The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-06-25
MYSTERIOUS MAID.
BY JACK WALTON.

prOaCDiuE mystery VISITED lHe Sleepy
village of Summerville, and Miss Isa-
bel Ormond In refusing all offers of
hospitality had become a subject of
comment.
S~ummerville did not always ex-
tend attentions to strangers, but
Miss Ormond, having been introduced
by Elder Benson's daughter, was an ex-
ception. 1t was, therefore, not to be
understood when the beautiful strang-
er persistently excused herself to cali
ers. The unclaimed men of the town
ship were emboldened to the offer of
their automobiles and society-to no
purpose. Miss Ormond was, she an
n%ounced, engaged in the study Of
French, and wished not to be interrupt
ed. Mr.. Billy Cavendish, spending a
boresome time at his sisters country
place, promptly decided to call.
81 want to see that girl" he said;
"she sure is a mystery And when he
had located her in the garden-Billy
wanted to call again.
81 don't wish to be entertained" she
remarked.
"What prejudice have your de-
manded Billy, against spending a So
cial hour with a lone man? Do you
think I'm bound to make love to your
could you promise that you would
not?" the unusual girl asked.
Billy gasped. az could promise" he
evaded, but who can foretell the fu-
ture?'
Then" she answered decidedly, 1--WE
will dispose of the possibility. There
shall be no excuse for Irritation"
But why" Billy calmly questioned,
SIS Irritation such a terrible thingT"
The face of the mysterious maid
grew grave. Because" she replied,
filtration may lead to love, to mar
riage, and I-can never marry With
lnality she arose. "Good-by," she said.
Billy, arising, also to claim a fare
well hand-clasp, exclaimed: You new
er can marry?"
The girl nodded her head. ut is
true" she said. Then Billy had his
inspiration.
well" he confded, neither car I.
Last wish of a Grabbed old uncle. Lose
all his property if l form any serious
attachment. So you and l are destined
to be the original platonic friends.
About that French" he added, as she
regarded him wonderingly. I'm help
you out tomorrow" Then Billy strobe
along.
Fiercely each day he resented the
task of restraint he himself had i'm
posed. As he came cross the lawn
one day, something in the girls atti-
tude brought a sense of foreboding.
mfr. Cavendish," she said, you have
been kind, and l am sorry, but you
must not come here any more. The
villagers are limiting an attachment be-
tween us. 1 should have foreseen this
misconstruction."
Then Billy's carefully built defenses
crumbled; iercely he crushed her in
his arms. 'Do you think" he NUT
tered, that anything in this world can
keep me from you but your w word
that you do not love me? / have been
studying you, and not the cOpy-bOoks,
Isabel, and you cannot give me that
word"
The girl met his victorious gaze
steadily. "Yes," she said at last, II
do love you. My fear has come true /;
we must say-goodby."
"Your ~reason?' he demanded.
81 am-married," she said. ut was
Ionn am - oba adIa1 ctarfTaH OF his
stricken face. 1--WE were forbidden TO
marry until we had graduated from
college. He was insistent. The cere-
mony was performed n vacation af-
t%ernoOn, each hurrying back to our
distant schools. No one need know,
my lover assured me, until our second
public marriage. Then-all at once
our love vanished. Answering his let
tiers became a burden each time he
promised to come to me his promise
vas broken. At last we met, looking
into each others faces.
ave dare not spend our lives to-
gether without love- / told him. VIII.
ingly he agreed.
"But If / find you care, I viii come
back he said. Occasionally a
line of his changing address, but he
knows l will eve send for him"
"What," asked Billy, sis the name of
this coward?"
"John Hamilton" she answered
wearily-"of New York"
Billy fancied that evening that his
braif Knocked him when he read that
haunting name beneath a pictured face
in the paper. Then the words steadied
themselves. "John Hamilton of New
York." he read, aviator, killed In bat
tie"
In the moonlit garden he found the
girl. Isabel" he asked gently-"you
known" And though she did not an
swer him, she held u her hands.
"There shall be no more mystery be.
tween us" murmured Billy. "No more
forever" said Isabel.
Thought II the Fashion.
A SOmaWhat haefv pfctraoc ~ oo