Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-02-16
MISS ASIA,S MATCH.

I POoC dlIcduA lOI an UOuI anu utll.
''But can't she do them in the morn
ing?' asked Phil, in an innocent tone.
BOOTS = exclaimed Mis- Asia, excit-
eddy, II don't suppose she ever saw a
pair off in her life. =
There was no question As to whether
Miss Asia's eyes were black this time,
as they looked the full situation into
Kings brown eyes without word
They were flashing Egyptian rays.
There's only one thing to be done,
then" answered Phil, quietly Come
with me, and Selling polished family
candlestick, she led the way.
Not a step Of the staircase creaked as
they crept TO the fated door. The boots
had been no delusion; they stood there
still. Gazing made them none the less
real, and Miss Asia gathered her skirts
back a little, in one hand.
Il believe it 5 the very pair he wore
when he tramped half oyc' Corfu to get
a sago-palm branch for King. whisper
ed Phil. Just look at the arch Of that
instep, though Now, if there is only
such a thing as a blacking-box and a
brush in the house"
Africa left some. the last time he was
here, answered Miss Asia, in the same
ghostly tones. 81 had them wrapped
in several papers and locked away in a
chest"
Take this candlestick then" and
thrusting it into Kings hand, Phil
slipped two shapely fingers of her own
through the straps, lifted the boots, and
bore them away with a sweep
"Now, where is that chest9" she
asked, after another noiseless gliding
over the stairs.
Miss Asia produced a key and before
she had time TO know whether she
dreamed, the central medallion Of her
parlor rug was settled as the point a.
dppla
But oh, began King, in a Mortified
whisper, as she watched Phil drop one
faultless arm into mysterious learthery
depths. while the other hand seized a
brush, wait do wait till | get You
pair of gloves p
"Gloyes to take a bull by the horns."
laughed Phil with disdan. Elbow
sleeves, | admit, seem conveniently pre-
destined to the hour.
A few light passes and the the surface
was prepared, and the brush raised with
a threatening bransh in the air. There
was an instant's eagle survey of
points" and it descended, with a
swoop, upon the toe.
'1Ais-and a flood of emphatic rubs
brought polish glittering back -"this is
for what he did at first, when King lay
so horribly sick.
Another poise of the brush, another
lowering choice in Pills eyes, and
another decent that seized on the instep,
this time, as il fell
'.IbiS is for what he did for her in
Venice, and around Cape Matapan! And
another resistless whirl brought luster
cleaning from the point of attack.
But wait You must wait Give me
the other brush Do you think III let
you do such ridiculous work alone =
You His invalid And oh, those
roseate polished finger-tipsr'
A quick flush rose to Kings temples.
She had her little French box of tools
mr. 0RgieS, it is true, but so had Phil
the very same thing on her own. As if
it were Hat and in another instant
King stood close to the second boot, and
was pushing the frill a little higher on
her arm.
''Well, since you're determined, Just
lay on the ,olor, if you like said Phil,
As for one stolen respite of delay, King. 5
brown eyes yentured a tremulous in
vestigation down the LEG, ''but the rubs
are mine preempted, if that is the
word. And HiS''-wth one more de-
cent upon the -'Mis is for what he did
when King wanted to taste fresh fig.
You Shall carry them up stairs, if
you like, when they re done, she added
with little pause for breath 'but
there's time enough I've got Jatfa
and those other places to pay for yet.
"Whcn the boots stood by the Cap
tain, door once more, flashing back
every raw of the candle Miss Asia held,
She 9lided away TO her room, with a
sense that life brings strange and pecu-
liar emergencies rs it flies.
And what if he shouldn't prove to
have been really asleep through it all!
She said.
The weather left no room for a wish,
when theSneXt morningidawned but Miss
Asia forgot even its splendor IN won
dering how King had come to seem so
much like herself again, If she could
only improve as surprisingly for q few
DAYS more but suddenly there was
little cry from King.
My ring The stone has certainly
gone out Of my ringr'
Miss Asia started toward her in alarm.
1t was a grandmother diamond, too
precious for any other hand in the world
than Kings.
4 search in full force began, and the
eagle eye Of the Captain pierced hooks
and corners with a glance that left no
escape; but not a CLEAN, not a priSmatic
ray. shot back, and King began to en-
treat.
Don't, Don't take so much pains for
n tritlen but the Captain only bowed.
have always envied diamond-hunt-
erS." he said, ''but herCr' and then
there were few words that Miss Asia
did not quite catch. as She moved away
for another look in the hall. Something
about the ''lndies," and ~ field trod-
den hv King foot. but Miss Asia could
not stop To put sentences together. nor
even to consider diamonds alone The
carriage was waiting, and guests must
not be pressed upon by family affairs.
1T must be ia the house, since YOU
had 1t last night she said. | viii have
all the rooms swept while we are away.
There was only one trouble in chooS-
lIE tut NllNts tAlltN Atldt W slN tAit ~ I'll VI
a stiIl more delightful one being left out
and no shore the Sgrca had ever touch
ed could offer a more enchanting spot
for luch than the grove where Miss
Asia at last ordered the carriage TO stop.
'But this isn't precisely the point.
after ALL She said, rs she looked about
her with disturbed expression on her
face. "kiuA Iy" forgotten which way
the path runs TO the glen Just follow
and see, few steps, jfyou please, while
rest
The few steps seemed to lengthen in
10 many, however. aud then stretch 70
an encounted number more, and still
there was no return. and Miss Asia
rest reused into uueasineSs nj last,
though Phil only looked moro demure
and contentcd. a, the time went on.
If the Captain hadn gone with her
should certainly think She was LOST
began Nj Asia. cNcitedly. and that
was the very confession King had TO
make. aS, Just st thar instant, she came
In sight. with blush in her eve that
even the heWitching sweep of her hat
couldu manage 10 hide.
So very careless and dulln Size sand.
"But we know all about i now. If
yoall inst let us lead sou je1ya.
Miss Asia eyes happened to fail Oh