Show t ihk jl E ir A DARK HORSE v by BELLE MANIATES p thornton Fh ornton I 1 wont take no for an answer this time you can stay over a couple of weeks now just as well as not there Is a good golf links boat ing and I 1 have three pretty daugh and I 1 certainly cant refuse such al luring inducements laughed thorn ton and I 1 trust mr darnley I 1 won t be trespassing too much on your hospitality and the good na ture of our household by accepting an impromptu invitation ahe household Is an unconventional one and delights in opening doors wide when a friend knocks replied the elder man taking down the tel ephone hello this sou madgee mr thornton Is in town ou have often heard me speak of him I 1 have per him to remain over and pay us a visit yes he 11 come home with me tonight after the transaction of some business which had brought hofei thornton abe son of an old col lege friend of mr darnley s to the city they took a suburban train to the latter s country home the bouse looks rather forbid ding observed mr darnley as they came up the graveled road but the girls detest lights in summer I 1 presume they are back in the garn sit down here on the porch ant I 1 will gather them up roger seated himself comfortably comfor taby at the end of the vine clad veranda while his host went around the house it was a still summer night the sky motionless and starless As he sat there musing over the pleas ant anticipation of meeting three so beautiful girls as were portrayed in the photograph their fond i arent had displayed to him he heard a light footfall behind him then two soft arms encircled his neck a velvety cheek was laid against his own and a beautiful voice murmured tenderly what made you so late deara roger sat like a man dazed stunned by the touch of lips and cheek after a throbbing silence he halt whispered I 1 beg your pardon there was a horrified exclamation a swift withdrawal of arms and the sound of vanishing skirts in a distant part of the house he heard echoes of mirthful laughter presently darnley came out of the house after prowling all over fhe grounds I 1 found the girls in the din ing room preparing a chafing dish luncheon for us come in and meet them through the long dimly lighted rooms roger followed his host his pulses tingling at the anticipation of meeting her in the dining room he was presented to the three girls in vain he looked into the roguish faces seeking some tell tale token that would denote the one who had greet ed him so affectionately but not a sign of confusion or enlightenment did he receive I 1 must tell you a good joke thorn ton la sighed darnley the girls supposed it was your father I 1 was to bring home with me indeed and was I 1 also supposed to be my father when I 1 sat out on the porch just nowa he asked mean angly there was a trio of laughing voices and knowing glances no you were thought to be me explained darnley see it you can guess which one made the embar bassing rassing error anere Is but one way in which 1 can decide that matter replied rog er gravely howa demanded the trio I 1 must close my eyes and each one of you can in turn come up be hind me and repeat the error then I 1 might decide this was positively and laughing ly decline after a merry evening roger retired unable to decide which of these beautiful young women he thought the most charming the next day and evening found him still uti decided and also in the dark as to who had bestowed upon him the fleet ing embrace on the third evening of his cibit marle loveridge a niece of mr darnley s arrived to pay a visit she was a type altogether different from her light hearted laughter loving isms she had a winsome wistful face a petite form a low charming voice and a sweet quiet manner roger found himself always waiting for her entrance if she were not in the room listening to her when oth ers were talking and following her with his eyes and thoughts when eti quette demanda deman dd his attention to others he made it entirely obvious that his desire was to be with her ex and the three darnley girls good natu made all sorts of little devices for throwing their cousin into the young man s society but there was ever a delicate little lr of reserve about marle that he could not vanquish in the presence of others she was responsive and friendly to him but alone with him she was shy and distraint almost to coldness by one or two moves drew her apart from the gay crowd one night and sought a se cl aided retreat in the rose garden do you know ha said suddenly I 1 had a very strange experience the first night of my arrival here that was before I 1 came remind eu mane mr darnley left me on the porch while he went in search of his fam lly and while 1 waited there alone in the darkness I 1 felt two soft arms about my neck a cheek laid against mine and a light kiss and the most beautiful voice I 1 ever heard say what made you so late deara when I 1 spoke she fled oh said marie laughing I 1 sup pose it was one of the girls who mis took you for their father in the dark so I 1 thought at first while I 1 sat there after she had gone I 1 knew that a strange thing had happened I 1 knew that I 1 was smitten through with love tor the one who had given me the embrace meant for another I 1 went into the house expecting to meet my fate your cousins laugh angly bade me guras which one of them had greelej me in the dark I 1 did not tell them that in my heart I 1 knew it wao not one of them why who could it have been and what made you think it was not one of them she asked my heart told me first and there were other more logical proofs the arms about my neck were bare and those girls all had on long sleeves so I 1 knew I 1 was yet to meet her and marle from the first moment I 1 saw you I 1 knew it must have been you who came to me there in the dark ness and taught me what love might be but she said her voice trem bling you know I 1 did not come un til two days later I 1 know but still it was you in a dream perhaps but mane will you not make the dream come can you not love mea with a little glad laugh she turned to him and he held her in his arms cloger she said presently I 1 came a day before your arrival and stole out that night thinking to meet uncle will and reproach him for being so late when I 1 found my mistake I 1 ran in and told the girls and begged them to keep my secret I 1 said I 1 could not meet you it you knew it was I 1 so we formed a little conspiracy and I 1 went for a couple of days to visit a cousin who lives on the east side and then came here as if I 1 had just arrived the girls were lovely not to betray me but every time I 1 was alone with you I 1 was conscious of what I 1 had done so was I 1 marie he replied coper 1906 by dally story pub co |