Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-13

| uIsen the CAPTAIN Tor aSsyUarce ana aGreeu
without any particular demur to Mrs Ma
/ PIES next suggestion-which was of Bran
| BoulltsT. As to our plans, they were east
| ly framed, and the only thing to do was to
! carry them out carefully. managed 20 be
| free on the evening Of the ball in such a
manner as not 10 run the chance of arous-
! INK Penny'E suspicious; when he asked me
| in perfunctory manner if did not wish
| to 90 l hesrteted just long enough to make
him think that / really did not care about
! it; and Of course there was no difficulty in
| keeping my costume out of his sight. Emma
/ Naples and had agreed to dress alike in
| order the better 10 be able to confuse our
| friends, and we fixed on white doninos
with tasSeled hoods and white silk wizards
7 as our costume. Bran BouLlter was To call
| for Emma and then go 10 my mothers
| house for me.
But on the evening of the appointed day,
when, after having seen Penny go Off with
| his cigar, had gone TO my mothers and
was sitting in the parlor wsiting. was in
| ciined to be sorry that had not agreed to
| 70 with the captain. For on the afternoon
! Of that very day something had occurred
which mad considerably enlightened me as
to the reason of Bran's changed condition.
lie met me in Walnut stree: snd walked
homo with ne. 1t was a gorgeous after
noon; the russell bar of the sunset glowed
At The end OF the vista of The street, fading
of into the cold pale blue of the wintry
SKY, the heaps Of snow and the darkening
pavements about US were beginning to
chill the air which had caught Il little glow
Of cheerfulness during the day from the
glictcring sun; dark through the leafless
|.
forms of worbmen, and the crunch Of their
feet on the snow sounded crisp and strong
was glad TO be walking briskly against
the empty cold: the little patches of dust
ed snow on which | trod seemed elastic and
inyigorating. When we came indoors out
Of the falling darkness | pulled off my
sealskin coat quickly and ran TO the soft
coal fire in the back drawing room, and
stood looking into its elfn blaze, shading
my glowing check with benumbed hands
Presently l began To rub my hands over
the heat.
Are your hands cold" said Bran; there
was :. deep trpnlble il bis voice
Yes said /
without saying anything more he took
one Of nay hands in both Of his and began
stroking it slowly. | looked up at MIN
by T. ne fire, and Us he leaned against the
mantel the freight flici.ered Oh his face.
\ sudden apprehension took possession o.
me-his intent gaze must mean something.
KS II possible" said my hand still lay
pass!veiu his-''is it possible that-that''-
THAT You are the cause of all nv
troubles" said ne. Yes, it IS"
looked away from him and into the fire.
a..
away instantly, but unfortunately | hest
taxed l really did not sufficiently think of
the situation. Bgan's presence that after
noon had Someho7~ affected Inc. l had
been delighted to see him When he stopped:
it was like old times; felt ike his cousin,
his old comradc, and the old fondness for
him returned, AS it would every now and
then. All the way up the street had been
lightly remembering he old days, and now
forgot myself and delayed the instant of
reason and reFroof, But the fire gave me
no counsel. | watched it for :, little while
in silence, knowing that his eyes were GU
me all the Uilne. Poor boy poor boy! 50
l had been to blame for all his unhappi-
ness, ! turned again presently and looked
ut him steadily. You should not say this
10 me. - ! said. "Tou must 90"
lie dropped my hand and lett me. So. as
I said, WAS very thoughtful as | sat in nv
mothers little parlor and waited for him
ana Emma Naples. Ny chief trouble was
TO fix the exact amount Of my own respon-
sibllity but tie more | thought the more
it seemed 10 be reduced, and though at first
! had felt almost as soft hearted about him
as on that evcntfUl evening when bad re-
fused him, finally, becoming somewhat
impatient rs ne ana Emma Naples still de
layed, l decided that if anybody was to
blame Bran BOuiltcr was for | had given
him absolutely no ENCOURAGEMENT, and If
his foolish speeches To me while we drove
through the park together had been based
upon he supposition that l was encourag-
ing Caitain BraCue. why he deserved the
additional unhappiness which he would
now receive from having mistaken nv
meaning when l told him not to lear his
fate too much. He need not run after me
unless he wants 70, sad !. and of course he
must do so no longer. was really sorry
for the poor boy; | seemed lated 10 destroy
his happiness; but l clearly was not to
blame While I was trying to think over
the best way to reprOye poor Bran-dcar
me! what an unnecessary amount OF
trouble l seemed to be having-the door
bel rang, and presently he came IN alone!
Where's Emma? Where's Mrs. Ma
ples:" said l.
she can't 80. said he Here's a note
from her"
took the note-she simply said that she
had bad headache and could not &C; she
was aviuIy sorry and begged me 10 enjoy
myself without thinking Of her. l mused
over the lester for a little while II was
my duty, l suppose, considering the cir
cUnstances, TO give up the expedition l
had ri last succeeded in justifyinE my 60
Ing ut all on the argument that Mrs Ma
pies presence would do away with all pos
sibi!ity of suspicion on Bran's part that
did not mean to be angry with MIN. But
now
Wen, after all, what harm could there
be in going, l had quite made up my
mind TO be very serious with him. and in
the meantime there was no reason why l
should lose any fun just because be had
chosen 10 behave foolishly. When I had
thus decided looked UP and srid calmly:
Then l suppose we shall have to 90
without her. What pity she is not we'll"
4 slight movement passed over his feat
urls, could not detect its import. Dear
me- I said TO myself, 81 hope he is not
going 10 give me any more trouble! At all
events l C-n treat hin like stick of wood,
and if am impaSsive, what can he do?'' All
Mt once l remembered that my domino was
OFT in the carriage, and 1 stopped for mo-