The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-04-05

her. i suppose i Wab 10 ptalhsi Ell
eaid, reluctant TO acknowledge 1t eVel
to herself. eBu1 ne needn't have mad'
fool OF himself by being jealous OF me
i He ought TO have known that ] dIdn'i
care for the goose of Davenport, mi
men can't see an inch ahead OF then
nose. I'll bet he'll think I'm mad for
while. and when he's had time to gel
ashamed OF himself, I'll come around
little, and be good, and every thing will
turn out nicely"
Kitfie's plan was good enough, but II
failed to work. When sine got ready to
take John back into her good graces, ne
had gone away, and she didn't know
where. The days slipped by, and Kitty
hoped he would come back or write, but
her hone was vain one. He had eviN
IDENTITY taken her at her word, and hence
forth they we're to be strangers TO each
/ other.
4" And was the only one to blame, ="
gobbed Kittie. Ii was all my doingF,
| and I loved him!" y
1t was q drowsy summer day. The
wind was languid with warmth, and
seemed to make the day more depressing
in its influence on brain and body than
it would have been if no breath o. air
had stirred the droopiug leaves outside
the open window.
Catharine Rayne stood at her desk in
the treasury building in Washington,
and went through with her work in a
mechanical way. 1t was hard to keep
ter thoughts upon it this sluggish after
noon, when everything seemed ready to
ewoon for a fresh breath of GOODNESS to
revive it.
A great change had come into her life
since she gave back John Fenwick's
ring. A sudden collapse Of the bank in
which their money had been deposited
had left her and her mother dependent
upon their hands Tor the bread they
must eat and the clothes they must wear.
Sac had accepted the change bIavely.
1t needed SINE such blow to bring out
the strength OF her character. a friend
in Washington had procured her place
in the treasury department, and sine had
come there, bringing her mother, vino
was little better chan an invalid. What
she earned was enough TO keep them
comfortable, and she was thankful for
that
she had grown TO be grave and
thoughtful woman. The years had come
and gone, and she was thirty now, with
silver threads beginning to show in her
brown hair, and little lines of care about
her mouth. i
In al these years she had heard but
little of John Fenwick. She knew that
he was getting to be prominent man at
the west. But that was about all It
had always seemed to her that they
would meet again somewhere. She won
dered when, and how. Loving him as
she mad done, she felt what it is to lose,
and in the bittereat way loss can ever
come to us. Ever since they had known
her in the treasury department she had
carried that look OF patient sorrow in
her eyes i
Z am sure there must be some TO-
nance in Miss Raype's past liie," de-
clared Susie Vernon. +" i wish ] knew
what it Was"
she isn't looking at all well lately"
said Susie to her neighbor, this drowsy
DAY. She is overwoiking herself.
She'll be down completely ii she il MT
careful"
There was sound of voices at the
door, and one of the treasury officers
came in with some gentleman. Visitors
were 60 common that no one gave them
more than passing glance as they en-
tered; then work went on again in its
systematic way.
Catherine did not look up. But she
became aware, by some subtle influence
all at once, that some one was watching
her. She looked up then, and gave a
little cry that was almost sob.
Kittiel" it was John Fenwick's
voice that spoke. 1t was his hand that
was outstretched in welcome.
Haven't you word of welcome for
q fellow?" ne said, looking down into
her face questioningly.
:" j am glad to zee you, John" she
said, and then burst into sudden fit. of