The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1873-08-20

your tall. stern brother? Only, Katy
/ was silly enough to want to tease
him little, and test my power over
his noble heart. / love him, Kate
II may tell you of it, dear, without
being bold, or unwomanly, because
you know we have often talked about
his liking me a little and-and-oh
Kate, answer me don't be so cold
and cruel! Surely you can't be
asleep
"Where are your lips, cher annie p
she coaxed playfully. 4 shall soon
break the magnet spell of silence
that binds them. You know you
never keep vexed with me more than
five minutes at a time. Why, where s
your hair? Where
She sprang suddenly to her feet
with a piercing scream-her wan
dering hand had touched the dark
heavy moustache on which Colonel
Mordaunt prided himself so es-
peeially.
He strove to catch the hand-to
detain the frightened beauty long
enough to plead his cause in earnest
impassioned words, but in vain.-
Fear seemed literally to lend her
wings. Away like a frightened
white dove, she few, uttering wild
hysteric screams, and fairly falling
into the arms of the astonished
Katy Mordaunt who was just coming
in from the starlighted garden with
both hands full of dewy branches
of Honeysuckles.
''Valentin p she exclaimed. drop
ping the spicy blossoms. "Why
what is the matter? what can have
started you SO dreadfully?'
''Oh, Katy! Katy p sobbed Val
entin clinging to her friends shoul-
der, with vehemence, "there is a
man in your room--a robber. hiding
under your cashmere shawl on the
sofa! Oh, am nearly frightened to
death p
Katy's serene brown eyes dilated
a little-then frightened into a smil-
ing archness.
"A robber p she repeated with
provoking calmness.
Nonsense, Valentin. you are
mistaken. Itwas only Jack saw
him go in there not half an hour
ago. The idea of taking our Jack
for robber!" Katy's laughter rip
pied merrily at the mere fancy.
Only Jack In the midst of her
terror the possibility had never oc-
Cured to Valentin Bruce's mind.
Only Jack The Forty Thieves them
selves would have faded into moth
ingness before the mere idea of
Colonel Mordaunt having heard all
these soft pleadings and unconscious
admissions. One minute VaIentin
felt as if every vein throughout her
whole frame were filed with molten
fre-then she grew white and cold
as a marble statue. Life and
strength seemed ebbing away from
her--for the first time in her life
Valentin Bruce tainted away.
Katy Mordaunt quietly sprinkled
scented water on the palid forehead,
and began to unlace the white mus
lin dress. AS she did so, a faded
bunch of flowers fell from Yalen-
tins bosom, and Katy smiled as she
recognized the moss buds that had
been thrown so haughtily out on the
lawn that very evening.
"Tn keep them for Jack" she
said. "Ah, Valentin, you'll be my
sister-in-law yet
How shyly the blue-eyed damsel
stole in the breakfast room the next
morning. She would have cheerful
ly tasted all day sooner than. enter
the presence of the tall Colonel;
but what was the use. The dread
ed first interview must be got over,
sooner or later so here she was. with
downcast lashes, and cheeks dyed
as deep pink as the rose colored
wrapper she had on. No more
naughty airs and graces-no more
cool composure. She was at Colonel
Mordaunt' S mercy. and she knew it
Would he take cruel advantages of
her helplessness. Or would he
But there her cogitations always
stopped.
He was standing at the window,
looking down on the morning sun
shine that bathed the short, velvety
grass before the piazza. But he
turned quickly as she entered with
a bright welcome smile.
"Valentin?' said he gently, 'swas
| dreaming last night, or did 1 hear
you say that you loved me! Oh, my
darling, tell me it was no baseless
dream p
She came shyly to his arms and
nestled there like fluttering fawn,
voiceless yet happy. Still he was
not contented.
Il want to hear it from your own
lips yet again, Valentin. Nay