The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-07

Ritz drew him aside ahu sillIeL
Of rraper into his hand. saying thdt "e
had done - we'll that she wouid ho'
wait TO send il TO him. lie glanced I'll
il and handed il back To her.
Excuse ne. Mrs. Ritz. he SAM
..but Mr.. Short has settled with me.
But this is extra
Pu,nmcr win cd. What. Accept
tip for enteriainin. his dinAcr c"'..
pauion: Poverty had brought lih
hiring himself out for a social pari'' e
bu; tol Lei, - ;.'.e i..cis,,:e ~
Witt had given him-this was more
than he could bear Selling his hal
and coat. he holied for the door
He had no IDEA Of accepting MSS
he Wits invitation. Being a gentle
man. he felt that TO 10 So while hr W..S
thus making his living would lie aa
ortrage. He had no choice bu; I" pro
ceed. for he present. in thc Caly ore.
nation that was ofCn 10 him and uiSl
use IL or starvc. Mr.. Short gave hiln
all the employment he would actci
which was barely enough To Keep l,t.'
and soul together lie did not meet
Miss De Witt again at any Of the
places he danced or dincd. for she did
not know the persons who gave ihr
entertainments
But one mon ing he received "a!
liable invitation not a paid one to "a
musicale given 10y Mrs. icar>IeN
I Who Mrs. YearSley was or why she
had invited him he did not know Cu
riosity led him to accept What was
his surprise. after greeting the hostess
/ to be led up TO Miss DE VITA.
/ "You two have met before, bc
lieve." said Mrs. Yearsley. Il leave
him with you. Catherine; see that he Is
properly taken care of.
"Am | indebted to you for this inu
tationy' he asked
Il am indebted 10 my friend Mrs.
Yearslcy for inviting you Bur You
don't deserve it You have 'r v"ry
rude to me
In what way
you have paid no attention 40 nay
y
/ Plummer hcsitated in replying to
this, finally saying that 1t would not be
proper for him to accept an invitation
to call upon lady into whose social
cir lie he had 40 entree.
Your excuse is not accepted"
Very WE'LL will do MYSELF the hon
or to call very soon"
IL shall expect you.
IL must impose one condition"
What is it,
THAT you ask for no more invita-
tions for me"
Certainly" replied the lady. 'since
you do not wish 1t
/ She asked for no reason. which some
what puzzled Mr.. Plummer Did she
know that he had been present at Mrs
Ritz's as filler? He thought not
Those who hired such persons were
not likely To tell of their action
He made the call and continued his
acquaintance with Miss De Witt. Ont
day letter was handed to him by 1
young man. who said to him:
Are you Mr.. Ralph PlummerT
IL am"
II am from Elkins * Elkins, attor
neys. They have been hunting yol
for some time"
Plummcr tore Off the envelope ant
uncovered another addressed to 81
Ralph Trevor
rs that youf' asked the lawyer!
clerk
Plummcr's only reply was to opel
the second envelope. A letter contain
ed In It announced to him that an un
Gle In England had died childless ant
he was heir to his title.
Plummer, or. rather. Sir Ralph Ire
vor. leaving the messenger To take carr
of himself. went out. called "A cab an,
directed the driver to take him to Mis-
De Wits home.
IL have come" he said TO her, It,
make confession. Poverty and al
unwillingness TO be dependent on thos
In England who
Call 1t rather pride
Call II what you like, my position
in America has been contemplate. Blu
there has been change. am goin
to tell you who | really am"
There is no need TO tell me that
You are gentleman. for | once me
YOU in London society"
You met me?"
For only moment | don't wou
der that you have not remembers
me-"
Why have you not told me this?"
Because you seemed to prefer to r,
main incognito."
And you know how | have bee
keeping myself from starvation here
. Miss De Witt prevaricated. Sh
knew. for Mrs Ritz had told her. Br
she wished TO make 1t easy for hin
She said that was none of her afYai
He informed her that he was an o
/ phan: that his uncle had led him ,
suppose that he would be his heir
his fortune. as well as to his title. an
i had thereupon undertaken TO direct h
every action. The young man had r.
belled and gone away. Death ha
brought a great change and he wa
| going back to England.
Among the American horn ladi,