The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-11-19
probably he woula u..-'

her own room, locked the door, thrown
herself on the bed. and commenced
what the girls at school call good
cry"
If he had been old. or ugly, or disa-
greeable---if he had been anything but
the soft-voiced distractingly good-fook-
ing fellow he .was--she could haye
borne it with fortitude.
Why had George brought him at
that dreadful timer Why had she hit
upon this particular day for that idiotic
performance Why was he not red
haired or cross-eyed, or-somethingl
She would not have minded it in the
least In that case. .. ...
There was tap at the door, and
she heard Georges voice, not yet quite
composed. begging her to lot him in.
His mirth disappeared before the
woe-begone little person who opened
the door to him, and stood mopping
her eyes.
"Oh, we'll. now!" he began, COM
fortingly. ''you don't mean to say
you're brokon up like this about lit
tlo thing like thatp"
IA little thing!' cried Winnie, chok-
he thinkP"
Never mind what he'll think"
said George, calmly. ''It was o good
joke. and that ought to be enough for
| YOU"
That did not seom to console Win
| ME. She only sobbed into her hand
kerchief the more wildly.
| ''Why did you bring himp" she muir
INJURED, in q hoart-broken way. "Why
didn't you bring somebody that wasn't
1910 nice2h
"Oh, well," he observed, irving to
speak in an off-hand way, don't Wor-
ry about it! ho's-he's married."
The sobs ceased. But. strange to
| say, the face which lifted itsclf from
tho handkerchief was not exactly ra-
diant. 1t seemed disappointed.
| 'Marriedr Winnie repeated in an
| injured tone.
| Good gracious" said the bewilder
eouS So % young man. Don't that suit
Don't be rudo!' said his sister Sc
| veroly.
The sight of so much dignity, in
combination with the coral necklace
and the juvonilc dress, was too much
Tor George. He clung to the door in
another paroxysm of mirth.
you've got to como down, you
know" he gasped, wiping his eyes.
.:Put on something decent, and come
down and paralyzc him. What do
you carer"
Winnie wavorod. After all. what
did she carer He was married!
| Half an hour later. Tom Bradley,
leaning against the piano in the draw
ing-room, and listening to Georges
rendering Of tho latest popular air,
was reused by the sound of footstep
on the uncarpetcd floor, and startled
by the appearance of a graceful and
extremely pretty young lady in blue
He was astonished at the familiar
smile she gave him; he was astonished
st the way in which George whirled
| about on the piano-stool, and grinned,
without introducing them; and then,
as he looked more closely at the pretty
| apparition, he became aware of the
startling truth.
Winnie's composure. which had be-
gun to desert her. returned in full
force. as the young man dropped
his eyes and studied tho bare floor in
evident confusion.
She sank On the sofa calmly, ar
ranged the folds of her dress becom-
iingly, and begged her brother. sweet
ly to continue his song.
'TL let him know [ don't care" she
said to herself triumphantly. MAR
| ried--the horrid thingF'
| ''Are you as fond Of music as Of
dollsp" tho Soung man ventured,
breaking the silence at last.
Almost, " said Winnie. with o
laugh.
And the conversation, with this
small atart drifted on gsyly.
1t struck her, as they talked on,
that MIR. Bradley. for married man.
was-well--not well-behaved.
He kept his eyes fixed on her in an
admiring way; the tone of his remarks
| half b~ntering, wholly oomplimenta-
ry--was highly improper under the
circumstances.
He had edged nearer and nearer to
her. until there was no appreciablo
space between them.
! Winnie felt that something must be
done. She went to the piano hastily,
and played few meaningless notes
with desperate speed.
Mr.. Bradley followed promptly, and
leaned over her with an air Of pro-
found enjoyment.
Does Mrs. Bradley playP" said
Winnie, frigidly.
':Mrs. Bradleya" her companion re-
peated, smiling inquiringly, and lean.
Ing rather lower.
7'Your wife " said Winnie, severe
ly.
"Oh, but 1 haven't onel' said the
young man cheorfully.
Winnie looked up at him quickly,
and Immediately looked down again.
II haven't one," Mr. Bradley re.
peated softly; "but I've been thinking
for the last twenty minutes that I'd
like one immensely, if"
The recollection that she had known
Mr.. Bradley barely an hour and half
caused Winnie to turn away from him
hastily and commence a noisy polka.
But when sho got up to her room
that night, at rather late hour, and
sank on tho edge OF tho bed. staring
with unsceing eyes at the white mus
| lin, lying where she had left it in o
heap on the floor, the thought did run
vaguely through her mind that per-
1 hAua aha had helned mr. hindarcd haP