The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-03-17

slipped his walking stick into her
hand, and, supporting her on the other
side, they reached the elevator and
went down to the lower floor.
Accidents will happen" said the
girl, with a faint smile. Il suppose
anybody would say it was the fault of
my high heeled shoes"
Jack Delafeld look ed down at the
sweet face so near his arm and mar
veled at the fineness of her clear skin.
the soft brown of her eyes, with their
sweeping dark lashes; the mist OF
black hair against her white forehead.
She was the loveliest girl he had ever
seen, and Laura Hazen's mere pretti-
ness seemed artificial by comparison.
He beckoned a ta1icab and placed
her inside. Il hope you will permit
me to inquire after the injured foot.
| feel in a great measure responsible
for the accident" he said, with an
anxious frown knitting his handsome
brow You see, / thought / recog- |
nized the hat and believed it belong |
ed to bliss Hazen. That is my only |
excuse for addressing you" He spoke |
pleadingly and did not understand the |
laughter that came into her eyes and /
the pink flush that returned to her
cheek
"The hat did belong to Laura Ha-
zen," she laughed $50 did the gown.
So you cannot be blamed for recogniZ-
ing them, can you? Laura Hazen is
my cousin, and-well, I'm the country
cousin. you see, and Laura is perfectly
dear about giving me things to wear.
and as l live in a little country town
nobody knows that my clothes are not
new ones"
Jack Delafeld was assailed with a
multitude of strange emotions. That
this girl to whom he felt strangely at
tracted should be Laura Hazen's cous-
IN was merely another one Of those
complications that life is always pre-
senting. Suppose he wanted to see
more OF this girl, would her relation
ship to his former sweetheart make
/ any difference? Would It make any
difference to Laura-tO the girl her
self? But he was not sorry he had met
! her.
You wish to go to the HazensT' He
+ leaned forward.
Yes, please"
81 may call and inquire after the in
jury" he asked.
Certainly" she said cordially. cit
is much better already"
/ He stepped back, lifted his hat and
watched her depart with a little sink
ing at the heart. This feeling was diff
ferent from any he had ever expert
enced before. He told himself that his
engagement 10 Laura Hazen had been
a mere farce. Why, they had quarrel
ed every time they met, and their en-
gagement had merely been the outcome
of desperate Irritation. This was very
different. So he assured himself while
he waited for the return of the taxi
cab. He paid the man, dismissed him
and then went to his club for dinner
After dinner he was Chagrlned to dis
cover that he could not send a box of
roses to the girl he had met in the cor
ridor because he didn't even know her
name. As n matter OF fact he found
himself thinking entirely too much of
his new acquaintance. The next day
as the time drew near when he might
call at the Hazen home and make in
quiry for the sprained foot he was
filed with n sense OF unfulflled obliga-
ton toward Laura HaZen.
When he had met her fair cousin in
the corridor he had had it on the tip
OF his tongue to seek a reconciliation
with Laura; now he felt it his duty to
seek that reconciliation, and If Laura
: really cared for him in spite of her pro
tests to the contrary then their broken
engagement must be renewed. If. on
the contrary. she refused to see him
then-then he must. he would, become
better acquainted with her cousin.
Miss Hazen is out. sir" said the
servant when Jack called at the hand
some residence
rs her cousin in?'' asked Jack hope
fully.
Miss Tyson? | will inquire. sir"
Jack sat in the reception room and
twiddled his hat on the end of his stick
in more trepidation that he had evel
,, felt before. When he heard the slow
! dignified approach OF the servant hi:
heart thumped noisily.
Miss Tyson will see you. sir. She Il
in the library"
Jack found her In the familiar room
where he had once interviewed Laura''
father on a matter of great importance
then. She was sitting I'm a big chat
: near the table, and a magazine La
!, open before her. If she was lovely ii
: street clothes she was beautiful in tn,
4 soft white house frock she wore with
string of coral beads around her throat
Il am confined TO my chair. you see.
a she said. with a gay little laugh. "Th
9 foot is much better. but l must no
n step upon it until tomorrow"
Jack sat and talked TO Miss Tyson t
II the very limit of time allowed a polit
: call, and then he arose reluctantly. Be
fore he called again he must have
4 final understanding with Laura. Fl