merry glance. why, that you
had not brought Mrs. Bedford to New
York with you. of course. | do wish
you had. ] 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 soft. eXultant note in her |
latest tones. II see it now. You |
haven't forgotten. You haven't forgot
ten for year or a day or an hour. l
told you you never could"
I'm sure beg your pardon" said.
a little uneasy at her gaze. But that
is just the trouble. l have forgotten.
I've forgotten everything"
She flouted my denial She laughed
deliciously at something she seemed to
see in my face.
1--WE heard of you at times" she
went on. You're quite big lawyer
out west-Denver, isn't it, or Los An
geles? Marian must be very proud of
you. You knew. l 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 long time.
would 1t be too late" | asked some
what timorously. ito offer you congrat-
Not If you dare do It," she answer
ed with such fine lntrepidity that I 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
| have wanted to know for many years.
just from womans curiosity, Of
you ever dared since that
night to touch. smell or look at white
-oses-at white roses wet with rain
and dew?''
/ took sip of creme de menthe.
at would be useless, ! suppose" |
,aid with sigh. 'for me TO repeat that
have no recollection at all about these
hings. My memory is completely at
'ault | need not say how much l re
,ret it,
The lady rested her arms upon the
able. and again her eyes disdained
ny words and went travelling by their
'wn route direct TO my soul. She
aughed softly. with a strange quality |
n the sound. 1t was a laugh of hap
tness-yes. and of content and of mis- |
ny. l tried to look away from her. {
"You lie, Elwyu Bellford," she |
,rcathed blissfully. "oh, | know you q
lem L
| gazed duly into the ferns.
"NIy name is Edward Pinkhammer,"
said Il came with the delegates to u
he druggists national convention"
A shining landau stopped before the
ntrance The lady rose. | took her
and and bowed
81 am deeply sorry" | said to her,
that cannot remember. | could ex-
lain. but fear you would not under
tand. You will not concede Pinkham- U
ler, and really cannot at all conceive
( the-the roses and other things"
"Goodby. Mr.. Belford,' she said.
With her happy. sorrowful smile, as
he stepped into her carriage.
attended the theater tat night.
Ns.a