The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-09-12

yesterday mother said to me. sKa,h,. ] think you are a very lucky girl, Te never lived better fellow than pS Aitken.'" n'ucs An, that was yesterday, xcU
 Something has happened since then ; " What has happened2 Nothing ,..
 ought to make any difference. OS .I .ual
 wretched, wretched legacyl wish % \
 had never come to make us all so mis., able" -A'sei'
 And so do l." said Bruce with o,.
 energy. Katie, do you know can.- @ over with good news this afternoon Te father has at last consented to tak. =, into the firm, and, of course, under orS; nary circumstances, there would be no,1 ing to prevent ouy getting married at onr. next week-to-morrow if it coul3 hs managed. But now"
 He broke of abruptly. Bruce was no, a man to break down with emotion hu. he was evidently keeping his caImn.s' with difficulty.
 "Oh, Bruce-oh, Bruce!' was all sh. could find breath for at first. Then som. thing akin to indignation took possesss, of her. We to be sitting here in hi, dismal fashion, moaning and gro ,pIps when we ought to be dancing and slDS' ing. Why, it's unheard of No oS. would believe it !' she cried.
 Bruce made no reply. He was think ing deeply over something that would m, bear divided attention.
 Presently he woke up to ask the oues. ton:
 Kathleen, how old are you ?" Exactly nineteen years and fun months," answered Kathleen promptly You don't mean to say you've forgotten already the beautiful cake made on tbe 2o:h of May last?'
 No, dear, l had not forgotten it, bu, l was in hopes had made a mistake in year, and you were turned twenty Hs gave heavy sigh. "You see you are so young to be allowed to have your osn ideas on this matter, people would think had taken advantage of your inexper, ence"
 Kathleen suddenly grew white. She kneeled down by him as he sat, looking up into his flce.
 You don't mean to say that you are thinking of giving me up, Bruce 2" she asked in low voice.
 No,' said Bruce with decision "bu, it's only right you should have the choice of giving me up it you like. People would think that at nineteen such a choice should not be allowed you that in fact, your father and mother should make it for you"
 Bruce, if father aud mother and all the world were to say must give you up l wouldn't doit! This said in the same low tone as before, but there could be no mlstaking the decision put into it
 And somehow her hand crept into his as she said the words, and somehow their eyes met, and then-well, the whispering reeds, the bending osiers, the wild. fit. ting birds might have had another idy lic story to tell had voices and words been lent them for brief five minutes.
 MT. Derwent stood leaning over his garden-gate looking down the shady lane which led straight to the trout. stream. The shadows had heightened very much now; the red roof of the square old par. sonage was glorified by a passing gleam from the sinking sun birds were getting up their goodnight notes, a whole or. chestra ofbuzzing insects were tuning up for their twilight madrigals. He had read old Giles to sleep, and another old parishioner after Giles. He had enjoyed a second tete-a-tete with his wife, which she had brought to an abrupt ending by declaring that her poor head WIS racking her az gain, she must go to bed at once. but, of course you'll make young Aitken clearly understand, my dear, the footing things will be on in the future"
 MT. Dsrwent was not quite in his usual placid, quiescent frame of mind. Left to himself he would have preferred that things should take their course and ar. range themselves. His wife, however, had informed him with unmistakabie de. clsion that certain responsibilities rested on his shoulders now, which he must not try to shift upon any one else's. So he stood taere bracing his muscles to the task, timing the unconscious lovers with his big chronometer. and trying to per. suade himself, as his wifi. had reminded him again and again during their half hours talk, that he was only going to perform what his duty as father de. manded ot him that Kathleen was buta child, aad must not be allowed to have an opinion on the matter that Bruce was a most reasonable fellow, and would be sure at once to see things in right light.
 have been waiting here te have few words with you, Bruce," he said as the two came slowly along the path to the gate, looking, as even his short. sighted eyes noted, very unlike their usual buoyant, light hearted young selv. s. "We can talk out here just as well as indoors. Kathleen, my dear, Tom is waiting for his tea; you had better go in at once
 But Bruce was not at all disposed to have matters settled in this off-hand fashion. In his own mind, and talking i, over with Kathleen, he had arranged his course of procedure in the future, as they had come up the shady lane, swinging Toms rod and 6shing-basket between them. MT. Derwent should stand there and listen to his terms, not he to MT. Derwent's.
 He laid his band on Kathleen's arm.