The Washington herald., 1914-12-11

| IN time, spring came. And one sat
urday afternoon he saw the girl again.
This time he saw her through the hedge
and she was standing in the middle of
her garden spot evidently deciding
what to plant and where to plant il.
She was even more lovely in the sun
light than she had seemed in the pale
moonlight and Gordon Kennedy glued
his face to a hole In the hedge as il he
had been a small boy stealing a look
at circus through a slit in the canvas.
But I'm as badly of as ever" he
declared to himself. "A little worse,
IL you ask me- he added. For I'm
more badly smitten."
Sunday morning he almost felt like
going TO church-a thing he very seldom
| did. He felt as IL something good might
transpire for him II he did the right
| thing. At times, Gordon felt sparks OF
his mothers inheritance of religion. His
mother had been devout Scotch Presby-
terian and GoKrdon, as a lad. had had
much religious training. IF were
a praying man." he rumInated, I'D pray
that 1 might meet her. But-well, I'm
sort Of out of the habit OF all the good
things by dear mother taught me-"
He was sitting on the porch pretend
ing to be reading the Sunday newspaper.
A messenger boy on a bicycle stopped at
the gate. Gordon watched him take OF
crown. Then the boy shufied up the
path.
"Psiaki live here-staying here?'' the
| boy asked. Williams is the name, I
guess" he muttered
"Er-Williams-yes," Gordon lied glibly.
''I'Il take the message. Here"
The boy handed him the envelope. Mil
ton Psiaki-yes-it was the same. He
must be visiting next door.
Sign here " said the hOv hapdtDO
grubby book.
Gordon Kennedy signed Mr.. PsiakPs
name and his own initials Then he
promptly found his way next door.
Marjorie, herself. came to the door. She
looked at Gordon's face and then at the
envelope he was extending.
Gordon stammered something inane
about a telegram that had been left by
mistake at the house next door where he
lived. The girl looked curiously at him
and took the extended envelope.
It's my sisters husband, Mr.. Psiali.
Thank you. so much" she said.
Gordon was turning away when a BLUM
voice called in the family accented
tongue he knew, Message for me, Mar
jie. And then Mr.. Psiald appeared. oh
Kennedy! How do you come to be here?'
he asked.
Il live next door," Gordon replied.
Marjorie was stepping away. Mar
jie, this is a peculiar coincidence-let me
present my friend Mr.. Kennedy" he be-
gan, bowling low after the foreign Gus
tom. TT was he who-who wore a sprig
Of your mignonette last fall. You re-
membeC told you? Gordon. my sister.
Miss Williams. Pardon me il / read my
message"
Gordon and the girl looked at each
other for a moment and then Marjorie
extended her hand. Are you SO fond
then, of flowers? Milton told me Of hav-
ing given you bit of my little bouquet"
Gordon did not know which way to
turn. He could not say what was in
his mind. and nothing that he dared
to say seemed to come to his lips. |
"Ah-yes. Oh. yes, I'm very fond OF
mignonette. The sprig is-is-is fragrant |
yet" he said. And then he realized |
what he had told her. He had told this |
girl whom he had this minute been for |
mally introduced to that he still treas
ured the sprig Of her last autumn's mig |
nonette.
An awful silence was beginning when
NJ. Psiaki excused himself abruptly and
said he must telephone at once "Sit
down, Kennedy. and get acquainted with
Get acquainted, your brother says.
Now let me confess-I know you well.
I watched you pick those flowers in
the hOOnlsnL We watched you Always
in your garden. My window is just up
there. And-and-weIl. let's not begin at
the beginning. May 1 pretend that
know your"
''oh, If that pleases you," laughed
1T does please me-" he hastened to
add.
Then maybe 1t will please you-since
we know each other SO welf<to come
out and help me to choose the spot for
this years mignonette"
Together they selected the spot. and
together near that spot and in the fra
GRANGE Of the old-fashioned flowers in
the moonlight OF October they plighted
their troth. And your bridal bouquet
shall be mignonette, dear" said Gordon
softly.