Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-11-11

81 course r was NA3NoaUfNU11. uN6 NH1nh
~ q rule we IRE not apt 70 consider
questions Of honor with extreme nicety
when our hearts are very sore
I've decided 10 take her. Jacks
quiet voice was saying YEARLY. .It1
the only thing can do now
Ned spoke
sShe's skittish, know, but (by was
Of consolation she may outgrow that
Jcssica groanod involuntarily Jack
glanced toward the curtain.
We'll. drop the subject. In lower
voice: Keep i dark. like 4 good boy.
don't want people to know am such
young fool as to be taken in by bag Oh
bones, all paint and drugs
Jessica was plump as a partridge, and
her complexion was bloom " patented
by natures self. emorning-room was
unlit, save from the hall. Thank good.
ness for that She felt herself growing
faint and dizzy. Was that Jack who
talked so-could it be--her Jack9
ssOh, como now |" laughed Ned, ''vou
know you're exaggerating She's not
quite as bad as thatln
'sPretty nearly!n ruefully. al don't
so much mind her skittishness-I could
break her of that. / fatter mvself-but
she has q terrible temperl''
She must not faint, Jessica told her
self frantically. Oh, she must not Was
that dark thing beside her in the shadow
of the portiere a fauteuil2 She sank
down on it heavily, weakly, exhaustedly
Horror Of horrorsl 1t at first succumbed
second to her weight. then moved, pro-
tested with vigorous energy, shrieked.
All faintness banished, Jessica leaped
mingling with that muffied roar of
rheumatic agony.
That's aunta' gasped Ned.
saJcssical' cried Jack. lie strobe for
ward and flung aside the portiere. The
light from the library poured into the
shadowy morning-room. It fell on
Jessica standing just within very white
and trembling, and it showed on the
floor large and ungraceful heap OF
crushed drab silk and bugles, disordered
''front, nand gruesome groans.
For moment they stood and stared
SPECIFICS. But Miss Murphy kept CD
grooming.
'sWhat is it all about9' queried Ned
bewilderedly, helping his aunt to rise.
I'll, faltered Jessica, 'sat down on
Miss Murphy
''What e. cried Ned.
1--WE were eavesdropping, " confessed
Miss Murphy, with vcnomous candor,
land Jessica took me for a footstool and
n
my darlingl'' whispered Jack (no,
not to Miss Murphy 81 thought when
heard your voice you were hurt Or"
Jessica famed up.
s'How dare you2 Stand back siri
Here's your ring She tugged bravely,
but it fitted well. 81 have heard in
what manner you speak of me. No"
disgustedlv, don't appear astonishedl
Recall your conversation of yesterday
morning with Ned Sales. y
Ned started at being thus abruptly re-
ferred to. Jack looked dazed. Il did
not intend to hear another such CONVEX.
sation as that which had been repeated
to me. but did. If I'm-Tm. /" the rose
crimsoning In her cheek, ''skittish, /"
bringing out the hateful word with a
jerk, '.and-and a deuced- bad bar
gain, " slowly, and if I've got ter ter
: here's your ringv
But Jack did not take it. His dumb
dismay had turned to uproarious mirth.
1t was well a noisy polonaise was in pro-
gress in the drawing room. He laughed.
He kept on laughing Suddenly the
whole ludicrous misunderstanding burst
ing on Ned he struck in with very
howl of delight, and they fell into each
others arms like couple Of crazy boys
and supported each other and laughed.
But recollectinc Jessica standing there,
Sutherland explained, between shameful
relapses into laughter, = 1t was-a horse.
thought knew all about horsehesh. /
knew nothing. / have to take her-the
idiOcy is mine. / fondly fancied / had
found Maud 8. Jim Smiley's famous
nag could beat her. / gave q thousand
for her. Shes worth ah, now you un-
derstandl''
For Jessica had sprung forward,
mouth and eyes three sweet, remorsefuI
.sO'sr'
. Jack-JackI And how I talked
just nowl" al riotous bushes. /
think I'm afraid fiared up sol
must have, after all a-a-the kind Of 3
temper you said the horse had -
I'll risk iti'' laughed Jack.
Needless of Mrs. Bryant's small neph-
ew, who had entered and stood stock
still an exclamation point Of inouisitive
delight; needless of Ned. who chung IN
silent, spagm0dic cOnvuIsions to the por-
there; needless even. this rash Young
man. Of Miss Murphy ancient yir-
Gin who. rigid and frivid. ulowered az