The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-09-13

Are you staying here, MISS CheVerelf'
said he
YES"
''Where, if may venture to ask?'
eat Sand Cottage"
"Sand Cottagei" struck in Miss Des-
mond's shrill, high soprano. ''Why, isn't
that funnyl The very place we're going
to call atI'
care you Mr.. Simpsons unknown rela-
tive?" said Kate, looking full into Allan's
eyes at last. at is strange, but we never
have heard his name yet"
Il am Mr.. Simpsons relative, certainly.
but he was left in charge of one Mrs.
Mosemar, who"
''She has gone away" explained Kate.
"We are taking her place. The cottage
suited US, and she was anxious to 90 out
West. hope the arrangement does not
dispiease you. Mr.. Simpson seems quite
happy and contented under mammals
charge, and"
at is very kind of you" mechani-
cally begun Mr.. Sanderson.
But Kate quickly interrupted him.
mot at all kind, said she. at is
merely a matter of business. Perhaps we
had better 90 to the house at once"
''Oh, do let u.s. futtered Althea Des-
mond "Such a darling, picturesque
little spoti One could really fancy one
self in Arcadia. Won't you show us
your sketches, Katel Oh, do, please"
pray excuse me, said Kate, straight
ening up her slender neck like young
Diana, and buckling the strap Of her
portfolio tighter than ever.
OF all things, Miss Desmond's patron
age was the hardest to endure.
hrs. Cheverel's amazement at the sight
of Mr.. Sanderson and his fair, enchant-
ress can easily be imagined.
Old Man Simpson smiled and nodded
when Allan shook hands with him and
presented Miss Desmond; but this he
always did when the baker or the butcher
called, or even the little errand lad who
brought the mails from the village post
office, so that it was, perhaps, no sign
OF special favor.
But as he reached out for his unvarying
friend, the newspaper, his feeble arm up
set the candle which had just been
lighted and set on the pine stand be.
curtains and all were in bright blaze
''Althea, hold the door open-quickl
until I get the wheeled chair outl"
cried Sanderson, in voice Of stern com
mand.
But Miss Desmond, terrified out of all
common sense or reason, fed shrieking
from the house, leaving the rest to their
fate
Not so Kate Cheverel. She rushed into
the very fiery heart of the flames and
helped Allan Sanderson to extricate the
poor old paralytic from his mortal dan
ger, needless of the risk she herself ran.
And not until his chair was safe on the
beach, where the purple twilight was just
beginning to fall, did she realize the
peril through which she had passed.
She grew deadly pale in the fierce re-
Election of the flames, which were now
licking poor little Sand Cottage out of
existence, and gasped for breath.
''Kate-Katel Oh, she is dyingin
cried Mrs. Cheyerel.
And then she remembered no more.
Old Man Simpson had forgotten all
about 1t the next day, and sat peacefully
in his wheeled chair on the hotel porch
with yesterdays newspaper in his lap and
the sunshine playing around his useless
feet
Miss Desmond was having Mysteries in
her room upstairs, under the charge of
her mother, a hook-nosed old lady with a
great deal of wiggy false hair, and Allan
Sanderson was walking up and down the
beach, when Kate CheveFel, leaning on
her mothers arm, came cut.
"You are betterl' he cried
II am quite well, - said Kate. ''Noth-
ing allied me but a m9mentary panic"
Dear Kate" said Sanderson, ''you
saved his life; and mine too-for l could
not have got him out alone, and 1 would
never have left him to perish in the flames.
You are a heroine, dear Katel"
She motioned him away with an at
tempt At a smile.
$50 and talk to Miss Desmond, Allan, "
said she, 1.-THE days of dear Kate are
over between you and mel"
"On the contrary, he cried, ''they are
only Just beginningl Miss Desmond,
indeed Did she not make good her own
escape and leave US to our fatel Do you
suppose l can ever respect her after thisl"
''But you are her engaged loverl"
Il an not engaged to her; never
was. And 1 never shall be now. She
and her mother have followed me up
as the hounds hunt deer, but the
spell is broken at last Dear Kate
sweet Kate never really cared for
any woman but you. Tell me that 1
may hope!"
And when Miss Desmond came down
stairs, very much dressed up, and little
pale in spite Of the rouge which she had
literally applied, Allan did not rise from
his seat beside Miss Cheverel on the
piazza.
''Tm sorry that I cannot accompany
you and your mother back to New York,
Althea, said he. II shall remain here
to look after my aged cousin, and after
this young lady who has just promised to
be my wife.
All the rouge in the store where Al
thea bought her cosmetics could not have
concealed the deadly pallor on her cheeks
at that moment.
"Ah, indeed" simpered she. am
sure congratulate you both. But really
this is quite Unexpected"
Sand Cottage has been rebuilt into a
lovely seaside lodge, where Mr.. and Mrs.
Sanderson spend their summers.
Mrs. Chevcrel lives there all the year
round, and Old Men Simpson still sits in
the yellow sunshine, smiling and con-
tented,