The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-01-03
1 made mistake" Again the mirthful
look danced in his eyes. "Good morn

w,
hand on the top of the fence, vaulted
over, and the next moment was out of
sight.
Kitty did not swing any more that
day, but went back to the house, NUT
tering: Impudent fellow" |" while the
real Rupert, who had started off chasing
a rabbit, reappeared at this iuncture,
and accompanied her. But this was not
the Rupert she meant, when she said
:" the impudent fellow"
A week passed. Kitty saw no more
of the stranger, though she often won
dered whom he could be, and if he were
staying in the neighborhood. At the
end of that time she attended an eve-
ming party at Squire Stacey's. Almost
the first person she saw on entering the
room was the handsome stranger.
CT wish to introduce you to my
nephew" said the squire, leading that
parsonage up to Kitty. ellis name, by
baptism, is Rupert Mortimer but he is
such a saucy fellow that he is best
known among his friends as that impu-
dent puppy.
The eyes of the young people met.
Young Mr.. Mortimers were dancing
IL.
could not help laughing. So they
laughed in concert, and he said, bowling
low, and repeating the same words he
had used in the garden:
eyes, that impudent puppy-at
your service, miss.
"He is making sport of me-" said
Kitty to herself, and drew herself up
haughtily; and for the rest of the inter-
view she was cold and reserved, confn-
ing herself to morosyllabic replies.
/ Very soon, at the a'SSance of one of
her many admirers, SHe excused herself,
and went off to daz0S.
GA bit of Tartar, I'm afraid, solilo-
quized Rupert Mortimer. "But how
pretty she is. She looks, too, as though
she had noble character and she can
take her own part, as have found to
my cost But I'm afraid she has been
6poilt by admiration. To get into her
good graces one must go on his very
knees to her and, faith it is almost
worth while to do it. But no, Rupert
Mortimer, my boy, keep your self-re-
spect." Then, with laugh, "' Is thy
servant dog, that he should 10 this
thing?'
Yet often that evening Rupert found
himself, as if by some magnetic attrac'
tion, drawn to Kitty's side. Kitty, too,
could not help occasionally glancing
admiringly at his handsome face and
graceful figure.
Balls, pic-nics and croquet parties
followed each other in rapid succession,
for the summer was gay one. Kitty
and young Mr.. Mortimer were together
almost constantly. Somehow, Kitty fell
into the habit of expecting Rupert
always as her special escort; and he
began to feel that no one but he had a
right to Kitty, and to be very jealous
when others attempted to pay her atten-
tions. AS yet, however, no words of
love passed between them; for Rupert,
now thoroughly enamored, feared to
ruin all by a too premature avowal; ss-
pecially as, once or twice, when he had
ventured to approach the subject, Kitty
had suddenly grown naughty and cold.
A final picnic had been planned to
close the season. 1t proved a great sue
cess. The day passed merrily on until
luncheon time. Rupert had made up
his mind to have a quite ramble with
Kitty after this meal, and if things went
well, " SDouh VI lid lONt. Dlb ut
counted without his host, for when
luncheon was over, and he had got rid of
his aunt, Mrs. Stacy, who had called
him to her side to wait on her, 10
Kitty had disappeared. Full of jealous
fears, and determined to find out who
was his rival, he seth forth through the
woods to discover Kitty.
He had not gone far before her favor
ite dog came bounding toward him,
jumping and barking, and manifesting
the greatest delight at seeing him. But
when Rupert stopped to pat his name
sake, the dog 6arted ahead; then stopped
and looked wistfully at Rupert, and then
rushed on again.
"What can he mean ?" said Rupert.
A sudden fear seized him that some-
thing was wrong, and he hurried on,
the dog rapidly leading the way.
At last, in an opening of the woods,
on q moss-covered rock, he saw Kitty,
pale, breathless, and apparently in pain.
In moment he was at her side. All his
jealousy was gone. Love was upper
most now.
ooh darling" he cried, "what is
it? Thank Heaven l have found YOU. "
cob! Mr.. Mortimer" she cried, with
little sob, chow glad am to see you.
I began to think l should have to stay
all night alone. I've sprained my ankle
and l can't walk. What shall L do ?"
And she burst into tears.
Our hero took both the little hands,
and held them tightly in his own, while
he questioned her anxiously as to the
accident, relating meantime how he came
to find her.
"But how" exclaimed Kitty, ruefully,
when he had DONE" how am 1 ever to
get back I don't believe l can walk a
STEP"
"Of course you can't. Who said you
could ?" cried Rupert. "But you'll get
back right, all the same, for intend to
carry you"
"Carry me - Kitty gave a little
scream, and shrank back, and covered
her face with both her hands, for she
felt the hot blood in her cheeks. "Oh,
no that will never do !" and she blum
dered out unthinkingly, "what will peo-
pie say?"
But Rupert did, Napt stop to reply to
this question. Very little cared he what
people said. Without q word he put his
arms around Kitty, and, lifting her
bodily from her feet, walked off with her
as if she had been feather-weight.
At first, Kitty struggled little but
the strong, manful arms held her closely,
and soon she began rather to like it, and
to think it all very delightful.
sat any rate" she said to herself, "I
can't help it; he is too masterful to
resist"
With this comforting conclusion, her