The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-06-27

: herself In that wey, and / did SO gently
but resolutely. I described Clarkson'
ear, and l took some liberties with it
1t would be just like the wretch to re
ceiye all her little condolences and retail
Them for the amusement of the clerks
Old l4ruf was an ogre capable OF dis
missing me without warming, if / did no
attend every minute to my business
Our hopes of happiness dspends upor
his good pleasure. Miss Peytop wa
cool and digniied. Isuppose she knew
Twas exaggerating. Agnes ookedhurt
Her sweet lips trembled a little and hel
eyes We're suspiciously dim. I longed
to have her alone for a little while tc
comfort her, as / knew I could; but
there was no chance, for although Miss
George relented sufficiently to go up
stairs to write an important letter
Raphael was there, resting his elbow on
the table and looking up at Agnes with
an expression of deep pity in his beauti-
full but sleepy dark eyes.
And yet the next day the same thing
occurred. Mr. Gruff was there. and
looked up from his papers with a glance
OF disapproval as / took Clarkson's
place at the telephone. My "Hullo'
was rather savage.
"Oh, Harry, do forgive me! Indeed
i felt SO sorry last night, and wanted to
tell you SO; but, you see, Ralph was
there. I'm all alone now. Oh, Harry,
won't You forgive me?"
OF course" / returned, feeling
CRAFTS eyes burning unpleasantly on
the nape OF my neck.
"Oh, Harry, dear, don't talk like that
to me. Do say you love me-"
Was there yer such a child? I felt
like a cold blooded wretch as Hurried
ly replied:
"All right. I'll come up as soon as I
can. Very busy now. Good by!"
felt, rather than heard, a little sob
at the other end ofthe wire. Gruff said
nothing, but l was doomed to another
miserable day. l managed, to ask
Clarkson, if I was called again, to say
l could not attend, andti five times / heard
him give this message, and each time lie
turned away with mighty grin. What
might not Agnes have said to him?
vi course. l hurried to the Peytons,
determined to see her alone. She came
running into the hall to meet me-. bright
and loving, but the annoyances of the
day had made me cross, and Isaid curt
~:
REALLY, Agnes, it is very strangeyo
don't understand that IMAM cannot take
his business hours to talk with his
friends. After all l said last night, 1
must say l was surprised to be called
up again to-day"
Agnes stopped abruptly, and. said,
with dignity:
Il do not understand you'll"
"Why, my dear little girl" I said
sobered by the change in her manner,
Il do not mean to be cross, but how
could 1 talk totyou about my affection
and forgiveness through the telephone,
with all those fellows listening, to say
nothing of old Gruff?"
But / have not touched the tele-
phone to-day. Harry!"
"Georgieg called Agnes, stepping
back to the sitting room, andI followed.
to tell the story.
1t is very strange" said Miss Pevton;.
"but Of course tits some mistake. The,
lines are out of order or crossed in ONE
way. But mamma and Agnes and 1
have been out shopping all day, and.
we lunched down town, so we can.
prove al alibi."
1t certainly was very strange, but we
all concluded that it might be as Miss
George suggested; and the pater at
once began to SPIN long yarns about
queer messages till at last I coaxed
Agnes into the conservatory alone, and
the closeof. the evening was all the
brighter for the shadow with which it
began. Thedear-g girl sympathized with
me and forgave my impatienee, and was
SO sweet that before l knew. l found
myself telling-her the one event of my
life | had determined to keep secret
the little ENHANCEMENT I once had with
Lucretia Chase. OF course, she. had
been to blame; and Agnes thought her
very horrid and forward, so 1 had to
admit that Cretia had misunderstood
some things T. had said to her when a
mere boy, and'then Agnes asked me if
l really, really loved her best, All me!
what q happy evening it was!
Again the next day the telephone an
noyance began, but I felt snre of my
ground, and toiM Clarkson he could re-
fuse to listen. Imagine my surprise
when he turpedtto me with clever imi-
tation of Agnes voice, saying:
"she is quitesure Harry will corae
when he knowsshe wants to talk to HIM
about Cretia4'm
Twas thnndarstruck Lucretia Chase
lived in yermant:I was morallv snre
no II in the city knew Of her exist
ence-no one but Agnes. T rusbed to
tl,e Instrument. n was thassama wis
clear voice, How conld anv one have
know that Chetia possessed fsoma ;diot;c
lines T had ioIsee written hay--any o,,a
but AGNES? Yet now I bsard them "a
.peated:
oh cts,sa /, f.;ros+ 20 ,or .s,,o,