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Show f I a lady"oF1 1 1 LONG AGO l If HE sudden shying of his plrltid I mare almost threw Dudley intc the road, but In an IntUnVhe had control con-trol of the plunging anlioal, who movements had to be confined to a strictly up and down course, as the narrow, nar-row, grass-grown road was bordered on etther side by a thicket of tropical growth of assorted shrubbery, overhung by trailing wild grape vines. When Dudloy and the mare were quit normal the former looked about for the cause of the unexpected maneuvers. The cause stood In some bashes at the right of the road, and as Dudley gazed at the fantastic figure be Instantly exonerated his horse. "The Lady of Long Ago," who stood by the roadside looked as If she might have been cut from the pages of an 1830 magazine. maga-zine. A multi-ruffled voluminous silk , . skirt, certainly worn over hoops. nblack laco mantilla, a poke straw bonnet cov-ered cov-ered with flowers, a white lace veil, silk gloves, with' reticule comprised the at tire of the quaint figure. Her snow white hair was parted In the middle and fell over each ear In symmetrical ringlets, "Oh, I pray jou, pardon me," she said In a thin, little voice. "1 fear 1 startled your ateed, I tried to withdraw from the rroad when I heard you coming, but the shrubbVy Is Impenetrable." Dudley lifted his bat courteously and assured her that It mas of no moment, while his mare turned her head in mortification mor-tification on beholding the harml snees of the little piece of antiquity, "Is this your road?" asked Dudley. "I should bo pleased to drive you to your destination. My horse Is quit manage able you need not be alarmed." "The Lady of Long Ago," as Dudley termed her In his thoughts, came f6r ward, raised a tiny foot to the step and sprang lightly In, "Thank )ou kindly, sir. I am on my way hither to the home of Squire Lang-ley, Lang-ley, two miles this road, then to the east one mile." ''This road does not seem to have been much traveled," remarked Dudley. "I Bhould think the road commlslsoner would get in here and mow out all this stuff!" The lady gavo a little shriek. "Oh, slrl it would be vandalism! The road Is a thing of beauty as it Is. My nephew would not allow It to be cut down. You have never traveled this way before!" "No, I am not quite sure ot my road now." "Are you a stranger In this vicinity, then?" "Entirely; though I hope not to be long. I am In search of a friend of my ' father's." "Indeed! May I Inquire the name? I am familiar with all the goodly folk nbout hero." "Ills name Is Henry Hartley." Bhe gave a llttlo start and looked at blm keenly through her veil. "That, sir, Is my nephow'e name." Bhe removed her gloves, opened her reticule and hastily fumbled among it contents. "I find that I have failed to bring a card," alio said, in shocked tones. "My namo Is Lavlnla Hartley." ' "And my namo," ho responded, "Is Dudley Johns. That Is also my father's name." "And ;'tlte a household word with us, I acsuru you. My nephew frequently peaks of your father. I feel as though I ought to accompany you, but I am on my way to a tea party. Of course, you will be at the house on ray return this 'evening. My nephew w III Insist upon a visit from you." "I certainly hope to meet you again and often," said Dudley, earnestly, "but did you, know my father? It seems as if I had heard him speak your name." She fumbled nervously at tho reticule. "I pardon me, sir, but ray memory Is very deficient. I cannot tell you. This la the turn you must take Our home is a mile away, a large colonial bonse pa tho right." "Ot course," he said, "I shall take you. to Squire Langley's." During the rest of the drive Dudley listened, lis-tened, fascinated, to the quaint speech of the Lady of Lbng Ago. They passed b mowing mnchlno and again Dudley had eatMOBBHslSiS aa aaxtetM moaaefil wlln tua uii.. m Met4 that ala seapanioa would feJut, shriek er try to oaten the rtlns; brt sat did nene ot these feminine things, b rtmalned teres and Ira-movable,-la ladylike potture. "My askw drives fractious horse, Ml an used to these little diversions," (he txDlahaed, "end 1 rather Ilk the excitement, ex-citement, i I trust you don't think me unmaldealy." "My