The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-04-03
instinct declined to hear them. She wrote

at once:
''MY DEAR Mr.. LoYALTY-I am COM
PEELED to forego an amusement which
have learned to cherish before the date
we fixed. must not write again, and
send this brief note only to assure you
that my resolve is unconnected with any
action of yours. 1t is bare truth to say
that your letters have given me broader
and clearer view of the world. There is
food for thought in every line, even those
that have made me laugh so often. feel
myself wiser and that knowledge, think,
will crafty you. 1t is my very earnest
hope that we may meet at some time, but
pardon me if l recall your undertaking to
make no inquiry about me-" And in a
few regretful words she bade him goodbye.
A little incident occurred before the
answer reached her, but transcribe it in
this place-so much as bears upon the
story:
''MY DEAR MISS TRoTH-It is no exag-
geration to say that your sudden resolve
distresses me. If our correspondence
was cherished amusement to you, to me
it was grave matter from the beginning,
which has grown continually more seri-
Gus as [ studied your disposition. But
have made up my mind to give no hint
upon this subject until the day appointed,
and | shall keep to that resolution.
"For, again, your terms leave an open
ing, of which l take advantage. Circum-
stances do not compel me to cease writing
quite the contrary-and inclination
urges me furiously to continue. There
fore l shall go on until the end of the two
months, and then, in what may be fare
well letter, l shall write very seriously.
There is, however, a most weightv
consideration. You insisted that should
warn you the moment became conscious
of certain feelings, and much more is it
your duty to warn me IN like case. If
such be the motive of Miss Troth's wish
to break off our pleasant relations, 1 am
sure she will cOntrive to make loyalty
understand.
"And now I shall scribble away as if
nothing had happened-only it will be a
monologue in future. :"
The effect which this letter would have
had was entirely changed by the incl
dent l have referred to. Capt. Bulstrode,
like all who served in India, rose at day
light-not such very early hour in the
month of March. Kate saw him not in
frequently whipping the stream as she
sailed forth with her charges for the
walk before breakfast, which Admiral
little girls raced away to Cousin Jack, and
Mary performed a reckless fantasia with
his fly rod. But he had never happened
to be near the path.
Cousin Jack was not visible on the
morning when Loyalty's reply might be
expected, but they found his rod upon
the bridge. Mary seized it, ofcourse, and
galloped down to the waters edge; and
Miss Shafto, of course, demonstrated up
above. Her perfunctory appeals ended in
a sharp cry of pain; the fly had pier ced
her ear through and through.
Pitiful arose the wailing of the little
girls; desperate were her efforts to extract
the hook. Capt. Bulstrode, who had gone
to seek light for his cheroot, burst on
the scene. Kate was not so distracted
that she failed to observe his running
like Greek athlete, she said to herself
With that kind smile, which she had
ridiculed to Lydia, though admiring it all
the while, he examined the mischief /
have said that Kate Shafto's face did not
strike at a glance, and Capt. Bulstrode
had never happened to regard her with
attention. He could not have avoided
doing so now, and certainly she looked
her very best-red with embarrassment,
hair loose, eyes and lips protesting, yet
diverted with the humor of the situation,
which she only grasped So startled was
he that he paused, saying: "This is Miss
Shafto ?"-but found an excuse upon the
instant-"Er-yOu are in great pain,
fear?" With that he snapped the hook
and drew it gently out.
Kate foresaw what would happen. If
there are girls who cannot read the look
of overpowering admiration in honest,
manly ewes, she was not one of them.
But it would have been far more indecor-
GUS to walk with her hair dishevelled than
to return home under escort of a young
man, and she submitted to fate very will
ingly since IL must be so. Capt. Bulstrode
had wound up his tackle before she was
ready, and they started.
The castle was not mile away and the
little girls demanded Cousin Jacks atten-
tion without ceasing; but he found means
to draw the governess out-at least to as
sure himself that she was well worth the
trouble. Kate understood perfectly.
Severaltim she marked his cautious sur
vey of her face and read therein, with
pardonable vanity, an expression of aston
ishment which grew rather than subsided.
How could l possibly have overlooked
this girl ? it said. She did not feel called
a character, good or bad, which was not
her own. And shyness would have been
a gross affectation; besides, she could not
help regarding Capt. Bulstrode as an old
and intimate acquaintance.
So they talked merrily and frankly
through the children, who played very
useful part as conductors. When the let
ter came Kate felt that it was ancient his
tory. She saw him no more that day; but
next morning, of course, he was at the
brook, and very near the path. The rod
was intrusted to Mary, and until she broke
it in triumphant flourish, they strolled
to and fro. Naturally, then, Capt. Bull
strobe might have accompanied them on
their walk, but he was too sagacious.
Next day, however. they met him again,
and the next. The fun was over now mat
ters grew serious. On the fourth morning
Kate took another direction, to the great
disgust of her pupils; but on their return
Cousin Jack joined them. She felt, with
out pretending irritation to herself, that
her shrewdness was no match for his.
There was no escape, for the admiral in
sisted that his girls should take exercise
regardless of the weather. At a glimpse
of their favorite the children galloped to
him, and he contrived it so that they
always seemed to bring him to the gov
erness. Kate was perplexed, amused,
and began to be troubled. Then the next
letter arrived.
"MY DEAR Miss TRoTH-It is not four
Il NcNl ,anf fs,