The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-08-04

Ou, ~, Jack, naStlly, III ISL
anything"
"Well. but it's something! You
wouldn't look all tagged out for moth
ing" he persisted.
Il only got little tired walking"
she answered, evasively.
Needn't tell me thatr' and he
snapped his fingers derisively. "Or, if
you did, Val had a finger in the pie
some how. I'd like to see pie she
didn't have finger in." he mutters.
"Corle, Chrissie, tell fellow all about
it." he added, suddenly changing his
tone.
And Chrissie does "tell fellow all
about it"
Sympathetic Jack listens, part of the
time giving an imaginary Valerie a
piece of his mind, and then. in magma
ton, shaking hands admiringly with
Keith Falconer.
Chris remembers herself with start.
go Jack, | must help Watkins now"
and leaves him.
YES" he mutters, wrathfully. "walk
two miles in the blazing sun, help Wat
kins till tea-time. then rig out Val, and
afterward play quadrilleS for the rest to
dance two or three hours! don't see
what in thunder makes girls so hateful
to each other''
Jack had no idea of being profane.
but he was of the opinion that it took
strong words to express strong indigna-
ton.
That evening Miss Valerie Richards
found Keith Falconer rather more in
different TO her charms than was alto
eether pleasing to that young lady. To
all her witty remarks he seemed insensi-
bic, and was once rude enough to inter-
rupt q brilliant sally with:
Amt we to have the pleasure of see
ing your cousin this EVENING""
My cousin?" she asked, arching her
jetty brows in weli-simulated surprise.
Il beg your pardon" he answered,
81 had reference to Miss Eustace.''
go, you mean Chris! Why, | no
more think of calling her cousin than l
would Watkins. my maid. Her father
was only papa's half-brother any way,
and we're only keeping her till she can
get a better chance"
Indeedn'
And the gentleman nodded rather too
stiffiy to be entirely gallant, it must be
A slight movement behind caused
both to turn. Chris, with fierce little
flush on either cheek, stood waiting for
them to stand aside that she might
pass.
..Oh, is it you?''
Miss Valerie didn't care to conceal a
certain scornful emphasis.
Pardon mer exclaimed Falconer,
much disturbed, for he knew she must
have heard that unkind remark a mo-
ment before. But he managed to
possess himself of the roll of music,
and, Notwithstanding Miss Valerie's
disgust at this proceeding,
poor little Chris to the
piano. There, although he exerted
himself to the utmost to be agreeable
and no one could be more so when he
could not altogether Danish
the cloud from the pretty face, or the
panied look from the tender brown
eyes.
More than once he looked up to see
sudden tears kept back by a great eff
fort, and perhaps this fact, together
with strong personal interest,
made him more devoted and tenderly
solicitous for the welfare of his little
protegee than suited the fair Valerie.
Be that as it may. she fairly ground
her teeth in rage, as Keith Falconer
stood turning Chris music, and once,
when he capped the climax by bringing
her an ice, Jack, who was peeping in
the window. was afterward heard to de-
clare:
oval was so tearin' mad, she shook
her fist at the whole caboodle of 'emr'
"Caboodle" was word all Jacks
own. coined for the occasion.
After that quadrille he took her out
to walk on the piazza in the delicious
and made himself so pleas
inc, talking with her SO kindly and
gently, and insisting upon arranging
The fleecy Shetland shawl about her
shoulders to suit himself, that poor,
foolish Chris half wished that this
walk might last forever, and
he morrow of which she had such pain
;ul forebodings never come.
The next morning Chris did rot ap-
pear, and Aunt Richards commented
severely, in a general sort of way, about
people who would 90 wandering about
moonlight evenings. eff one was SO
one must expect to be SICK"
md so forth.
Valerie said very little. but that little
vas so decidedly tinged with acidity no
me wanted more.
Keith Falconer felt uncomfortable
just as they intended he
hould; but, contrary to their expecta-
ions, he understood precisely with
whom he had to deal. Besides, he had
certain little scheme in his own mind. |
which he meant, in a quietly determined |
way peculiar to himself, to carry out.
Therefore his manner was urbanity it
elf, and he seemed so delightfully."- easy |
md Indifferent no one would imagine |
hat he ever took moonlight walks or
new of any one who did.
Meantime, while one of the offenders
vas pouring oil upon the troubled wa
ers below, the other, in a little cham
'er up three flights, was industriously
ashioning pale-blue satin bows for a
White muslin dress of Valerie's.
Nothing had been said to her about |
asst nights escapade. and Chris felt al
nost blissfully happy, even though she
ad been working since daylight, and
he memory of the unkind words of the