The Raymer enterprise., 1914-12-17
MYSTERIOUS ROMANCE
BY A. w. BEER.

psYohiral Research and have washed
my hands OF II. But though to be sure
a .flmv enough object. the Landker.
chief. with the initials "E. B. ~"
6aintig' embroidered In one corner.
sas OF tangible nature. and in no
way TO be fitted into any theory OF
hpooks.
And yet the whole thing was absurd
IN the face OF II. No doubt the simple
explanation was that the fever which
had possessed my body for many weary
weeks still dominated my brain.
Wearying at length OF the problem.
placed the delicate bit OF cambric and
lace beneath my pillow and again re-
signed myself to sleep.
A year later was In California. os.
tensibly on vacation, but also with
view OF absorbing color for novel
Of pioneer days which ! was planning
To write.
was at dinner one evening ii San
Francisco with my friend Maxiield,
newspaper man.. when caught sigh, OF
a familiar face at one OF the restaurant
tables
That's sigular," exclaimed pres
entity.
What's singular" queried Maxfleld.
III you have reference to the fair
creature at whom you are gazing so
intently. may say that while she Is
certainly single. do not know that
she is looked upon as singular"
The fact is returned. that for
the moment imagined IL had met
the young woman somewhere before,
but | am probably mistaken"
You've seen her portrait in some of
the literary papers, perhaps" suggest.
ed Maxfeld. That's Enid y. Merry.
weather. who is coming to the from. as
n writer Of some rather fetching
verse"
Enid b. Merryweather." said |,
Then her tlitials are e. y. NJ
Correct" ;" replied Maxwell "You
rot ii right the very first time. But
Why get so excited over n bunch OF
initlals?"
'Aaxfield." retorted, you ought to
know that the facetious is aot yosr
line, so why attempt It? What I'd
like to know IL whether or not you
have the honor OF Miss Merryweath.
er's acquaintance; II so. want YOU
to present me"
Nothing easier. old man." he re.
piled promptly.
There are some persons one meets
TO whom an introduction seems almost
snpcrfuous. You somehow feel that
YOU have know them always.
Thus 1t was with Enid end me. We
met, not as stranger, but as old
friends who for time had been scpa.
rated in body. but never in spirit.
Fut one evening Enid said:
do you know that | worried about
Won a great deal when you were III
last winter"
Foolish girl!' | replied. You had
never met n>'."
And yet seem always to have
known you" she murmured.
Enid" | said presently. there is
something queer | want to tell you in
connection with that illness OF mine.
II seems utterly unreasonable, but
there are some things beyond our dn.
derstanding.
Il Rad been dwelling for weeks in a
strange, fantastic world, when cne
night ! awoke calm and rational. and
saw bending over me one who seem
cd the very embodiment Of my hearts
desire I closed my eyes again for a
second, doubling the reality OF what
saw, and when opened them again
the lovely vision had faded. =
Il cant explain II. but II was you
who came to me that night; and, more
wonderful still, here is the proof" |
took from over my heart the handker.
chief which had found resting
lightly on the counterpane after the
disappearance Of my mysterious visi.
tor.
She took the handkerchief and ex.
nmined II.
"Yes. 1t Is mine" she said presently.
And then she added:
As a writer OF romances you woula
perhaps prefer the story left as II is,
but feel bound TO tell you Just how
this handkerchief came into your
hands.
i don't know she continued. "how
or why YOU came TO occupy SO much
OF my thoughts. when knew you only
through your books, but nevertheless
such was the case.
When last winter II was reported
that your life was despaired OF, | could
not rest Some Of my friends guessed
my secret and rallied me- accordingly.
gave out that intended visiting Los
Angeles for few weeks, but instead
OF doing so went on by the southern
route to New York.
Il knew that the physician who con.
Quoted the saniiarium in which you
were undergoing treatment, DR.. Star.
brook had been an old friend Of my
fathers, and upon arriving in New
York ! made myself known to him
told him that you were very dear
friend. but that for personal reasons
| did not want you to know OF my