Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-09


| generally exhibited to her admirers with
perhaps the single exception of the mas
| ter) laughing consciousness of the state
! of mind into which her charms had thrown
| them. She understood their passion if
| she could not accept it. This to bash
full rustic community was helpful, but in
| the main unsatisfactory; with advances
| so promptly unmasked the most strategic
retreat was apt to become an utter rout.
| Leaning against the Intel of the door,
her curved hand shading the sparkling
| depths of her eyes, and the sunlight
striking down upon the pretty curves
| of her languid figure, she awaited the
| attack
81 haven't seen you, Miss Cressy
| since we danced together-a month ago. -
THAT was mighty rough papers, - said
| CresSy, who was purpOsely dialectical to
strangers, considering that you trapsed
up and down the lane, past the house,
twice yesterday. -
"Then you saw me?'' said the young
man, with a slightly discounted laugh.
81 did. And so did the hound, and so
l reckon, did Joe Masters and the hired
man. And when you pranced back on
the home stretch, there was the hound,
Masters, the hired man and Nav all on
goNl tIull law up iIlS rear
with q shot gun. There was about
half-a-mile of you altogether - She re-
moved her hand from her eyes to indicate
with a lazily graceful sweep this some
what imaginative poe ssion, and
laughed.
You are certainly well guarded, -
said Stacey, hesitatingly, "and looking
at you, Miss Cressy, - he added boldly,
al don t wonder at it -
"well, it is reckoned that next TO
Paws. boundaries ! IN pretty well pro-
tected from SquatterS and jumpers -
FOrceful and quaint as her language
was, the lazy sweetness of her intona-
ton, and the delicate refinement of her
face more than atoned for it. II was UNI
conventional and picturesque as her gest-
ures. So at least thought Mr. Stacey,
and it emboldened him TO further eallan-
try.
"Wen, Miss Cressy, as my business
with your father to-day was to try to
effect a compromise of his boundary
claims, perhaps you might accept my
services in YOUR own behalf -
Which means, - responded the young
lady pertly, the same thing to me as to
Paw. No trespasSers but yourself
Thank you, sir - she twirled lightly on
HVl itCCl anu 'ippBVu MN
ated courtesy known to the school chill
dren as a cheese. -" 1t permitted in It's
progress the glimpse 'of pretty little
slipper which. completed has Su5jugation
"Well, if it's only 4 tair compro-
mise, - hetbegan laGghingiy. -.
FCompronse means. somebody giving
up. Who is it?'' she asked.
The infatuated Stacey had reached the
point Of thinking ttIs repartee if possible
more killing than his own.
Hal That s for Miss Cressy TO say -
But tfe young fady leaning back
against the Intel with the comfortable
eaSe of being irresponsibly diverted,
Jsagely pointed out that that was the
function of the arbitrator
:, All well, suppose we begin by giving
up Seth Davis, eh? You see that 1 IN
pretty well posted, Miss Cressy.'
"Yeu alarm me, - said Cressy sweetly.
"But 4 reckon he had given up
He was in the running that night at
the ball Y1eo&ed half savage while 1
was dancing with you. Wanted to eat
me-
Poor Seth! And he used to be so
particular in his food said the witty
Cressy.
Mr.. Stacey was convulsed. "And
lutIt MI bdDAC1-I lIlC ht
continued, sch? Very quiet but very
sly. A dark horse, Ell? Pretends to
take lessons for the sake of being near
some one, eh? Would he were boy
again because somebody else is girl?''
IL should be frightened of you If you
lived here always returned Greasy
with. invincible naivete. 'Fbut perhaps
then you wouldn't know so much
.. Stacey simply accepted this as a COM
.pliment. g And there's Masters he
said insinuatingly.
mot Joe?'' said Greasy with a low
laugh, turning her eyes to the door.
eyes, said Stacey with quick I'M
easy smile. All! ] see we musn t drop
him. Is he out there?" he added trying
to follow the direction of her eyes.
But the young girl kept her face stu
diouSly averted. ''Is that all2'' she
asked after pause.
"Well-there S that solemn school,
master, who cut me out of the waltz
with you-that Mr.. Ford. -
Had he been perfectly cool and i'm
partial observer he would have seen the
slight tremor cross Cressy' 5 soft eyelids
even in profile followed by that momen-
tary arrest of her whole face, mouth,
dimples and eyes, which had overtaken
1t the nlgnl the master entered the Dali
room But he was neither, and it passed
quickly and unnoticed. Her usual 1.-THE
but languid play OF expression and color
came bnck and she turned her head lazily
toward the speaker. ''There's Paw
coming. l suppose you wouldn It mind
giving me sample of your style of ar
bstrnting with him, before you try it on
me?''
Certainly mott said Stacey, by no
means displeased at the prospect of hav-
ing so pretty and intelligent witness in
the daughter, of what he believed would
form an attractive display of his diplo-
matte skill and graciousness to the farther.
s.Don't go away. we got nothing to
say Miss Cressy could not understand and
answer
The juggling of spurs and the shadow of |
and his shot gun falling at |
this moment between the speaker and !
Cressy, spared her the necessity of re- |
ply. McKinstry cast an uneasy glance |
around the apartment, and not seeing |
Mrs. McKinstry looked relieved, and |
even the deep traces of the loss of a 1
steer that morning partly faded |
from his Indian-red complexion. He |
placed HIS shotgun carefully in the COR
ner, TOOK his soft felt hat from his head,
folded itsand put it in one of the,eapa-
cioGs pockstsssf Ms, jacket, turned 10 his
q