The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-03-14

III qAiIte SsSOriS, HIS 1flenu w Nllue
replied, from behind thick veil of to-
hacco- smoke.
"The fishing is really good. as You
know from yesterdays sport"
"Excellent-never caught finer trout
and we couldn't have found =. better
boarding place. Besides, Malcolm, for
flirting man like you, the facilities "
Ritchie interrupted him with hasty
gesture, by which he sought to indicate
sthat a certain lady was in the parlor,
quite within earshot.
Wynne raised his eyebrows in an. ex-
pressive manner. and glanced over his
shoulder at the fair and delicate pro
file which the open window framed,
"Ah" he exclaimed, in German.
$50? ,.,Scher schon, NIGHT wahr?t'
s'Yes, very pretty, the little rustic, y
Ritchie replied, in the same tongue,
which they continued to speak hence
forth. t'But her name is Jennie"
''Oh, we'll. A rose by any"
eyes, I know. But, with look of
disgust, ''that purple calico is too ut
terly-"
"Too, too," Wynne interrupted, with
laugh. "What prig you can be
when you've mind to, Ritcllie. But ]
saw her yesterday, when 1 thought her
about the prettiest girl I ever met. 1T
was after We had come back from fish,
ing, when took a stroll, as you know,
in which you We're too lazy to accom-
pany me. Well, as was coming back
I saw, at the foot of the garden, some
body up a tree. 1t was this niece. She
had mounted a ladder, and was feeding
some little tufts of birds in a nest;
suppose one where the patents had been
killed. Fortunately, l was not seen,
ani as could watch without offence he,
interest in the little orphans. The
sweet way in which she talked to them
as if they could understand her. was
really charming Besides, ! caught +
glimpse of just the neatest ankle in tht
world. My dear fellow, this is your op
port1mity"
,"How SOP"
To be all alone, in an out -of-th way
place, with such an uncommonly pretty
s,, s:.l yY;ts Y;;ttas your well-known proclivitie..
for flirting, you ought to score heavily
How absurd you gre! | fond O
flirting? Besides" with All, air Of so1
elnnity. st wouldn't be fair TO fiirt with
her" ..-y,,
Wynne laughed outright. aDo YOU
mean on principle? Or, are you afraid
Of the old lady 2"
Neither It's the girl herself. She
might take it all in sober earnest"
Wynne broke in with another laugh.
Don't, be fool. ;, She would take to
flirting as duck does to water. They
all do"
"Did understand you8o say" inter-
posed Ritchie, "that she's the old lady's
niece?"
$50 I infer. She calls Mrs. Good
rich Aunt Nina"
"Um! And Mrs. Goodrich calls her
'Jinnie'-Jinnie Gray"
"Call her Jeannette-Miss Jeanette.
Now, by Jove," frightening up, "that
wouldn't be bad way to begin. Take
the affair in hand. Ritchie-do."
Ritchie smiled. He was very hand
some fellow, and rich, too. Women
were apt to throw themselves at his
head.
Stay, and do your own flirting, +" he
suggested. "Why can't you stay?'
Couldn't possibly I'm up for q
case tomorrow, and-by Jove! 1 for
got to tell Mr.. Goodrich I should want
a team in the morning."
Ritehiesgot up lazily, and together
they sailed forth to the barn
1t was quite dusk when they returned
The girl at the window had gone, but
there was a light in the second story
front room, and out into the deepening
twilight foated the soft strains Of one
ofsGottschalk's most,fnisled pieces.
-" A. piano!" Ritchie exclaimed, in
surprise. We'll, jimmie is the family
prodigy. l suppose, and nothing which
these hard-working people can earn is
too good for her.
When the gentlemen came down to
breakfast. the next morning. Farmer
Goodrich's niece was just bringing in
n plate Of mullins from the kitchen.
and her cheeks were softly flushed.
The coil Of wavy brown hair at the back
of her head met Ritcllie's entire appro-
val: but alas! she still wore an lift
ting, old-faslionedgoWn Of spotted pur-
pie calico.
''Ab," Richie exclaimed, ''here
comes the siren. Miss Gray you have
cast spell apon us.
"Sir?" she said, with such naive up
lifting of her eyes, such sweetly I'M
conscious air, that Bob fairly gaspcd.
1t was yon who played last night,
wasn't it? ?" Ritchie asked. in Confusion.
."Oh; yes was the ready>response.
IT play every evening""
Mr. Wynne and I were delighted.
We sat on the porch and listened for
over an hour"
''Why didn't you come up?" Jimmie
asked, with the most unconventional
freedom. '',Just come up whenever you
feel like it,
YES" interposed the farmers wife
"jist you make yourself at home, Mr..
Ritchie. Jinnie's got her piannY up in
the front room, and if you'd like. to go
up there and sit while cvenin's, list
dew"
Thanks" Ritchie murmured, with
out daring to look at Bob, who seemed
to be on the verge of convulsion.
My dear fellow" Wynne said, that
morning on the way down to the station,
"as the girls say. it's just too funny for
anything. Only keep me posted how
your Irritation gets SON. Think of NAL
COIN Ritchies and this little rustic. =
And he laughed low, musical laugh
VI dirisioii,
Richie did not 60 up TO the front