The Wahpeton times., 1889-08-01
With 3 singulary sly expression
she looked up at him and said: No

sSee - OsAA6 oAenAsy SSsey. "a RASuS11v1AA
she looked up at him and said: mo
larks, Professor" y "
The gentlemen fairly shrieked with
laughter, the speech was SO unex-
pected. Their merriment was in
creased by the ridiculous appear.
ance of Captain Henniker. With his
hands folded over his knees, he wore
an Dir of mild reproval, Just such an
air as Miss Steptoe would ordinarily
have worn under the same circum-
stances.
All this time she had been fldget-
ing in her chair. AZ nobody spoke,
all waiting for what was coming
next. she rose impatiently, saying:
"You people are so uncommonly
dull that I, really can't stand this
any longer-I'm off.
where to?" asked Professor So
brlnski, the only one who was able
to speak.
"For spree. Bother these old
maids. They are enough to drive
one crazy"
Her words threw a sudden stiffness
into the attitudes of the ladies pres
ent. They positively glared after her,
as, with her little nose high in the
Dir, she walked to the door.
Captain Henuiker almost dropped
from his seat, he was SO dismayed.
Like her, he was only obeying an ir-
risistiable power, for he had full pos
session of his own identity, He knew
what an ass he was making of him
self, but he could not act otherwise,
hard though he tried to do SO. And
now that Miss Steptoe was going
out he was filled with horror, for
how in her absence could he regain
control over himself? Yet her won.
anly bashfulness and other charac-
teristicts having been impressed up
on him, he could not utter one word
to stop her. ''There she goes with
my spirit, he said to himself, shud-
dering. And when the door closed
upon her, this careless soldier with
the big mustache actually began to
weep.
Miss Steptoe went upstairs to her
room and, with the speed and in
attention of a man, put on her man.
tie and bonnet. There was no lin
gering at the glass, no searching for
stray ribbons, no final plumming of
feathers. In u wonderfully short
space of time she was out of the
house and on her way to the Parade.
Mr.. Macnish. o pompous little
man, who would have been startled
to learn that he was butt for every
Joker in Dullish, happened to be
swaggering along in front of her.
She stepped up to him and slapped
him on the back.
"Well, old chappie, where are you
off tor" demanded this astonish-
ing little lady.
When Mr.. Macnish recognized Miss
steptoe he nearly had an apoplectic
fit.
ooh, you wag!" she exclaimed.
pointing at him.
Good graciousw gasped Mr.. Mac
nish, falling back in alarm,
"Ta-ta," laughed Miss Steptoe;
"I'm bound for the Parade. You
are not going my way, I suppose?"
Mr.. Macnish, with very shaky
knees, stood staring after her. "The
woman's mad," he said at last.
"There can he no doubt about it,"
Then he turned and made for her
cottage as fast as his legs could
carry him.
Here ersurprise awaited him.
Martha, who did not know that her
mistress had gone out, told him
there were q number ofvisitors in the
drawing-room; should she show him
in? Yes" he replied in bewilder-
ment, and entered, peering about
like O traveller arrived at the dead
of night in a astrangeland. He found
Professor Sobrinski speaking to an
entranced audience, but his arrival
caused a general flutter. His ex-
traortlinary story created much
amusement, and while the mystery
was being explained to him there was
q good deal of laughter.
''Poor thing" exclaimed MIR.
Macnish, ''she shouldn't have been
allowed out; / call it an abominable
practical joke
"My good SIR" said Professor
Sobrinski, ''you speak too fast. 1t
was Miss Steptoe herself who pro-
posed the experiment. She has
sacrificed herself in the cause of
SCIENCE"
Science be hanged" said Mr.. Mac
nish, "I'm going after her."
Captain Henniker rose eagerly.
"Allow me" he said. 81 ought to
have kept near her. l feel dreadtully
i'll apart from her. If you will be
good enough to excuse me, will 20
after her." He looked doubtfully ut
Professor Sobrinski.
"You may co." said the Professor.
Captain Henniker bowed and left
the room.
He felt obliged to proceed slowly and
sedately, eager as he was to regain
the society of Miss Steptoe. Besides
his anxiety to recover that part of
himself with which he believed she
had walked off, her spirit was work
ing within him, and while he shrank
from the contemplated act. he was
irresistibly impelled to make a dec
laration of love. "What a dolt |
am" he kept saying to himself as he
went towards the Parade; 81 don't
care a straw for the old trump and
yeti love you to distraction, my
darling. There, was there ever such
q horrible nOsitionp Tho words w;ll
come out but they are not my words"