Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-04-28

MIN was EQ1th Mead, raOlanL, UlSIiH
guished, with the millionaire's dia
mond sparkling on her third finger
Searchingly, his eyes traversed the
long table. Suddenly he caught his
breath. Next their host sat the coun
terpart of Edith Mead. There was the
same sunny-brown hair, the same long
dashed, dark eyes, the same willowy
grace. Yet, despite their striking SIM
ilarity, there was a subtle difference.
1t was as if this other girl had been
cast in mold which produced less
cear-cut beauty, but the slight irregu-
larity of features contained more wom-
anly sweetness than Edith Mead's had
ever possessed.
He was reused from his musing by
the voice of hostess asking: is your
mother going north this summer,
Edith?"
Two pairs of brown eyes looked up
! interrogatively.
do you mean my cousins or mine?"
archly inquired Miss Mead.
Mrs. Walden laughed. Il had for
gotten that you and Miss Carson were
both named Edith. Isn't it often con.
fusing?"
Yes, indeed! We have great fun
over our similarity of names and ap-
pearance. When we went to college
it was hard to convince people we
were only cousins"
The conversation drifted into other
channels, and though he took his part,
Bramley was covertly studying Miss
Carson as he now knew her name to
be- He compared the two girls. And
oddly enough, she seemed the real
love- Miss Mead the passing fancy.
Maybe my absurd blunder will
bring me great happiness after all-f
can win her. he thought.
At that moment Miss Carson met
his glance with an amused, enignatical
smile. Certainly there was nothing
lovelorn in her manner.
Perhaps she, too, was merely tri-
fling like the other" was Bramley's
disconnected thought, and resolved to
put the question to a test at his ear.
Hest opportunity. 1t was with great
impotence that he awaited the end of
dinner, and the time before the men
Joined the women seemed lnterm1n-
able.
At last he was free to seek her. He
asked her to sit out dance with him,
and though the laughing light came
again to her eyes, she consented. Re-
solutely, he led the way to the seclud-
ed nook of the piazza where they had
met before.
Il am waiting for my answer Miss
Carson" he began, when they were
seated on the bench overlooking the
bay.
She laughed lightly. Are you sure
it is really | and not my cousin you
want?"
Under cover of the sheltering dark
ness he felt the hot blood rush to his
face. $50 she knew them he thought,
but answered quietly: 1T is you |
want, Miss Carson"
But | am not theNone you meant
to ask the other night"
why do you think 500"
81 am sure. Something in your
voice, quality of surprise, told me as
you turned away. l am quick to de-
tect such a mistake. for my cousin
and I are so often taken for each
other"
He squared his shoulders manfully.
81 acknowlc dge the truth, Miss Car
son, was mistaken then, but l am in
earnest now"
There was no moon tonight, so he
OWNED rather than saw the sudden
seriousness of her face.
81 honor your chivalry too much,
Mr.. Bramley, to expect you for mo.
ment to stand by your declaration"
But | wish to-" he answered, boy
ishly. when saw you together this
evening, I realized you were the one !
really loved. Won't you give me a
chance to try to win you, Edith?"
For moment there was tense
silence. Then their hands met and
clung together as she said:
when you first spoke, IL knew
you were my dream man come true"