The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-10-23
KATIE'S RIVAL.

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that again. tell you, once forall, Mr.
Lee is, and cannot beanythingmoreto
me than a friend; so If you respect my
wishes in the least you will not men
ton his name to me again"
And Katie Lane flung back her bright
brown curls as she spoke, a little dis
dainfuIly, perhaps, and bent a little
lower over the piece OF crochet!Eg she
held in her hands.
Twill not stop to tell YOU that she,
my heroine, was handsome; suffice 1t
to say that she was the belle OF the
pretty village of Nj; and, asa mat
ter of course, assought after andad-
mired by all the young men OF the
place, not only because she was witty
. and accomplished but because ldGuy
Lane was the wealthiest man in the
place. and would one day leave his all
in the hands OF Katie. a the only legal
heir.
Maud Anthony laughed low and tri-
umphantly as she returned:
"Really, Katie, you need not speak
SO angrily. Everybody thinks you
are going to marry him, and for my
part, I think he vii! make some n a
kind husband
"WeIl, lfyou see so many good quail
ties about him why don't YOU marry
him? When | see tit TO get married |
shall take whom Iplease, despite what
everybody says
The curls few again, and the spark
ling eyes glanced saucily at the finish
ed coquette opposite her.
"0h, no! so my pretty young lady
as getting angry, eh2 II that'stheCase
4 must flee. Only remember | have
done my duty. | thought you ought
to know how peopleare talking"
"You need not trouble yourself Miss
Anthony, to look after my affairs;
YOU must have enough of your ownt TO
look after. When | need your advice
4 will surely let you know. So bid
you good afternoon"
The queenly little head rose proud
ly erect at this, and with a scornful ex-
preston on her lips Katie walked
quickly away into the shadow of the
shrubbery OF the garden.
AS she walked hastily on a footstep
on the other side of the hedge checked
her fight, andina moment Wilkes Lee,
the subject of the little conversation
under the elms, scrambled up into
sight, without seeming to have seen
Katie, and hastened away.
The strange little heart of Katiegave
a sudden start as she recognized her
old friend and-loyer, and shepaused,
murmuring:
III wonder If he heard what We said?
j wouldn't have had him for all the
world. A plague on Maud Anthony!
She forced me TO say it. Isupposeshe
as glad, too; for o she thinks Idon't
care for him..
For a moment Katie was silent as
she worked neryously at the pretty
diamond ring that encircled that
chubby forefinger. 1t was a gift from
Wilkes, a betrothal ring.
IL don't carei" Katie at last broke
out. poltingly. NOW, that I've said
i, III show Miss Anthony / mean it.
THERE" she said, as she drew the dia-
m0nd from her finger andcastit away
INTO the bushes, there, lie there and
rust, for all | care. Much good may
il do you, Maud, too. You can catch
him, / know, but what do / carer"
More than you think, my pretty
heroine; we shall see.
a moment Kate stood therelooking
IN the direction of the hedge; then
ciapping her hands to her face she
burst into aquieE shower of tears.
On the other side ofthehedge Wilkes
Lee strobe quickly away, sayingsheep-
ishlyg
well, well; a pretty serape you
came near gettinginto my boy. Didn't
meanto be aneayesdropper, certainly;
accidents will happen, you know. So
she don't care for you, eh? Well see.
I'll warrant she don't know her own
heart now. | think I'll run away a
lew days, and let her get over her fit"
And the young man disappeared in
the underbrush that lined the road,
leaped over the fence, and was soon
lost to view in the distance.
Il \
Katie waited patiently for many
days for the visit Of her once ardent
lover, and then, concluding that he
had not only overheard what hesaid
that day in h egarden, but had taken
her at her word, commenced not to
took alone, but to mourn him as lost
TO her, indeed.
And Maud Anthony, to whom all
this was due, rejoiced that Wilkes
seemed to have suddenly ceased to
visit the Lanes, and strove with re-
newed effortst 30 entangle the hand
some young fellow-for Wilkes Lee
was considered the best catch the vii
lage afforded. But with all the pleas
ing ways she could effect, Wilkes seem
cd impregnable TO her attemps. In
deed, no knew that he even no.
ticed her, save Katie, who looked on