The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-12-09

D. FRANK N. slcKNeLL.

corner-for luck. he said. And barney
O'Keefe, that husky, CHEEKY beggar.
always wished his honor good and
plenty. and then a power more OF IL
ator Of that. Maxwell was lucky In
being well born, In having his share
Of good looks. and in being able to
spare from his prosperous business
enough leisure to follow Prudence
Hale across the Atlantic. but he had
not yet been lucky enough to per-
suade her to be his wife.
In the person OF Albert Pierce. Max
well had formidable rival. As q
fair.minded man Maxwell would have
freely admitted that Pierce was quite
as desirable a match for Prudence as
he himself was: but as the young
lady had steadily RETAINED from
showing n preference for either sutton
the two were now In London for the
purpose OF further urging their re-
spective suits. All efforts at viva
voce declaration having been adroitly
bafiied by the still noncommittal fair
one, they had finally come to the fol-
lowing gentlemans agreement:
Each was to lay his heart. hand and
fortune at Prudence's feet by letter
and the two sealed proposals we're to
be mailed In the same boz at the same
time. namely. nine o'clock .. m. Mon
day. November IS.
Now as a matter OF fact Miss Pru-
dence was honestly In doubt as to
whether she cared more for Maxwell
than she did for Pierce. She rather
thought-indeed. she felt reasonably
sure-sAe would eventually ind her
life's happiness In becoming the wife
OF one OF them. but which! Twice.
thrice. she re-read each letter and
strove heroicaliy with her indecison--
quite In vain. BY and by. however.
a. the fog without thickened. there
came to her-curiously enough-the
glimmering OF an idea.
The Hales had taken apartments In
Sackville street. Maxwell was stay
ing at a big new hostelry In Northum-
bertrand avenue and Pierce at q IA
nous old one In Brock street II thus
happened that the routes the two
young men would have to traverse In
reaching her from their hotels were
about equally long and also about
equally devious. In pursuance Of her
idea-an idea which might or might
not lead to satisfactory results-she
called up Maxwell on the telephone.
Il have your letter. Jud." she told
him. yours and Bert's. Listen care
fully. You will please leave your
hotel this afternoon at three o'clock
precisely. and start for this house on
foot. Walk the entire distance. I
shall telephone similar instructions to
Bert You are to find your way to me
through the fog. and the one who a.
rives hrst--well. I won't promise any
thing now. but leave that for this
afternoon--if you don't both get lost
In the fog"
The fog had thickoned to q pea
soup" consistency. and vehicular traf.
nc was practically at a standstill when
at 3;27 p. m. the Hale's parlor maid
brought Prudence a card. and an
nounced
"A gentleman to see you. miss"
Prudence drew a long breath and
her heart began to beat with rather
more than normal rapidly a. she took
the card and glanced At It's inscrip-
ton. Was she glad or sorry to read
the name Of Judson Maxwell? Strange
though Il may seem. she was not yet
sure OF herself. She was conscious.
however. Of wondering that he had
been able to get to her so soon.
through q fog Of almost midnight
darkness. and also of dimly fancying
that his greater love had served him
a. a guide.
"Pruderce!" He appeared at the
door evidently In q fever Of suspense.
then. seeing her alone. he came for.
ward eagerly and took her hands In
his. Prudence" he repeated. Il am
nrst?"
YES" she replied. you are nrst;"
and now her unruly heart certainly
was humping al q scandalous rate.
Out OF the dark fog light seemed sud
denly to have Broken.
Are you-arent ycu-glad? he
asked breathlessly.
"I-I-thnk-perhaps-l-am." she
answered rather haltingly. 4
Aren't you sureY" he demanded re
proachfully.
Gently she withdrew her hands from
his clasp. and raising them. put them
about his neck. then shyly drew his
face down toward her own. now Grim
soning with a color that appeared to
him OF divine loneliness. She didn't
say she was sure. but-she didn't need
to.
Pierce came about two hours later
he had gone badly astray In the fog
but he arrived In time 10 offer his
congratulations. and TO add. handsome
ly. that as the best man had won the
bride he hoped TO be best man" at
the wedding.
- .
well. Barney. you brought me the
finest kind OF luck, you were a friend
In need that time II ever there was
one"
Sure. yer honor. tits proud an glad
nm \ oould hahn va thauOh 'fWaa