Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1915-10-26

By FRANK NJ. sIcKNELL.

O'Keefe, that husky. CHEEKY beggar,
always wished his honor good and
plenty, and then power more Of 1t
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 CT Albert Pierce, Max.
well had formidable rival. As
fair-minded man Maxwell would have
freely admitted that Pierce was quite
as desirable match for Prudence as
he himself was; but as the young
lady had steadily refrained from
showing a 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
baffied by the still noncommittal fair
one, they had finally come to the fol
lowing gentleman's agreement:
Each was to lay his heart. hand and
fortune at Prudence's feet by letter
and the two sealed proposals were to
be mailed in the same box at the same
time, namely, nine o'clock p. m. Mon.
day, November rs.
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-she would eventually find her
life's happiness In becoming the wife
of one of them, but which? Twice,
thrice, she re-read each letter and
strove heroically with her indecison-
quite In vain. BY and by, however,
as 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 hosiery in Northum-
berland avenue and Pierce at ia
nous old one in Brook street. It 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. y
shall telephone similar instructions to
Bert. You are to hnd your way to me
through the fog. and the one who ar
rives first-well. | 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 thickened to a pea.
soup" consistency. and vehicular traf-
iic was practically at standstill when
at 1927 p. m, the Hale's parlor maid
brought Prudence a card, and an
"a gentleman to see you. miss"
Prudence drew a long breath and
her heart began to beat with rather
more than normal rapidity as she took
the card and glanced at its inscrip-
ton. Was she glad or sorry to read
the name of Judson Maxwell? Strange
though it may seem, she was not yet1
sure Of herself she was conscious
however, of wondering that he had |
been able to get to her So ccon,
through a fog OF almost midnight |
darkness. and also of dimly fancying |
that his greater love had served him
as a guide.
"Prudence!" He appeared at the |
door evidently in fever of suspense. |
then. seeing her alone, he came for
ward eagerly and took her hands in |
his. Prudence" he repeated. 81 am
frst!''
YES" she replied. you are first;"
and now her unruly heart certainly |
was humping at scandalous rate. |
NV VI eac oeAh hob htht occAaoo nuu- Il
ienly to have broken. |
"Ars you--aren't you--glad?" he
asked breathlessly.
T5I-think-perhaps-I-am," she
answered rather haltingly.
Aren't you sure?" he demanded re
Gently she withdrew her hands from
lis clasp, and raising them. put them
lbout his neck. then shyly drew his
ace down toward her own. now Grim
'oning with color that appeared to
him Of divine loneliness She didn't
Jay she was sure, but-she didn't need
o.
Pierce came about two hours later
le had gone badly astray in the fog
nut he arrived in time to offer his
congratulations. and 10 add handsome.
Y, that as the best man had won the