Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-18

supper table, although they had long since
finished. Michael was building up pyra-
mid of knives and glasses, Catherine
watched the structure as it rose, and David
looked o. Catherine. Presently she put out
a mischieyous hand to interfere, but
Michael, still building with his right,
caught her wrist in his left hand and held
it fast With an impatient jerk of the
table David brought the edifce crashing
down in ruins.
eff YOU break the glasses" said Eames,
you'll get no hot toddy. Cathey, it's time
you was abed; get out the whisky and mix
the boys glass apiece, and your old father
will have one, too.
Catherine fetched the bottle, the lemons,
and the old-fsshioned silver sugar crushers.
Michael pared the peel into strips so thin
"you might read through them" and David
lifted the kettle, too heavy tor the girls
slender arms The fragrant odor Of punch
spread about the room. and the young men
clinked glasses with Eames and drank to
their next meeting.
you've got a rough walk before you,
bows" said he; Il shouldn't care to be in
your place. But to be sure, you're young,
your united ages don't come up to mine, I'll
be bound. Let me see-you are %, Michael,
and David is %. Twenty and 20 is 40, and
5 and 8. Add another 8 to As and there
YOU have me. Well, 20 years goes by like q
flash, as one day you'll discover for your
selves"
He pressed the young men to take another
little halfClass. "a warm inside keeps the
cold without" said he, dealing forthi the
spirit generously,
They were glad to delay the moment of
departure, and Catherine coquetted to the
laughed at the fashion in which Michael
wore his.
"You have tied it very badly, oil the ends
are hanging out Let me arrange it for
youP
Standing on tip-toes her head lust reached
Michael's chin. She was unnecessarily long
in her arrangements, and when she had
finished she turned her charming little face
upward, with something so provocative in
her baby eyes, that no young mortal Irish
man, especially after Eames' hospitality,
could resist doing as Michael did, and sud-
denly kissing her.
David turned white.
EARLY times for kissing" grumbled
Eames.
mo! late timesr' said Catherine, 'T am
saving good night" With woman'f wit
she held her blushing cheek up to her father
and David in turn, as if 1t were but ordinary
friendliness.
David was red enough now, as he awk-
wsrdly took the kiss she profered him.
Michael made a grimace.
"You know how to cheaper your favors,"
be told Catherine. who blushed still more
vivldly, but answered pertlv, at will be a
long time before you obtain another favor,
anyhow
The whole party went out into the little
porch and David opened the outer door. The
wind drove him back an instant as it rushed
triumphantly past him, lifting the carpet
from the boards. blowing the curtains into
strange suggestive shapes. finally losing
itself in the great roaring cavern OF y
chimney.
Outside, up in the domed heavens. a glib
bous moon, now visible, now hidden, climbed
swiftly through the drifting clouds. The
scene was alternately washed in cold white
light or plunged in blackness, and the sud-
denness and completeness of these changes
was fuli OF an eerie desolatiop.
Goodnight said Eames to the young
men.
'Goodnightr' they cried, setting of.
Goodnight, DavyT' said Catherine, in
her most caressing tone, and making use
for the frst time that evening of the famil-
lar diminutive. Goodnight, Michael"
Both turned back and waved their caps
with final goodnight" All four saw
each other iorthe last time IN the wan moon
light, tnen Eames pulled his daughter with
gether.
They went without speaking a mile along
their road. The last house of the village
was left behind as, striking across the
meadows, they reached the cliff, along the
ragged outline of which their route lay.
The moon began 10 disentangle herself from
the vaprous mesLes that held her; she
reached breadth of dark transparent sky,
and for a time shone out unimpeded and
laaf anI lada Of
became suddenly distingushable upon the
cliff-top; every bright ripple crest and dark
hollow might be counted on the sheet of
silver sea that crawled below.
David, since he parted from Catherine,
had not opened his lips. The look he still
believed he had surprised between her and
Michael ranked within him. His blood
was on fire with the kiss she had let him
take; perhaps, too, Eames' whisky counted
for something. He said to himself over and
over again. Catherine should be his,
and the annoying conviction pressed close
upon him, that but for Michael there was
no one in the world to dispute his claim.
Michael, who had not spoken either, was
vet never silent. Now be whistIed, now he
hummed under his breath, now he sang a
few bars out loud. All at once he laughed
outright.
David felt passionate resentment.
W nat IOOl you are! he eAClalI0eQ
savagelv, everything to you is matter of
jest. Yet the very next time we walk along
here together, Catherine will have made her
choice, and one of US will be the happiest
fellow in the world, one the most miser-
able"
Perhaps 1 am cuItivating a laughing
philosophy" replied Michael, sin order to
enable me to sustain my fate, and yet"
yet what" repeated David.
well, of course we each hope to have the
luck, ;" said Michael. apologeucally, land
cannot help being gay-hearted while such a
hope is mine"
The mere possibility that his rival should
succeed and he fail cut David like knife,
but he marshaled up all the facts that told
in his favor and found relief.
Even supposing," said he, Catherine
cared for you, what then? How could YOU
support her as wife? You have only Just
enough to live yourself Do you mean to
ask her to wait for you? Eames would not
consent He is shrewd man. He under
stands business. 1 talked with him to-day
for long time. let HIM know my posi-
lion and my prospects. He was pleased.
am almost sure l can count upon his inf1u-
ence. In fact he hinted as much. He said
he wanted a son-in-law competent to put
GATHERINGS own little bit of money to good
use
Michael laughed again.
You are a canny Scot, Davy,"
said he, land where money is con-
cerned you are bound to winl But while
you were getting round old Eames 1
for once was better employed. was in the