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Show rr jAT,nRAN bionght his Lfeg5WiJ automobile to a sud- Tiffifva don slop ln front of lWM4ffiSfU tl10 vlllago church, lwfytSl nl listened with llSiMiCS'U batC(1 broath ni8'"B Ua2ffi"KccS high abovo tho mellow mel-low growl of tho organ a voice floated out to hla enraptured enrs a clear, thrilling, triumphant voice, singing Handel's stirring aria, "I Know Thnt My Hedeomer Llvetli." "Hor volco, by all that Is wonderful!" wonder-ful!" ho muttered, with an cngor light In his oyes. "Surely" I can't bo mistaken. mis-taken. It must bo tho Easter lady!" Ho sat thoro with a rapt expression on his face until tho portnls of tho church swung open nnd tho congregation congrega-tion spilled out Into tho April sun-shlno, sun-shlno, bringing color nnd animation to tho scone Ho scanned the crowd with searching glnnccs ns It slowly melted away. Tho last to lcavo tho church was tho gray-haired rector, and walking walk-ing by his sldo ns ho caino down tho Vnlk was a beautiful young woman. Vnldenn's hoart gave n bound as ho looked at tho girl. Sho was a dainty, willowy creaturo, her face lit up with bowltchlng smiles, hor dark eyes sparkling vivaciously under hor whlto-plumed whlto-plumed lint. "It Is sho," whlspored tho man in tho automobile. "I nevor srfw her in my llfo boforo, but I know It is sho!" Tho rector and his companion camo nearer. Thoy woro nbout to pass tho car when tho girl suddonly glanced up and stopped. "Why, this is my car, I bollevo," sho said blltholy to the rector. "I'm to dine with Mrs. Campordown, you know. Good-by, Mr. Itoden, nnd tell Mrs. Rodcn I shall seo her soon." Tho roctor lifted his hat with a profound pro-found bow nnd walked on up tho vlllago vll-lago street, whllo tho girl turned to Valdean with pretty assurance. "This Is tho Campprdown car, is it not?" In an instant Valdean was standing on tho curb boslde her, hat in hand. "Of course" ho said glibly. "It Is anything you wish. That Is or ket mo assist you, madam. Tnko this forward for-ward seat, plcaso, bcsldo the drlvor." Tho girl was on tho step when sho hesitated, looked tho car ovor doubtfully doubt-fully and turned a half-frightened faco toward Valdean. Hor checks woro flaming. "Am I making a mistake?" sho faltered. fal-tered. "Not at nil, I assuro you," ho stout-ly stout-ly protested. "I am Miss Druramond, you know?" "Cortalnly, madam." "Mrs. Campordown wrote mo that sho would havo hor automobile waiting wait-ing in front of tho church, but I think I know" sho said it would bo a limousine" lim-ousine" "Tho limousine is out of order this morning." lied Valdean cheerfully, as ho gently pushod tho girl Into a seat and hastily occupied tho ono besldo hor. "So It had to bo this or nothing. noth-ing. You will find It Just as comfortable, com-fortable, I think." Ho put tho car ln motion, and it glided down tho st,root with a soft, purring sound. "Now," ho added, after a pauso, "If you will kindly tell mo which way I am to go" "Which way?" exclaimed tho girl. "Why, direct to tho Campordown farm, of courso." "Yes, of courso, but but I hnvon't tho slightest Idea whero that Is, you BOO." Tho girl stared at him as if sho doubted his sanity. "Perhaps you will bo kind enough to tell mo who you nro?" sho do-mnnded, do-mnnded, coldly. "Rlchnrd Valdean, at your sorvlco. My father Is a woll-known banker In tho city Sylvostor Valdean, by nnmo. Possibly you havo heard of him. I was out for a spin ln my machine, nnd happened to bo ln front of tho church, and nnd thoro was no other vohlclo in sight, nnd and you couldn't walk, you know I could not lot you walk " Ho chokod ln his eagorness, and paused abruptly. "I suppose I ought to bo torrlbly in-dlgnnnt," in-dlgnnnt," sho said, suppressing hor morrimont, "but really I cannot bo otherwise oth-erwise than grateful to you for this kindness. You aro vory obliging, I am sure. Besides, tho mlstako was mine in tho beginning. Mrs. Campordown lives two miles out in tho country, and you nro going in tho right direction, Mr. Vnldcan." Sho hesitated a moment, mo-ment, and then nsked: "Woro you waiting for anybody at tho church?" "Yes, I Was waiting for you," ho replied, re-plied, simply. "For mo I" sho exclaimed. "I hoard your vofco, you know hoard you singing that beautiful aria, and