Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-08-23
would not have heartily Joined in them

| mouiu not nave heaftily joined IN them
if he had.
"Never mind the pink. cousin Kate-sit
down here, for wish to speak with YOU
Kate took seat by his side as obedient-
~ as If she were pctted child, and with
her gathered. pansies in her hands, she
looked confdingly up into the mans hand.
some face and said
Snow, cousin, tell me what you want to
say to me, and while you are doing so i
will arrange my flowers"
He looked down at her with SURPRISE
Pure and simple surprise. He couldn't
Understandable good reason why-the
poor girl didn't understand herself. An
other girl, he thought, would instantly
have known why she was invited TO a tee-
d-tete, in lonely conservatory and would
naturally have felt somewhat nervous,
unless indeed she was n "girl Of the pc
riod," and possessed of considerable ex-
| perience in matters such as he proposed
| to enter into
Cousin Walter was puzzled how to pro-
coed. Hates GOODNESS had entirely upset
his plans of operation-he stammered out
| at last-"Well Kate i wanted to speak
about-about-"
"About acldt, Walter? You talk like n
| little school boy-now say right out what
you want, and if it is this bouquet will
| immediately arrange and give it to youw
"Was there ever such-such impu-
dencew thought.the young man--did she
understand what he wished to say or did
she not-"anyway here she is throwing
herself at my head and I'll catch her-so
here goes
"Well, I'll tell you Kate, I've been think
ing-thinking-"
sand so have L Walter, and it is the
most improbable thing man or woman
can do. If you will stop thinking, Walter
you will do much better. Here, put that
pink in your button-hole"
"Is this girl an idiot-a fool, orr is
is she just making fun of me-she looks
innocent enough, but-but I've my doubts
However, here goes again"
1--WE been thinking cousin of getting
married. That's it.'
well, why don't you WalterR You're
old enough, I'm sure"
Il want to marry you Kate love
youw
"You want to marry me, cousin Walter;
When2"
whenever you will, Katew exclaimed
the surprised young man, looking at the
calm, beautiful face in the deepest Won
der.
"You must ask Mrs. Markham, cousin,
and she will tell you when-there! you
will run back and tell me the time, so I
may he ready"
Walter Dillon was startled 10y this an
swer. Was the girl madl What had
come over herr He looked scarchingly
into her beautiful face but saw nothing
there TO indicate unsoundness of intellect
her eyes were calmly gentle, though
somewhat vacant in their expression, and
sweet contding smile played about her
hps-yes, she was all herself-so he said.
"Why see Mrs. Markham What has
she to do with ii III see he"
"Hush, Walter, you mustn't speak SO of
Mrs. Markham. She is nag friend, and
You must treat her with becoming respect.
shall do nothing without Mrs. Mark
hams consent"
On this point poor Kate was firm, and
together the two logors ~ left the conser-
vatory and made their way to Mrs. Ms
dormitory, where, much to her astonish-
ment, the proposition of Walter Dillon was
laid before her.
To say that she was dumb with amaze
ment, would but lily express her feelings;
but she congratulated Walter and his affi-
anced on their engagement, and kissed
Kate as she turned to leave the room.
AS for Walter, there was something
about the whole affair which startled and
COMPOUNDED him; what it was he could
not tell-but he often looked uneasily ut
Kate, as if seeking the solution of some
mysterious problem.
AS for Kate herself, she took things
quite coolly. She didn't seem to see any
thing extraordinary or uncommon about
the matter, but gave herself away with
the same unconceIn that she would have
tossed withered flower into the gutter.
All the rest of the afternoon the face of
Martha Markham was drawn and pale as
if with pain; and, for part of the after
noon she was quietly closeted with the old
gentleman. Kate flutterod about the
house as usual, singing to herself, and
looking like anything but an engaged
young lady.
To be Continued.