The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-10-23

| 'ame and fought you wouldn't like"
Wrinkle" said Copy enthusiastically,
shaking the small hand, you're the best
of good fellows. Look here, you can't I'M
derstand all these things. One of these
| days-hang it, how can I make you see it,
Pm going to marry Miss Allardyce, and
then she'll be Mrs. Copy, as you say. If
YOUR Young mind is so scandalized at the
idea of kissing big girls go and tell your
father"
"What will happen" said Wee Willie
Wrinkle. who firmly believed that his father
was omnipotent.
81 shall get into trouble" said Copy,
! playing his trump card with an appealing
| look at the holder Of the ace.
"Ven / won't" said Wee Willie Winkie
briefly. But my faver says it's unman-
" to be always kissing, and / didn't fink
you'd do vat. Copy"
'Im not always kissing, old chap. It's
! only now and then, and when you're bigger
you'll do it. too Your father meant it's
/ not good for little boys"
GAh"' said Wee Willie Winkie. now fully
| enlightened. cts like We sputter brush. 4"
Exactly" said Copy gravely.
"But / don't fink I'll ever want to kiss
big girls, nor no one, 'cept my mUvver.
And must vat, you know"
There was long pause, broken by Wee
Willie Wrinkle.
care you fond Of Wis big girl, Coppy?"
"Awfully!" said Copy.
"Fonder van you are of Bell or We Butcha
or me-"
IT'S in a different way" said Copy.
"You see one of these days Miss Allardyce
will belong to me, bat you'll grow up and
command the regiment and ali sorts of
things. It's quite different, You see"
every WE'LL said Wee Willie Wrinkle,
rising. eff you are fond of We girl, won't
tell any one ! must 20 now"
Copy rose and escorted his small guest
to the door, adding: You are the best Of
little fellows, Wrinkle / tell you what
In thirty days from now you can tell if
you like-tell any one you like"
Thus the secret of the Observation-Disclosures
engagement was dependent on little
child's word. Copy, who knew Wee Willie
Wrinkles idea of truth, was at ease, for he
felt that he would not break promises.
Wee Willie Wrinkle betrayed a special and
unusual interest in Miss Allardyce, and,
slowly revolving round that embarrassed
young lady, was usedto regard her gravely
with unwinking eye. He was trying 10
discover why Copy should have kissed
her. She was not half so nice as his own
mother On the other hand. she was Cop
pv's property. and would in time belong to
him. Therefore it behooved, him to treat
her with as much respect as FCoppy's big
sword or shiny pistol.
The idea that he shared great secret in
common with Copy kept Wee Willie
Winkie unusually viEtqous for three
weeks. Then the Old Adam broke out,
and he made what he called 'camp fire.
at the bottom of the garden. How could
he have fOreseen that the flying sparks
would have lighted the celonel's little hay
rick and consumed weeks store for the
horses? Sudden and swift was the punish
ment-deprivation Of the good conduct
badge and, most sorrowful of ALL two days
confinement to barracks (the house and
veranda), coupled with the withdrawal of
the light of his fathers countenance.
He took the sentence like the man he
strove to be. drew himself up with quiv-
ering under LIP, saluted, and once clear of
the room ran to weep bitterly in his nursery
called by him my quarters" Copy
came in the afternoon and attempted to
console the culprit.
I'm under awwest," said Wee Willie
Winkie mournfully, land / didn't ought
to speak to You"
Very early the next morning he climbed
on to the roof of the house-that was not for
bidden-and beheld Miss Allardyce going
for a ride
Where are you going?" cried Wee Willie
Wrinkle.
ACROSS the river" she answered, and
trotted forward
Now the cantonment in which the One
Hundred and Ninety fifth lay was bounded
on the north by river-dry in winter
From his earliest years Wee Willie Wrinkle
had been forbidden to go across the river,
and had noted that even Coppy-the almost
almighty Coppy-had never set foot beyond
It, Wee Willie Winkie had once been read
to, out of big blue book, the history of
the princess and the goblins--a most won
derful tale of land where the COLLINS were
always warning with the children of men
until they were defeated by one Curdie.
Ever since that date it seemed to him that
the bare. black and purple hills across the
river were inhabited by COLLINS, and, in
truth, every one had said that there lived
the bad men. Even in his own house the
lower halves of the windows were covered
with green paper on account Of the bad
men who might, If allowed clear view. fire
into peaceful drawing rooms and comfort
able bedrooms. Certainly beyond the river.
which was the end of all the earth. lived
the bad men. And here was Mai Altar
dyce's big girl, Coppy's property, preparing
to venture into their borders, What would
Copy say If anything happened to herr II
the COLLINS ran off with her as they did
with Curdies princess? She must at all
hazards be turned back.
The house was still Wee Willie Wrinkle
reflected Tor a mOmen6 On the very terrible
wrath Of his father; and then-broke his
arresti IL was crime unspeakable The
low sun threw his shadow. very large and
very black, on the trim garden paths as he
wen: down to the stables and ordered his
pony. 1t seemed to him in the hush Of the
dawn that all the big world had been bid
den to stand still and look at Wee Willie
Winkie, guilty of mutiny. The drowsy
groom handed him his mount. and since
the one great sin made all others insignif-
cant, Wee Willie Wrinkle said that he was
going TO ride over 10 Copy Sahib. and
went ont at foot pace. stepping on the
soft mold of the flower borders
The devastating track of the pony's feet
was the last misdeed that cut him off from
all sympathy Of humanity. lie turned into
the road, leaned forward and rode as fast
as the pony could put foot 10 the ground in
the direction of the river
But the lveliest Of TWENTY-FIVE ponies
can DO little against the longer canter of a
Waller. Miss Allardyce was far ahead had
passed through the crOps, beyond the police
post when all the guards were asleep snd
her mount was scattering the pebbles of