I stopped to listen. I know It was tho volco of tho Easter lady, and I was waiting (horo to see you como out." "ThovEastor lady?" "You nro not wholly unknown to me, Miss Druramond, although I confess con-fess I nevor saw you until to-day," said Valdean, slowly. "Last Eastor I chancod to bo at St Mark's church in tho city, and thoro I hoard you sing for tho flrat timo. I know it waH you, for I could not bo mistaken in tho voice I did not uoo you, nor was I iblo to Hud out who ypu wore or whoro you lived, but your volco has haunted me for a whole year. In my thoughts, In my dreams, you havo been known to me only as tho Easter lady; but now at Inst" Ho checked himself, and dollborate ly began to turn tho' vohlclo Into n cross road leading ut right angles from tlio ond they wero following. Tho girl quickly laid a small gloved hand or. his arm. "No, no!" sho cried! "not that way, "Keep strnlght on. Mrs. Campordown IIvpb " "Mrs. Cnnipordown can wait," said Valdenn firmly as tho car shot into tho now rond at nh Increased rato f speed. "I am not ready to take you to Mrs, Campordown yet. I havo waited a whole year for this opportunity; oppor-tunity; do you think I am going to turn you ovor to Mrs. Camperdown so soon?" Miss Drummoud sank helplessly back In her seat Ho knew sho was staring fixedly at him,, and ho half-ex-pected nn outburst of expostulation, but he did not turn his head. "Am I being kidnaped?" sho nsked at last; and tho humorous nqto ln hor volco assured him that his bold move was bolng condoned. Vnldenn's faco brightened with a quick gleam of oxclted pleasure "Then you will lot mo drlvo you to town?" "Indeed It will bo a groat favor to mo. I hopo it Is not asking too much of you." "Oh, I shall. bo delighted. And wo can dlno at tho Red' Englo inn, which Is directly on tho way, and still got homo boforo nightfall." Tho lco was broken; It was astonishing aston-ishing how quickly theso young peo-plo peo-plo arrived at n mutual and cordial understanding. By tho timo tho Red Eaglo Inn loomed up beforo them they wero chatting as gaily and unrcsorvod-ly unrcsorvod-ly ns If thoy had known each othor for "Surely I Can't Be Mistaken'.'' years. Thoy dined cozlly nnd happily at tho Inn, consuming much moro time than was necessary in tho performance, perform-ance, and then taking tholr places In tho car once moro, thoy rosumcd their Journey townrtf tho city. "I was sure something portentous would happon to-day," said Valdaan, enthusiastically, as thoy bowled along tho highway1. "And has anything portentous happened?" hap-pened?" nsked Miss Drummond, curiously. curi-ously. "Surely. Nothing could bo raoro significant than this chanco mooting botweon you nnd mo." "But does it portend anything?" "To mo It doos. It holds a benutlful promise It is tho fato of tho Val-deans. Val-deans. Listen, Miss Drummond," and tho young man became very sorlous. "Easter Is strangely mixed up with tho dCBtlnlcs of tho Vnldoans. My fathor mot my mothor for tho flrst timo on Enstor day. My grandfather and grandmother flrst kno'w of each other's cxlBtcnco on an Eastor morning morn-ing nnd thoy woro married tho samo ovonlng. It was tho tricksy spirit of that fcstlvnl that brought my great-grandpnronts great-grandpnronts togothor nearly a hundred hun-dred years ago. As far back as tho record goes tho members of my family havo all met tholr affinities nt Easter time. Will you contond, Miss Drummond Drum-mond Margnrot that our meotlng to-day has no moaning for tho futuro?" Ska gavo him a quick, frlghtonod look. Then tho warm color streamed Into V fnco and nock, and hor oyes dropped. "Might It not mean," ho continued with desperato earnestness, "that wo aro both controlled by tho samo fato that rules In tho Valdean family. Might it r"t moan that you and I" "Nons-iaSo!" intorruptod tho girl, but hor volco was vory faint nnd trom- UlOUS. if "Will you lot rao hopo, Margarot?" ho whlspored again. Sho slowly shook hor bond. "Wo havo known each othor so short a timo," sho protostod. "Wo havo known each othor for flvo hours," mild Valdean, looking at his watch. "What does it matter? It is fato. At least, toll mo thut I may hopo." Sho was silent a long timo; but at last sho,6lghod softly and lifted hor oyes trus'tfuliy to his. "Yes, I I think you may hope Richard." |