Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-05-21

chiseled lips. A little sob broke from
her 1T the recollection that Jim was
not all hers-never had been!
Jim turned quickly-one might nave
suggested that he had been listening
for some sound from the little form
In the willow chair.
What is the matter, Antoinette|'
he asked quietly.
Antoinette lifted tragical dark eyes
to his and placed on the table be-
tween them the blurred little note she
had found in his pocket.
This is the matter" she said un-
evenly. Il found 1t In your pocket
when was mending your brown coat
don't look so disguised. ! really
read it-Im glad did. For 1t has
opened my eyes TO your deception
Deception" echoed Jim, jumping
up and towering over his small wife.
What harm Is there"
Harm" interrupted Antoinette
angrily "Harm-what harm would
there be If you discovered ! was car
rying love letter from some other
man next to my heart"
From some other man? What
would do? Why, why, | suppose I'd
punch his head" he said dazedly. But
what has that got to with It? For the
love OF Mike, Chickie. tell me how
you could raise rumpus over that
harmless little note, Ell? Notice, I'm
not saying anything about your rum
maeing through my pockets"
Harmless little note. indeed
fiered back Antoinatte. she called
you her 'dearest'--she said the days
were sixty hours long'-and she
signed herself Your Own Tell. me,
James Dewey. who is this woman
Jim's lips trembled in smile, stiff.
fened s,ernly and his eyes were
quite hard when he asked: Don't
you really know who wrote that note,
Antoinetteo"
"Iiow should know" she retorted.
Il am sure II cannot be one OF my
friends any way. It Is such COM
mon looking, grubby note; II I'm go.
Ing to have rival-l-" She broke
down and sobbed b!okenly.
A great tenderness came into Jim's
eyes He had never known Antoinette
to be Jealous before and he was
touched by her grief
He held the note before her eyes.
Antoinette dabbed her handkerchief
on her tear-wet face and it came back
streaked with black and red and white
like the kaiser's war flag.
All in a fash Jim comprehended
the reason for the rouged cheeks
and lips and the dark pencil. An
toinette had been crying all day over
this note!
"Chickie. what do you want me to
do?" he asked finally.
Destroy that note and promise me
never to see her again" was An
toinette's quick reply.
Il can't do that, dear" he said
gently. In the first place the girl
who wrote that note was my first
sweetheart and she will be my last
one carry 1t around in my pocket
because like to look at II occasion.
ally and remember that she loves me
as much today as she did when that
was written"
Antoinette was as coldly composed
now as she could have wished, only It
was funny that her heart should feel
so dead
Very we'll" she said listlessly. Il
can go away"
"Chickie." said Jim again. do you
really mean to say that you don't rec
ognize that note"
~ only read 1t once"
We'll, read It again, word for word.
read the address at the top. 1t Is al
most obliterated now-but read II.
The envelope ia locked up in my
desk"
Antoinette held the ragged note
close to the lamp and re-read the
penciled words A puzzled look came
into her face.
Il can't remember anything about
it--was she some one ! knew" she
asked at last.
Dear, you wrote 1t yourself" cried
Jim excitedly. Don't you remember
that time when you were stopping at
Sea Sands with your mother? We
had just became engaged and We quar-.
relied over a necktie I was wearing?
went back to town and you wrote
me this darling note and I've kept II
ever sincei"
And then. Antoinette vaguely re-
membered the hastily scrawled note
No wonder she had forgotten 1t In
the whirl of her short. happy engage.
ment to Jim
There was only one thing to do and
Antoinette did It. She laid her head
on Jim's broad shoulder and begged
forgiveness for her lack OF faith