Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1913-05-16
HIS HATED RIVAL

Dlek was worried and puzzled, ana
not without cause. For three happy
months his engagement to Marjorie
glided along so smoothly as to set at
naught the old saw about the course
Of true love- But now, even as he
dressed with the utmost care to call
upon the cause Of his perplexity, he
reviewed the situation with growing
depression II had gone OF for
nearly three weeks. At FIRST there
was nothing beyond a little absent
mindedness on Marjorie's part now
end then; an air of meditating upon
some problem unknown to him. Then
she had begun to act strangely in
regard 70 bis calls. Why should she
bite her lip and look confused when
he mentioned the date Of bis next
sne and make excuses, saying she
mad promised TO attend to some
hing else on that evening? ?" Mighty
queer, that especially when Il hap
oened repeatedly and when she had
assured him SO sweetly, al first, that
aothing could ever, ever interfere
with her wanting TO see him and that
.he wanted him 10 come just as often
Is ne could!
he proceeded 10 The next csunt,
srushing his thick, brown hair with
N intensity that >shseaiened 70 de-
lSroy permanently lie engaging.
rinkie. Twice, when he had come
INTO the room, she had been reading
something that looked ike 2 letter
md had whisked il guilfily out Of
light showing traces OF embarrass-
meat. Then things had got steadily
worse. he unused, scowling as he adj
iussed q most becoming green lie.
he had fallen so low as 10 call sew
sral Zines when he knew he was not
expected, on some prefext or other,
and on each Of the occasions things
had happened-queer, unexplainable
shinget Once be had arrived very
sarly, and Marjorie's younger sister,
Nan. had met him 10 the hall and
bad looked dismayed, as we'll IS pur-
pgised, he could have sworn. he
wasn't sure whether he quite liked
Nan, anyhow, with her keen, black
eyes and bluff, ironical manner.
though she always seemed cordial
enough. She had run back swiftly
to the library with quick. wait a
minute ~ and ne had heard Marjorie
say in low, troubled voice, oh, Of
course not tonight, now that he's
here ayou'!i telephone right away.
gon'f you p Chen she had come 20
welcome him, apparently her frank,
sweet self but The memory OF those
first moments Of confusion would not
down.
Then had followed The worst and
most mysterious circumstance Of all.
Only last geek, arriving unexpected
" at Earjorie's, he had been admit
led by an evidently new and stupid
maid, who had left him standing in
She hall while che disappeared into
The living room. lie began to remove
his oyercoaf, just outside the library
door, when through the thick por-
there's he heard Marjorie's voice in
earnest protest. Philip" she was
sayings in low, tense tones, @you
must not speak 10 me IN this way !
! cannot deny, Philip, that your per-
sonality is fascinating and brilliant
one; that, perhaps. were | free
again But do not tempt me! /
am bound in all honor 10 a good, true
man, and" just then her father
hustled out from the living room, on
The other side Of the hall, and pulled
him in 10 look over some summer
cottage plans, before he went 10 Mar
lorie, explaining that the maid had
called him, by mistake
He had to 90. of course; but while
he listened to the old gentleman with
one ear, the other had caught half
WHISPER, quick and anxious, across
the hall. Not that wayi Go into
the dining-room and wait little
while; Nan viii help you'll" Dick