The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-07-26

we've been told all our lives to love eacl
other like brothers and sisters, and view,
done Us we were told. 1t seems unfair OF
Archie, that you and should contem
plate making change without consultin,
him."
She said it 50 seriously that he fell int
her humOr.
"You shall write and tell Archie o.
our engagement to-day, If you WILL" h,
said. -.
81 But we're not engaged. I'm balanc
ing the fOrs and againsts still. like YOU
and love you. and like and love Archie
too: he's just as dear to me as you are
We had better not be engaged; we'd much
better not think of marriage, Rupert; lei
us 60 on as we were before, and don't in.
troduce complications.
II can't 60 on as did before; you've
grown too dear to me for that" the young
man said, earnestly. "It must be one
thing or the other now, Kathleen; must
either 60 away, and not see you again, OF
you must promise to be my wife"
You shall not 60 away, and I won't
quite give you the promise; yet l may, by
and by, when I've thought about it little
more, and got used to tn
Don't trifle with me; don'tlea me on
for nothing" he pleaded.
Don't be dictatorial," she laughed
eff am worth having, I'm worth wait
ing for" Then she changed her manner
abruptly, and said, pleadingly: "SLp-
posing say that it shall be as you wish in
good time, will you do me little favor in
return ?"
thing"
Its only a little thing that ask,
Rupert. Don't say anything about it to
mamma or any one yet; let It be Our own
little secret; will you, dear:''
She held her rosy mouth toward him,
and was so irrisistibiy coaxing that, as he
kissed and clasped her to him, he granted
the little favor she prayed for, though it
was sorely against the grain that he did il.
Everything must be as you like, my
own Kathleen but don't like anything
underhand. abhor secrecy, and to OBJ
serve it toward the dear mother, too
We've always told her everything, you
know; don't let US begin deceiving her
now. 1t will make her so happy to hear
il; let me tell the mother!"
But Kathleen was resOlute. 1t must be
kept secret for time, for as long as she
liked, or she would have nothing to say
to himi And, as he loved her so, he gave
in to her within, though his judgment was
opposed to what he believed to be " mo-
tiveless deception" And affairs were in
i this unsatisfactory state when Archie came
from the camp at the Curragh on six
weeks leave
The maintenance of the secret involved
a great deal more restraint and circum.
spection than Rupert had contemplated
when unadvisedly giving in to Kathleen
caprice. The fraternal relation had
ceased to exist; and, on pain of her dis
pleasure, he dared not betray the other and
n ore tender one that had been instituted.
Accordingly, q certain reserve and stiff.
ness characterized Rupert's bearing to.
ward his promised wife in public, and
the girl seemed to take a delight in teas
ing him, by being frigid toward him, and
almost demonstratively affectionate TO-
ward Archie. $" 1t was a pretty little
game" she said; "Quite as amusing as
chess" She would insist upon his prais-
ing her acting powers; and to please her
he was SO slavishly in love-he would
sometimes profess to be entertained by the
semi-sentimental Irritation which she car.
ried on openly with Archie.
But it's playing with fire, Kathleen"
he said to her, warningly, once or twice.
"Archie's q susceptible fellow, and as be
Is unconscious OF treachery toward me, he
may lose his head and place you in a di-
lemma by proposing to you; then it must
come out, and how could we face him
after selling him sop
The girl crimsoned as she listened to
her lover; but whether her emotion was
caused by anger or contrition he could
not divine.
II will take care that Archie doesn',
make mistake, or lose either his head
or his heart to me. You have NO conf.
dence in me, Rupert, no love for me, OF
you wouldn't hurt my feelings by hazard
ing such proposition"
Il more than oveyou-I worship you, >
he answered, warmly; but l love my
"Then cease to wrong me by being idly
jealous of him." she said, coldly; and, fol
the first time since the existence of thei]
understanding, she left him angrily, anG
would not even give him the parting kis.
of peace he craved for.
1t added to his uneasiness this dav
when his mother-always ON the aler
| when her boys were concerned-spOke &c
him about his brother. HAS it struck
you that Archie is getting fond of Kath
leen?" she began, and his whole franc
trembled under the first shock Of definite
realized jealousy, as he answered:
:" hope not fOnder of her than he ha.
been all his life, with all my heart aMd
SOUL"
But, my dear boy, why SO vehement
ly opposed to the idea? Even your ia
ther, who was unreasonable on the sub
ject years ago, long before / troubled my
head with the thought of love or mar
riage in connection with either of you
even your father seems we'll pleased
enough now"
swell pleased with what p poor Ru
pert asked, in agony. Has it come t.
this, that you've talked about it-that there
is anything.to talk about-while have
been kept In the dark r. SgA. - s~a
Iscan't help seeing that they Sle very
much attached to each other. have mo-
spoken to either Of them yet, but we al
musteee how very much attached they
are, his mo her replied.
"Then Heaven help me-" Rupert said
in Stone Of bitter misery, throwing him
self down ION Ahe sofa by liS snintAer
Mother, you may - we'll know it now
Theres deception all round she has prom
1sed to marry me, pretended that helove,
mel Good heavensi how can such al
arch. traitress have grown up in your pure
truthful atmosphereY'
My boy, my Rupert / may be mia
taken, must be mistaken" poor. Devil
dered Mrs. Baly0n cried. 'sOur Kath
leen could sneyer bring herself to csus.
such mysefy bat, WHY WaSi't fSt8td,
No, she can't have acted SO basely. and
| I've wron6sa sand pisjpdged tie girl
love a. . dSuG htsr; rs Just sisters Low,
she's giving to Archie. and perhaps he'l
LIN her sesret and-oh. my boy, dom
The mother was powerless to combs
hthi1& fefE - ahGigns i in any degree
FTh666 sons nd been her 10y and comfor
all their lives, and now, when trouble fel
nnon one of them for the first time, sh,
could do nothing to aid him to bear it
nothing to tighten the burden to him
Eu16 BOD t6x1TIf it had been brough
upon him by any other man, she nigh
baYe been able TO counsel him how Il
besf IL 4 But u, have fdlledi q hin
through his brothers aeencyl They Werl