The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1914-08-28
An Interference
of Fate
By l.. BROWN

an apartment house a place especially
adaptable to the working out of its
peculiar DEGREES. At any rate, by in
Producing me to one it changed the
whole course of my life. l was paying
attention to a young lady and doubt
less would have married her had not
made Il cali in one of those gigantic
structures where perhaps fifty families
were housed. Not only was my future
changed. but the whole course of sew
eral other persons was changed as
well.
l sent up my card to the ladies of
The Swift family, all old friends OF
mine, and was told to go up. The
elevator landed me on the seventh
floor, and l was directed to No. 742.
pushed the bell button, was admitted
by a maid and left alone in the living
room to await the coming of such
member of the family as should come
in to receive me. The Swifts had
moved since / had last seen them, but
| did not suppose they had taken a
furnished apartment, yet all the arti-
cles in the room were unfamiliar to me.
Presently a door opened and in came
one Of the daintiest specimens Of fem
mime humanity | ever saw. She APP
peared to be between eighteen ana
twenty and pretty as a picture. She
was a perfect stranger to me and adj
vanced toward me as though ! was q
stranger TO her, casting one inquiring
glance ut me, hen dropping her eyes
to the floor. A becoming blush suf-
fused her face. | was so taken aback
at being thus received, and by a stran-
ger, that / stood gaping at her without
speaking a word. She was therefore
obliged to begin a conversation.
"Mrs. Morgan wrote me that you
had been obliged to sail earlier than
you had expected and the matter be-
tween us must be put off unless | woul
consent to follow you to your station
and be married there"
Good gracious! Follow me to my
station! And be married there!' What
did it all mean? That ] was mistaken
for another soon became evident to me,
but was willing that the girl should
give me more information before cor
recting her.
"H'm-er-I'm not going to sail'-
"Not going to sail! Your orders
have been ~changedF'
"There are SO many things to ex-
plain" said, that perhaps we had
better begin at the beginning"
| looked about me for a seat, and my
eyes rested on a sofa.
Pardon me-" said the girl. Wont
you sit down.
/ sank upon the sofa, and after some
hesitation she sat down beside me.
There are features about this-this
matter that | do not understand" L
said. "Give me your version of it."
Il don't know what part Of it you
don't understand, but | am glad Of an
opportunity to set myself right. l as
sure you that our friend, Mrs. Morgan,
did it all. Fathers failure and my
being obliged to go to work excited
her sympathy. She said, You must
nc HldtIlcu. j ltlllcu, NnOih Shal L
marryT' You shall marry my neph-
ew.' But perhaps he won't marry
me- Yes. he will. I'll see to that.
AS soon as he sees you he She said
a lot of flattering things, adding that
you will be her heir and she would ar
range that we should enjoy her for
tune together. | gave her my picture
to show to you, after which she told
me that it was all settled, but that you
had been ordered to the Philippines
and a hasty marriage would be neces-
sary. Then | received n note from
her that YOU had been obliged to start
at once for San Francisco in order to
sail on a vessel leaving on the 18th.
You see that | have had no hand in
the matter, which seems to me has
been indecorously hurried. Now that
you have seen me | trust that you will
consider yourself at liberty to with
draw without the loss of any of your
Inheritance, for | shall not accept a
penny Of it,
There was a good deal of hating in
this brief statement. which was given
with downcast eyes and a pulling at
the trimming of her dress. When she
came 10 the last sentence, giving me
my liberty and refusing to touch my
inheritance, what could | do?
II refuse to accept my freedom" l
said. 1T is you who must decide
whether or no | I'm acceptable to you.
But there is no reason for hurry. l
am rot going to the Philippines or any
where else. | am not n soldier; | am
a citizen. A mistake has been made.
| am evidently Of the same name as
your soldier. My card was sent up to
some Old friends of mine, and it evil
IDENTIFY got into the wrong fat. Doubt
less this nan whom you have never
seen is speeding away TO the other
side OF the earth Consider nre an ap-
plicant for his position. At any rate,
permit me to come again with proper
n-nlanKfnin ,Hfth xtArrr 20 LnaAr Il,