The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-01

better fires. These outward and vis- ible signs of prosperity would have given me sincere pleasure if it had nOt been for the suspicion that old Rogers was more than ever disposed to take the Norman conquest tone with me, and for the certainty that Miranda's sneers at people who could not count their grandfathers" were all for my benefit.
 What did this sort of thing mean? Had Katie been tempted away from me by lover with longer pedigree7 Would Rogers tell me some day, like the father in old fashioned romance, that he had "other views" for his daughter?
 One evening I called much later than usual, having been detained by an important business matter in the neighboring city of Shipley. The outer door of the house was open, and l, in my usual way, turned the handle of the vestibule door and walked into the drawing room, which appeared to be empty. l was just going to ring the bell for the servant, when l heard a pleading little voice behind me:
 "Oh, say, Jack, don't do that!" It was the voice of Bob, the young est of Katie's many young brothers, and turning sharply round, I saw his scared little face peeping between the curtains drawn across the bow window
 "Come here, dear old Jack," he en- treated; "and stay with me till she goes past"
 "What she?" I asked, as I stepped behind the curtains to find Bob's hitherto invisible form clad in a nightgown.
 "Miranda," he added in a tragic whisper.
 Bob had blue eyes and golden hair and in his white array he looked like an angel in picture. But I rightly guessed that he had descended from the upper regions that night on no angelic mission.
 "I thought she was safe up in the lumber room for the next half- hour,' 2 he explained, "and I got out of bed and was slipping down to the kitchen for taste of the new jam. l knew il was my only chance. She's so beastly mean about it when it's in pots. just got to the hall when I heard heI sneaking down stairs, SO ran in here She's in the dining room now, and 1 don't know whether she's going up again or down to the kitchen"
 "Don't be a coward, my boy" said, feeling it my duty to be moral "Of course Miranda will scold if she finds you, but you must bear it like 6 man."
 "Scold p repeated Bob, with scorn in his subdued tones. "Do you think I'd care if it was only that?"
 understood the full peril of the situation now. Miranda prided her. self on doing a mothers duty to the motherless boys, and I knew that whatever her hand had found to do she did it with all her might.
 "And it's just because I ain't cow ard don't want to meet her," went on Bob, evidently mindful of the tra- ditions of Fitzroger valor. "You see, Jack, I could hit back if she was a man, but she ain't, you know, and of course DO fellow who is a gentle man ever hits woman"
 "Robert," I murmured, "you are the soul of chivalry."
 "Oh, shut up, Jack Smith 1" and my small brother in- law -elect held mt with desperate grip. "She's coming imp
 I peered cautiously between tho heavy curtains, and caught 8 glimpst of Miranda's lank form and lynx eyes The next moment she was vanishing but she stopped as Katie appeared al the door.
 "Kate," she said, in her thin, sharr voice, "I was looking for you. think you might help me pot the jam. Smith may not be here tonight, and if ht comes let him wait. How pale you look! I can tell you, my dear, that your appearance has not improved since you took up with Fitzherbert.' 7 stood with freezing blood behind the curtains, wondering what awful revelation was about to wreck my life's happiness. In a lightning flash of jealous imagination I saw Fitzher. bert. No doubt he was one of ths swells Katie had met in London. A military swell, one of those handsome naughty guardsmen I had read about in society novels.
 "Miranda," said Katie, 'tdon't you think ought to tell Jack about Fitz- herbert?"
 "No, I don't," said Miranda sharply "I don't see why the interests of oul family are to be risked in a collision with the narrow middle-class preju. dices of Mir. John Smith,"
 Katie's voice soupded little weary when she spoke again.
 "You know, Miranda, you were hor.