Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1916-06-30

ANA~eO0
daughter, and now she proposed to
adopt Evelyn Ames for her own.
Blake, who had fallen in love with the
beautiful castaway, smiled secretly
and thought that If he had his way
the stranger would be his mothers
daughter, but she would also be his
wife.
And In the meantime the Workings |
could find no trace of the nameless
vessel on which Evelyn had sailed for |
Rio Janeiro. There had been no yes
sells lost, and investigation showed that |
there was no physician by the name of |
Ames who might be the father of Eve
Ign. They advertised and wrote letters, |
and in the end they were no wiser than
before.
Then one fair morning, while the sun
shone on the summer seas and the
wind murmured among the palms,
Blake Worthing told Evelyn of his
love. Blushingly she gave her heart
and hand into his tender keeping. Mrs.
Worthing. delighted at the outcome.
gathered them both to her heart.
| 1t was when the engagement had
been two weeks old that a blow came
to Blake Worthing. He was prepar-
ing to go to Barnacle, where the Of
fees of his fruit industry were stu
ated, when he heard a sharp scream
from the front veranda.
He dashed downstairs and found
Evelyn gazing. pale and wide eyed, at
the ocean.
Dearest what is the matterT' he
asked.
She shuddered and hid her face In
her hands.
''Oh. Blake, l have rememberedp
Remembered? That is splendid,
dear. Tell me-"
my name is Evelyn Ames Mortimer
my father is DIR. Ames Mortimer OF
New York-and, oh, Blake, how can l
tell your Her slender shoulders shook
with sobs.
''Tell me-" he gently urged.
81 cannot marry you," she breathed.
''Why notT'
81 have remembered"-tragically.
you have remembered whatT
''That am already engaged"
"You are engaged2 You were en-
gagged when you sailed away? And
you had forgotten that?
She nodded listlessly.
"Then you do not love me-" he said,
rising and drawing his hands away
from her grasp.
But she chung desperately to him.
"Ah, l dol do love you, Blake! That
is the misery of it all. l look back and
think of Frederic DOerr, and wonder
how could have dreamed of marrying
him"
LET me think it over, Evelyn" said
Blake as he went away. All day while
he dictated letters or interviewed GUS
toners Evelyn's pale, frightened face
came between. Toward night he sent
a telegram to Frederic Doerr's address
in New York. and the second day aft
erward he met him at Barnacle station
and took him to the cottage.
Frederic Doerr was a tall, thin, dark
man with grave eyes and a preOccupied
manner. He appeared to be extremely
nervous when speaking Of Evelyn, al
though he talked freely of her father.
Dr. Mortimer, who had been saved.
He told WOrthing how the Mortimers
had sailed on a private yacht, and in
, the excitement following a collision,
with visions of Immediately sinking.
Evelyn had been dashed to q raft and
cast adrift.
The storm tossed yacht had reached
Cuban port, and DIR. Mortimer, al
though giving his daughter up for lost.
had made every effort to find her. 1t
was strange that the threads Of inquiry
instituted by the Workings and Eve
lyn's father had never crossed.
''She has told us Of her engagement
to you," said Blake in his blunt way.
'You viii want to see her alone, sup
pose"
IF you please. think you and Mrs.
Worthing had better be present" said
Doerr nervOusly.
So when Blake told Evelyn that he
had brought her fance to see her and
that her father was still living her joy
in the latter news was dampened by
the approaching interview with the
man she had ceased to love.
II must keep my promise to Fred
eric" she assured Mrs. Worthing, as
they descended the stairs. HE said
once that he did not care to live II l
would not marry him."
Mrs. Worthing smiled wisely, but her
arm frightened around the shrinking
girls waist as they entered the living
room.
, "EvelynT' cried Doerr, starting for
, ward with outstretched hands. allow
delighted your father will bel wired
, him at once of your safety"
He made no attempt to embrace her,
and Evelyn was manifestly relieved
. The Workings turned to leave, but
Frederic DOerr put out a OBTAINING
? hand
| 'Please do not CO." he said, with
[ embarrassment. "There is something /
t must confess, and Evelyn win need
} her friends around her. am ashamed
/ to say that"-his voice dropped al
most to a whisper-"I have been faith
less to Evelyn Mortimer, one OF the
t sweetest girls God ever createdl Be
| ~, A. ~ kk,nSy