Show J V r V W Z N 0 bennington looked after lucy al to tons its retreating form with nith amazement only the night before she hod had prom laed ased that she would mould marry him la in the spring erring aej ad had scaled the bargala bargain ith a riss she had been tender and loving then this morning she walked past him m with I 1 th fl no sign that slie she was aware ot of his big presence sale a haughty sir when he had raised his bat in salutation the more bennington thought it dver aver the more it became he and lucy had been more than friends for or a couple ot of years she had so clearly abon her preference for his society that none bad sought to dispute his position he could imagine no rival who aho maht have poisoned her mind against him in so brief a time as bad elapsed since the night before he puzzled his big brain until it whirled but still no satisfactory explanation presented itself then lie be decided upon a very foolish action lie ha left town ton not oven even hla his most intimate fir friends ewd know knew here he had gone and for foi CT crat era weeks the set in which ho be moved wondered vion dered at his bis hurried departure then they decided that lucy alton had bad refused him after all and they gave the matter no further thought As tor for bennington he be wai was seeking to dispel his ennui in paris and only slice succeeded ceded in discovering that gay capital to ie be a most di spiriting place A week weck later he be was arguing with the customs officials on tho the familiar pier in new york his man was too well trained to exhibit any surprise when his master walked in lie he silently placed a huge pile dile ot of letters upon the Ilmy table L and went avent out to attend to the trunk bennington turned the letters over idly suddenly he gave a start there was ono little square envelope addressed d in a handwriting the sight of which made his heart beat faster ile he tore it open dear jack it ran what has become of you it Is not nice sir to leave ones fiance in this abrupt fashion have you already repented your proposal I 1 dont like to think that come in n jack and tell me what the trouble Is I 1 did so want to see fotr last night it was signed lucy and bore bor e a date one day later than his eap exp experience erl on the avenue A second note was in mr alcons handwriting this was dated a wf wa k later in vigorous terms her father told bennington what ho he thought of Us his actions 1 I learn that you are sr s r ho he wrote 1 I should advise you to remain there I 1 cannot be answerable for the circumstances should we meet it lucys bucys setter letter had bad been a puzzle this was even less understandable there was no mistaking the cut direct he had bad received in the face of that thy by should sho she write a day later as though nothing had happened and why should her father brand bici as a scoundrel and a cad the quickest way to find out would be to drive around to the alcons he called a cab and la ten minutes ell be g HIS i I 1 t AV sirl was holding converse with judson tho the allona alcons butler judson was polite but very ve y evidently tearful fearful pleasa alesso dont insist mr benale 9 ton on be pleaded mr alton Is not strong air it he be were to see you the excitement might kill him see here hee judson persisted bennington hotly holly vil lats the matter why should the excitement kill mr alton alfont what hare lave I 1 done judson coughed ever so slightly lie ho was w too aall trained to admit that lie he knew the family secrets im sure bure I 1 dont donl know anything declared judson Jui lison respectfully on only ly mr air alton declared that you were not to see sec bliss alton and dr Som bommera mOrti ordered mo me to be careful that thai mr alton did not see you I 1 am very sorry sir there was a slight pause and before he could gather his bis senses bennington cited himself outside the closed door it would never do to make a scene beano on the front steps bennington was determined to get at the bottom of the mystery but tills this as not the place C lie he jumped into the cab again and was I 1 riven driven around to mrs graves who had been his mentor once his mothers death im sure I 1 dont R know now w what bat the in matter alter Is jack she said sympathetically there is a report around that lucy would not have iou and that aou ou took a broken heart out of 0 sight until it mended again how can I 1 find out he be urged 1 I 1 q are you sure you will never make the same came mistake again cant go along ills like e this it will drive me crazy come to tho the tableaux tonight said the matron lucy will be taking part and we will try to see her it was hard upon bennington to face tho the curious gaze that evening at the charity entertainment it seemed to h him in as a t though ough every one in n t the e room ero discussing him still he boro bore it bravely sustained by the hope of seeing lucy she was to lo appear in tho the last picture and the P program line read reflections miss bliss alton miss bliss carter tl r miss it iss carter that must be mabel carter lucys bucys cousin from the west when the curtain curt alii went up there was no a sign of 0 miss bliss carter it merely disclosed lucy standing in front of a mirror mirro admiring her reflection then suddenly the reflection stepped through the mirror frame and a gr great e a t light dawned upon bennington he r remembered e now that miss bliss carter was supposed to exactly resemble lucy the resemblance must have been so strong as to have deceived even the e yes eyes of love heedless of mrs grays deta detaining inin tag hand band he be pushed his big way through tho crowd to tho the door leading to the improvised pro stage lucy was just coming down the steps from the temporary platform ho he caught hor her wrist lucy he be cried can you ever for or give me for or having been such a tool fool I 1 thought your cousin was waa you and she cut me I 1 did not have the heart to stay and see you again if you will forgive the e error I 1 promise never to do so again are you sure you nill never mako make the samo same mistake again 1 I assure you that it will not happen again he declared eagerly he sought to take her in his bis arms but she skIll skillfully folly evaded him and a voice from tho the platform cried out see here jack I 1 dont mind y your 0 u r making love to mabel it if you think lt its s mo me but I 1 draw tho the line at proxy kisses hisses then miss bliss carter very thoughtfully hurried to her dressing room while walla jack had to make apologies again to the real lucy she has bar accepted a ring as a certain means of 0 identification it Is a circlet of plain gold boston bobson globe |