Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1888-07-19

CHAPTER XVIIL-CoNTINUED.
ashes been doing her prettiest to make
up match between my girl and that fellow
Bergman. She's not the least In love with
him, though Childer may think so: he's
been blind as a bat not to see her drift all
along want her to know that l won't
put up with any interference from her. She
has always treated me Ike the mud under
her feet, but now she has got to take me on
an equal footing with theEl,'' ran his
thoughts, while he watched the amazed
expression which dawned in the young la
dy's face.
Lyman came to the rescue by telling his
sister to get her wraps. Tie had declared
nee that they must break off their friend
hip for the Everlcighs, but be could not
'esist the temptation thus offered him.
hough he mentally determined that it
.hould be for the last time, nor could he,
without absolute rudencss, refuse to let
Carol go.
He handed the two girls into the sleigh
nd tucked the robes around them, prOmis-
lg gaily to be with them within half an
our When they were fairly off, Althea
urned to look her companion severely in
,he face.
"What did that man mean by his talk,
CAROL. Surely you have not promised him
my thing to give him reason TO speak as he
i'd! want you to be frank with me, for |
AVE been giving hope to another lover of
ours, quite fundamentally, if there is any
hing in this.
Carol held up the hand on which flashed
ngot's gift
''This is from him, Althea."
"And you have given up Norris for
MS man-Incver would have believed it
can not believe it now. What can you see
him, coarse vulgar. no more TO be COM
AIRED with-oh, Carol. trhGt have you done"
my duty, l hope" murmured Carol, in
eart-broken tones. Don't talk of it,
lease. I'm afraid | shall cry, and Ly
IAN hates to see me with red eyes. Oh,
Altheal an unhappy, and it viii be worse
If you are angry with me. We can be friends
Just the same, can we notH'
with that man between US! doubt it.
But at any rate l can't afford to quarrel
with you tonight. Here we are, and there
are my visitors wondering what has be-
come of me-"
1t ,cas miscellaneous party Miss Ever
leigh had gathered in. whether from some
passing within, or a growing thoughtfulness
and charity which believed in bringing
these starved lives within the light and
color of her own. There were about twenty
boys and girls of varying sizes and degrees
of raggedness, two or three bent and
wrinkled crones, and a pale, pretty girl of
twenty, who was telling the story Of the
Glass Slipper TO such as chose to give their
attention to her.
"Cinderella had no trouble in putting 1t
,i,l = a.,I
Burke, If you throw another peanut shell, l
will see that you get no orange to take
home tonight. Meggy, what are those two
midgets Quarreling over. You can't bring
that pipe out here, granny; Miss Everleigh
would not like it. Ask the girl for another
cup Of tea If you want 1t to brace up your
nerves. Now, young man. l caught you
pulling Sissy Darkes hair. Aren't you
ashamed, when you were asked here, like
gentleman, just to show you what Christ
mas is lilrel Oh, Miss Everleigh! 1 have
done my best to keep them amused
"But they have been almost too much for
you, have they, juliet Come, children, did
you ever play fox-and-geeses Carol, this IS
Julie Streng, who sews for me sometimes.
See if you two can not devise something less
noisy by the time the gentlemen arrive.
I want this red-headed boy for the fox, and
/ will be the mother goose. Now, sir, get
any of my goslings away from me if you
can"
The gentlemen had followed closer than
was expected of them They came in be-
fore the noisy game was over, while Miss
Everleigh stood painting, flushed and dis
heveled in the midst of her clamorous
throng.
"You get the idea of what is expected of
you now" she said, laughingly. '"Mr.
Childer, intend to blindfold YOU. and let
you have turn at being pulled about. No
wry faces, sir, but do your duty like man."
Almost before he knew it, he was in the
midst of the fun and frolic. Mr.. Ingot held
aloof. looking on superciliously, and express
ing his distasts for the whole affair to Carol
when he got the chance.
~ don't like you to mix with such little
beasts, my beauty Talk of Miss Ever
leigh's pride! / don't see where it comes in
tonight. To think of her gathering up such
a rabble! ! thought she said Bergman
could not come with a change of unpleas-
ant surprise in his voice. did you know
he was expected, Carol!''
"No,' she answered, turning hot and cold
by turns, as she lifted her eyes slowly to see
Norris entering. How could she meet him
with the promise she had given her brother
binding her! How could she bear Ingots