The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-10-05
"You think so?"
~ know it."

"You think so?"
II know it."
katherine" says tho younger girl
suddenly. chow often you get me to
speak of Frank! Sometimes l have
thought-but of course it was only fancy
You never did care for him in that way.
did your
"'rhe way you caro- for him? Never"
II am so glad asked you, now. If
you had given me different answer it
would have made me very unhappy"
THAT is very kindly speech. But
you need suffer no generous pangs of re-
gret for me. Frank is as little to mo as
am-to him." She shades her eyes
with her hand for a moment, perhaps to
conceal q smile, for presently she breaks
into low laugh suggestive of amusc-
ment to her listener. "What put the
silly thought into your head?" she asks
II hardly know"
"Somebody must have done it." Again
there is the carelessly veilcd insolcnceof
tone, the contemptuous disbelief in her
companions sagacity or penetration.
Somebody, l dare say" says the girl
musingly. "Perl,aps" pauses.
Was it hc?" Tho words como from
her with exceeding sharpness, as though
forced to her lips by some terrible thought
that has just pierced her brain and
brought with it an agony too keen to bo
silently endured.
"Oh, moi"
You arc sure?'-still fiercely, with
pale lips, and dark eyes alight with pas
sionate fear.
"You will sec how sure, when tell
you that Frank believes you positively
dislike him. IIc told me SO last night
Now"-laughing-"l think he was right
How angry your eyes have grown at the
bare mention of his name!''
"Ahv' says Miss NuScnt. 1t is Il sigh
of relief that escapes her. She leans back
in her chair and great wave of color
sweeps over her white face. She unfurls
her huge black fan with littlo crashing
noise
"fou laven'tto told me how you enjoyed
last night, she says quickly, as means
of covering her confusion
$50 much!' says tho young girl, snlil
ing, and throwing some animation into
her air.
~ saw you dancing rather Frequently
with Sir George Grande toward the close
of tho evening"
Twice danced with him, think.
Do you know, l quito like him, though
Frank docsn't?"
Men like Frank, who have been
through 4 good deal, are always inclined
to be jealous, Experience has taught
them how transicnta Il love affair may he. +"
"You mean" - cmotionally - "that
Frank has loved SO often that"
II mean nothing There is really no
occasion for any excitement But of
course you will understand that man
cannot grow to Franks age without
having played with fire There is moth
ing to render you uneasy in anything
have said"
81 am not uncasy"-nushing warmly.
"No? But of course not. There is
really nothing in it."
~ know that" says the girl loyalty,
yet even as she says it her heart grows
heavier within her. There is really moth
ing in it; but why had he told her she
was his first and only love? Perhaps
men always said that to the object of
their latest fancy.
"Once last night, when you werc dam
cling with Frank she says, turning to
Miss Nugent and recovering her self pos
session by an effort, 81 looked at you, and
both you and he were looking at me-
Was he talking of mo them"
"Docs he ever talk Of anything else?
a man freshly in love is the most selfish
thing on earth Later on they grow more
consideratc, and can afford to forget the
beloved angel now and then"
"Can theyi"-wistfully Will Frank
indeed learn to forget her at times?
Eyes. What were wo saying just
then? You asked mo if he was talking
of you? Yes, entirely. He was telling
mo of something you had said-I forget
what now-and ho was laughing. He
called you such child remember.
1t was somo silly Iitto trifie, amusing
because of its crudity. He is very de-
voted to you"
Again tho sting is in her tonc 1t
makes the girls lips quiver, and brings
the light of rebellion to her beautiful eyes.
"At II ono is not child. You mako
mo think he spoke of mo as doll. a
baby, mere plaything."
"Oh, moi Merely as a very young
girl. You are young to him, you know;
he is quite ten years your senior"
"Tho advantage there is on my side,
surely" haughtily. "1f don't mind it,
he need not"
"Quite SO. think every woman
should be ten years or SO younger than
her husband" says Katherine, who is
just six months younger than Ponsonby.
"And as for him, know he prefers cx-
trcmc youth. 1t is easier to mold and
| form.
| She closes her fan with another click,
drops it languidly into her lap and
smiles family.
"'To mold"" The girls tone has grown
strangely cold and calm. 81 am to be
educated to his will, you mcan!''
"Wcll, that was what he said"-
"SaidI"
"AIy dear child, l can't remember the
exact words, but he told me last night
he had gained u treasurc-one of those
rare beings TO whom tho world is un-
known. He dreaded no rival, he said,
besause-1 really forget the because
but it was something to tho effect that,
as you had not dreamed of lovers until
he came on the scene, they were not nee
essary to you, and all that. told him
not to be too certain"-laughing-"but
he quito scoffed at the thought that you
could prefer any one to his royal high
ness. After all, doubt if it is a wise
thing to let a man feel too sure of one.
sis that how he talks of me to you:'
says Alys, with glance of cold disdain
from her heavily fringed eyes. To real
ly know any one is difficult; and to
view ones dearest friend in different