The Globe-republican., 1889-11-06

KITTY s'
into the travelling bag under her berth
when she went to her state-room, forgettin
that hers and Katherine's were exactly
alike.
Katherine found it, guessed how it came
there and laughed heartily to herself when
she read it, thinking of the CONSERVATION
with which it must have been read when
Mrs. Claflin turned her glass upon it.
Then she re-read it. Something in il
moved her strangely, and she read 1t again.
1t did not sound like jest. A vague I'M
happiness she could not account for took
possession of her and all the rest of the day
she was absentminded and quiet.
Now that Eustis was disposed OF, Mrs.
Claf,ip felt that she could relax her vigi-
lance, and retired to her state-room to su
perintend her packing.
Katherine strolled out to the bow and
leaned over the railing to watch the fasci-
mating rise and fall of the foam-tipped
waves. It was almost dark. They would
be in sight of the harbor lights before mid
night.
Presently Rob came up beside her. "Can
be Of any service tomorrow, Kitty?" he
asked. at is tedious business getting
through the custom-house."
ooh, no, thank you," she answered.
"James will be there to do every thing"
Then she laughed.
''Mrs. Clafflin thinks she has nipDed fine
romance in the bud. She thinks you have
proposed to me, that you believe I received
your note and paid no attention to it, and
that am ignorant of the true state of af-
fairs. But she saw Through glass dark
w. when she turned her lens on US, and her
little stratagem was useless"
Rob did not answer. She stood there a
moment, feeling strange restraint in his
silence Some unaccountable barrier seemed
between them, and she could not go on jok-
ing as she had done before. Presently he
offered her his arm, and they began to walk
slowly back and forth.
Darkness drew down over the sea, but
the light streamed out from the cabin doors
and port holes.
NO" he said at length, ''her little strata
gem was not useless. It brought me face to
face with myself All that / wrote you that
night in Jest have come out here tonight
to repeat to you in earnest, and thousand
times more than that. I know now that !
loved you then, or I could not have written
as did. know that this may seem sudden
to you, but it is not sudden. 1t has been the
slow growth Of years, though have been
so long in recognizing it."
The deep, earnest voice struck re-
sponsive chord in the girls heart, but she
would not let him know it.
"Well, Rob-" she said, gaily, ''you always
could carry out a Joke better than any one
ever knew. wish Mothe Claft1in could
hear you now"
"Oh, Katherine, do be serious" he pre-
tested, with adesperate earnestness. 'Be-
lieve me, sweetheart, it is the happiness CT
a lifetime am asking for. Don't you care
for me in the leastw
He bent over her in the darkness. Her
hand rested moment In his, but the sweet
willful lips so near his own spoke no word.
and the hit hid the answer he might have
read in her eyes.
Mrs. Espey passed with her maid.
ssMrs. Claffin is looking for you," she
said in passing. s'She is around on the other
side"
.wait," pleaded Rob. "Yeu have not
answered me. I will see you tomorrow
1t your homel No; tell me now, Kitty. I
can't let you go without some little WORT
IF hope"
She gave him both her hands an instant
in q quick, impetuous way, and then was
zone.
Early next morning Mrs. Claf1in stood
..ith glass in hand, eagerly scanning the
hundreds of people ut the docks for sight
# James well-known face, and glancing At
catherine now and then to wonder how
they would impress each other. She no
iced her bow to some one just starting
down the gang plank, and turned in time to
see Robert Eustis raise his hat in what
seemed to her q very cool, Indifferent man
ner.
HE couldn't have been 50 much in love
with her as his letter seemed to indicate, -
she thought to herself, ''or he never would
have gotten over it so quickly. No telling,
though, what it might have come to If
hadn't interfered. Thank goodness, here
comes Jamesw A j. FL.