Gilpin observer., 1913-05-15
still be there IN Time for the address.
Archibald felt an exhilarating sense of


hfm-he knew that-and of them all
eyes OF Hortense that would count.
Then after service he would hurry
away from church, and not stay to
answer any of the curious question
ings as to what had caused his delay
He would go back to the rectory and
tnen after supper he would slip over
70 Hortense. Hortense would be ex-
pecting him. for it was only two days
before that he had told her of his love
Ior her and that she had given him
properly reticent answer He had
been allowed to hope Archibald cal
culated the probable effect that his
story of the afternoons experience
would have upon her. He would not
make too much of it-that would be
boastful-but when she asked, as of
course she would, what had detained
him, he would in an off-hand way let
her know what he had done
UP to the time of slipping over to
Hortense after supper things happen
ed as Archibald had expected. In fact
he found Hortense dressed in the soft
II,
sitting by low eIectrolier reading as
ne entered the drawing room, which
the rest of the Stevensons had. with
their usual considerateness, seen fit to
abandon at the time for his call.
Archibald hurried to her with out
stretched hands, but Hortense greeted
him with cool raising of the eye
brow that took his breath away. He
pulled chair to the side of the table
where she sat. and waited for her to
say something.
Il hardly knew whether to expect
you or not" she said with a forced
laugh calculated to freeze a much
more daring heart than that of Archi-
bald Demarest.
"Hortense." said Archibald, feeling
a curious chokiness, as he drew up to
the Idol Of his dreams. He had never
seen her in this mood, and he was
quite unprepared for it. "I couldn't
miss this, no matter how busy my day
had been"
"No?" said Hortense with a rising
infection ut would perhaps be more
to your credit If you felt as much de-
votion to vespers as you profess you
feel for me-"
"Oh, that's it, is It? Do you know.
couldn't make out what made you
seem so stand-off1sh when I came in
That's all. isn't it, dear-dearest?" It
was rather hard in the face of Hor-
lenses prolonged frigidness to come
out with the newly-permitted terms of
but a l.
ing great effort. 'T never knew till
two hours before vespers and I tried
to get back in time"
Hortense's eyes were bright with
anger You needn't make any ex-
cuses,r she said. drawing from his out
stretched hand you could have been
man enough"
Man enough! Why, Hortense,
thought I did the manly thing. I
thought 1t was Just the sort of thing
-
Manly thing to come in half an
hour late to vespers! A little absent
mindedness isn't inexcusable - What,
you didn't forget? You did 1t on pur-
pose? Wait till you explain? You
need make no explanations. Mr..
Demarest."
TT was a small matter" said Archi-
bald. helplessly.
"A small matter to go fishing on
Sunday afternoon and not to get back
till vespers was half over! That was
a small matter, was it?"
Archibald dropped to his knees be-
fore Hortense. why on earth do you
think / was fishing?"
because you weren't clever enough
to conceal the fact, suppose"
"Hortense. Hortense." pleaded the
rector. Wont you think better of
me? went out to help poor wom-
an whose baby was having fits and"
Yes. and stopped to fish on the way
home and forgot all about vespers.
am sorry. Mr.. Demarest. but would
rather end our friendship here
Hcrtense suddenly regained her
composure and Archibald jumped to
his feet as Molly came into the draw
ing room.
please. SIR" she said. with a SMILE
Maggie Just asked me over the
fence. could you step back to the rec
tory minute. There Is a little boy
there says you must have took his
fathers satchel Of fish home by mis-
take. He's got your black bag with
the bandages in 1t. and says will you
please accept three of the largest
trouts in the catch and leave him have
the rest?"
As light of understanding broke
over Archibald's face Molly added in
an aside to Hortense. ITS all right
about Mr.. Demarest. He wasn't fish
ing at all. You see. Mr.. Demarest"
turning to the clergyman with con-
fdential air, Maggie was sure when
you brought home the bag of fish that
you had been OF fishing. and she told
me and I told Miss Hortense."
Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure News