Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-07-18


said that it was common family, uned-
ucated, and had evidently made every
sacrifice for the girl that she might
have higher social position than they
had. But he was in love with her and
believed his love reciprocated.
'That fall we went out West on gov
eminent survey, and somewhere the
other side of the Rockies we came
across miner who was asking about
his relations Sin the states, and 1t
came out that he was Genie Halls I'M
Gle. Of course Messersmith gave
glowing account of his beloved, and by
George !" said Hunter, throwing him
self down again with a short laugh,
"the next we heard of Miss Genie Hall,
her miner uncle who had just made
rich strike, had gone East and adopted
her, and she let Henry drop right
there"
"But," l cried, est must have been
woman could be so heartless =
"She could. We saw her again at one
of the lake hotels the next summer.
She was surrounded with admirers and
treated us with kindly patronage.
Friends of her school days Van Colt
was in her train then and she was or
namenting his drag box with her pale
blue dresses every afternoon. She
sent no cards to her wedding"
Hunter paused again and went on in a
tone different from the half sarcastic
lightness he had used in talking until
now.
81 think Henry suffered when Van
Colt so VIGOROUSLY abused her, and /
think he felt a relief when the brute
was killed. / don't know what effect
her following him down here will
have"
| almost jumped. l had often Won
dered what had brought Mrs. Van to
this place, but this was a startling ex-
PLANTATION.
1t was week after this that we all
walked out to the Castle Rock, Craw-
ford's one curiosity. We went string
ing along in our usual aimless fashion
Mr.. Messersmith and my sister Grace
antlv and boyishly to Maize and
George and reached around them every
minute to catch look at Hunters face.
Hunter was the boys hero. Indeed ev-
erybody liked Hunter. Messersmith
held my umbrella.
The girls and Ernie Cole passed us
rapidly now. They were talking of the
marsh, and Ernie said that there might
be some late lilies. They called back to
us to look after Mr.. Hunter and we
should be rewarded. Their walking
shoes made a pleasant crunch in the
firm sand.
We stopped to wait for Hunter, and
heard Mr.. Messersmith and Grace call
ing and waving their handkerchiefs
toward path down the cliff. Evident
ly they were tired and were going to
walk home on the smooth beach below.
| was nothing ioath. Messersmith and
Hunter were both agreeable. We
walked on to the castle as much as my
skirts would allow, and were finally
seated on the only artificial thing we
would allow, doorstep before the tall
est tower, when we heard the jingle
and tingle of the Russian harness,
mingled with the regular football of the
ponies, and Mrs. Van Colts phaeton,
with Mrs Van Colt driving, came
sweeping around in front of the castle
as though she had come to call upon
friend who lived there.
She was as pretty as if she had been
Venus just out of the foam. Her white
dress was in pillows about her, and
tucked in her belt was great bunch of
white lilies, telling of recent visit to
the marsh.
She reached her pretty gloved hand
over the side of the phaeton to Mes
sersmith before any of us had time to
say word.
Chow do you do, Mr.. Messersmith,
who would have expected to see you
and Mr.. Hunter" and then she saw
me. [ had met Mrs. Van once or twice
since her call. and she had been gra-
ciousness itself, but after Hunters con-
fidence I could not like her. After all,
although she might want to atone, it
was unwomanly to follow Messersmith
down here. "May I not drive you
home, Miss Beecham You must have
had quite walk"
I declined, saying that I was not
tired.
81 know" she said laughing, ''that
Mr.. 'Messersmith and Mr.. Hunter are
the least fatiguing of companions. If
you will not come will you not spare
me one of them ?'
There was sudden light in Messer-
smiths eyes that I had never seen
there before. He put his hand on the
side of the little carriage. Even now [
can remember its strong nervous lines,
as it clasped around the wicker.
s'Thank you, Mrs. Van Colt, | should
be charmed to ride over with you, if [
may"
There was a graceful acquiescence, a
shaking of the lines, and Mrs Van
Colts ponies were jingling their bells
back over the sands. Messersmith's
face was leaning down under the pretty
canopy.
Hunter and [ walked slowly home.
We at the cottage didn't see much of
Messersmith after that.
Every day he and Mrs. Van rode or
drove away back into the country, or
miles up and down the beach. Some
times he lay around in his old fashion,
then he was moodier than ever.
One day he lay in the steamer chair
just under the window where / sat and
| thought he was asleep. Presently
Hunter came along.
/ could always detect Hunters APP
proach by the flavor of his omni-pres
ent cigar. Evidently he was not de-
ceived by his friends closed eyes.
"Messersmith," he said quietly, care
you going to marry Genie Van Colt ?''
It sounded like brutal question af
ter what Hunter had told me. 1t
sounded doubly unpleasant to me, for
7 hot T 10