aunt has an automobile and is her own chauffeur." "Can that be potslblel" Hh subsided Into a shocked silence I such misguided relatives, but presently pres-ently asked him If he had driven all the way from horn. . "No; wear spending thesummerata country hotel ten miles from here, and i brought my horse with me." "Tbl Is Squire Langley's." she said. "1 will, ask you not to drive me In, but to let me out at tho entrance here, Thank you kindly for your courtesy. I ahall hope to see you this evening." A "What time do you expect to leave her?" asked Dudley. "t shall leave her about seven o'clock; but, Mr. Johns, may I ask a favor?" fa-vor?" Her head was tent forward and the tlttl whit earls were bobbing anxiously. anx-iously. "Certainly," h replied, fervently. "Pteasa sot mention our meeting to my aephew. Ha might think it unbecoming unbe-coming In me to rid with a stranger, you know." Dudley earnestly assured her that he would not mention the meeting and with a courtly bow he drove away, looking back to watch her trip over the green lawn where wer assembled many other tlttl elderly figures. Seven o clock that evtnlng found him driving down th road on which resided Squire Langley. When almost there he met th qalnt Lady of Long Ago. "1 thought t would drive down and fetch you bom," ha said, reining his horse. "Oh, how extremely kind! 1 so enjoyed en-joyed the ride this morning," she exclaimed. ex-claimed. ' "The pleasure was mutual," he replied, tritely. "And my nephew was he glad to see you?" "Indeed he wast H Insist on my remaining re-maining over night." "1 was sore he would. Did did he speak of me?" "Tea; b showed me the little miniature minia-ture of you. It Is wonderfully like you." ' "And did you meet my great niece?" "No; she had gone to one of the neighbor's." neigh-bor's." "Of course, ha did not know you were coming to meet ma?" "No; I told him I wanted to exercise my horse. I'll tell him Imetyou, recognised recog-nised you from the picture, and " "Oh, no!" the Interrupted. "I wish yon would drive me down thatcross road where you met me this morning. I have an errand at a neighbor' there, and 1 can come from there alone." Whea they turned Into th shaded, loaaly road, Dudley suddenly stopped hi horse. "Mies Mayme, aren't those tdgs, the bonnet and veil, awfully hot and uncomfortable? uncom-fortable? Take them oft.' And he bo-gan bo-gan to untie the ribbon strings. "Oh, t think you are horrid,1' she cried, "Who told you? Papa. He didn't know!" "My dear Mies Mayme your make-up was perfect, and Iguessyourtpeerbwas. I am not posted on the vernacular, but I knew you were masquerading as soon as you cam out ot the bushes and gqt Into the carriage this morning." "Oh. how did you know?" she asked, imploringly, as she took off theTell, disclosing dis-closing flushed, dimpled cheeks and bright, eager eye. "I thought I looked the part so well. They all said to at the party." "Whn yem put, up your Wot to the top I noticed It was shod In very up-to-date evening clippers, and you sprang In so nimbly, t was suspicious. When you removed your gloves, your hands suggested the use of golf sticks Instead ot the knitting you had In your bag. You weren't afrart cr the horse, and some way, I felt your youth; but, most convincing. of all, was th fact that my shoulder was literally whit with powder. pow-der. You know you bobbed your curls around a good deal!" A peal of girlish laughter rang out on th twilight air. ''And I think I liked you because you were o sweet and gallant to an old lady! But this Is the bout where I get out. I left my outfit ther tor the role of Mayme Hartley. You see It was an 'Old Folka' party at th Langley'. and t didn't want papa to know I was Impersonating Aunt Lavlnla, He might not like It, so 1 dressed down here at the Gray." "I ahall wait hire for you." said Dudley, Dud-ley, emphatically, as th girl slighted. Her qualntness and dmurnesa had charmed him earlier la the day. He was a little curious to know If she would be as attractive in her new role and without with-out those whit curl. Presently he heard the swleh of skirts; and. looking up, saw a slender young figure of glorious glori-ous radiance coming down th foC$ path. -Kansas City Star. i |