Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-19

/ Iieved IL and come for you"
Mr. BIeiow rose at once, saying, "Hoi
were right. my dear, and we will sooi
hnd out who this impostor is"
Alfred, meantime, was making the mos
Of his solitude. The instant the dooi
closed he gave his face vigorous scrub
bing. smoothed his hair, replaced his col
| lar and was adjusting his tie before
| small loolSing-glass when his uncle ant
| the strange young woman appeared.
The change produced was almost equa
TO one OF the lightning acts of stage
professional, and Mr.. Blglow advanced
saying:
SWeii, Alfred, / don't see but that yot
look natural I guess the sudden en-
trance Of a stranger must have giver
Sydney a scare
Alfred felt decidedly foolish as he en-
countered the look Of bewilderment In
Syney's eyes.
'T looked badly enough to frighten any
body when / came in, uncle" and then
he explained his intended joke on Melissa
ut was nearly a week ago / wrote you oil
my coming. and when no one showed ur
at the station 1 thought 1 would have
my revenge"
Mr.. Biglow laughed heartily. I'VE have
all been 80 occupied in looking after Aunt
Jennie for the last few days that no one
has thought of the postofiice," he said.
Your letter lS SUN tntie. but let me III
troduce you to your cousin by marriage,
Sydney Thompson"
Sydney looked as II she hardly knew
whether to laugh or be angry, when AL
fred said earnestly:
please forgive me for frightening you
I shall never try to be funny again"
'Oh don't say that" she replied, this
would be a very dismal world II there
were no fun in It,"
all a.
and found her anxiously waiting an ex-
planation of the poor, miserable man
who had startled Sydney
Alfred found that Sydney's society be-
came an ever-ncreasing delight TO him as
the DAYS passed. One morning, a week
after his arrival at Biglow Farm, he sat
on the veranda with Aunt Jennie, who
was now able to get about little.
How is 1t that have never met your
niece until now?" asked Alfred. II
thought / knew all the family"
Sydney has been studying hard for
years and has just finished college," she
replied. II could not get her to spare the
time for a visit to me before But she
feels the need Of rest, and as her mar
riage will probably take place next spring,
she concluded to give me a few weeks
now"
Alfred felt as II the bright world had
turned suddenly black. 'I did not know
she was engaged; she wears no ring"
NO" said Aunt Jennie. Her mar
riage is really a family arrangement,
and as she has known Matthew Chase
all her life, she would not hear of
ring. He is years older than Sydney,
but / hope he will make her happy"
she sighed.
Alfred rose and said bitterly, 'I wish
you had told me sooner. Now that 1
! Il g.. In,v. =
life 1t is hard to find she is bound to
another man" He left his astonished
aunt and strode savagely down the drive
way.
Aunt Jennie gazed after him with
mingled feelings of pity and dismay.
Poor Alfred, why did not guess what
might happen and warn him?" She
spoke aloud in her excitement; and re-
ceived a second surprise when a soft
voice asked:
"Oh, Aunt Jennie. why didn't you warn
me- too?" Sydney came through the open
door back of her aunt, and sank down
beside her
There were tears in her eyes as she
continued. 'I was just coming out to
you. and could not help hearing what
Alfred Gibson said when he left you. Oh
Auntie, 1 never did love Matthew"
Aunt Jennie was at her wits end.
Don't cry. Sydney dear" she pleaded.
"I am sure 1t will all come right. Have
you learned to care for Alfred?"
81 am afraid So" said Sydney, "for 1t
made me feel so happy when he said he
loved me-until l thought of Matthew
The tears came in a food, and breaking
away from her aunt, she Ned into the
house .feH"tH
Left alone. Mrs Biglow did some seri-
Gus thinking, and apparently was salts
fled with the,result for her troubled face
grew calm, and rising, she limped In to
the big desk She speedily wrote a let
ter addressing it to Matthew Chase
Several days passed uneventfully. Sgd
ney and Alfred, though apparently on
friendly terms, took no more long walks
or drives together.
On the fifth day after the sending or
the epistle to Matthew Chase. Mr.. Big
low handed Sydney a letter. THAT was
all for you today" he remarked.
Seeing II was from her future husband,
sydney sought her own room to read it.
Mrs Biglow was alone when very be-
wildered- looking and yet happy Sydney
came to her after reading Matthew's
communication.
Aunt Jennie, I can't understand it,"
she began, Matthew asks me to release
him from his engagement. He says he
fears he is too old to make me happy,
and that he has always known l cared
for him only as a friend. He thinks we
would be wiser just to continue being
friends. Do you suppose he has thought
It all over since 1 came away and feels
as | do?"
Aunt Jennie smiled Her letter to Mat
thew Chase had been written in the hope
that Sydney's happiness need not be
sacrificed.
Later Aunt Jennie told Alfred of this
sudden termination OF the engagement.
and he went in search of Sydney. He
found her in the Old-fashioned flower
garden.
Aunt Jennie has told me that you are
free, and I have come to ask II you can
ever care little for me, sydney2 love
you more than ! can tell have known
you were the dearest thing on earth to
me since I FIRST saw your face"
Sydney laughed, happily. "Ths first
time saw your face 1t was so dirty
she began. but Alfred caught her in his
arms
Copyright. 1918, by the Mcclure
Newspaper syndicate)