Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-01

II dare say; she was Just naturally obliged
to shoot him. It's . pity she didn't shoot
strsighterl Don't you think IL queer Jour
self, Milly, that all four children always sided
Nth, NTH thsi, mother never. By any chance With
trusting man who has been 20 unlucky with
children with Gather2'
He was slated to see that this shot, at least,
had gone home: she shivered palpably. But in
. second she wiped her eyes and spoke quite
u hadn't ought 70 blame you, colonel; I used
to think almost - hard things myself, but he
has told me the whole story, and know now
be was not the most to blame. He was too
how such hard things are said; but I'm not
afraidr She bit her lips nervously; she
pressed the fingers of both hands hard on the
edge Of the table. II think great deal Of Mrs.
Alierton's and your opinion, and before, when
you considered ought to marry Mr.. Agee, I
did like you told me; now-it is differentg
Now you want to please yourself-eh?''
She returned no answer. Her wretched ewes
gave the planter pang, and he was glad to see
the door swing ajar. There entered q pretty
BOY OF ten or eleven, in whose bright face at
first one could detect no difference from the
face OF child of his years in general. 1t was
only the absence Of any token Of impression at
noise that informed one Of his affection. He
saw Col. Allerton and ran to him gayly. The
planter had brought book of pictures and
al
In childish way with q kiss. at once ran to
show to Mildred. Having been to a school for
the deaf and dumb he could chatter very
nimbly on his fingers The planter clumsily,
and his stepmother nimbly as he, moved
their fingers in answer to his delight and ques-
tons. His eyes sparkled and his pretty mouth
parted in continual smiles.
colonel Allerton involuntarily spoke his
thought: Can you bear to have him less con-
hding and less happy, than he is now2'
Mildred answered hastily: Judge Kline will
not be anything different to him; he says he
Of him.
Colonel Allerton, turning to the boy, spelled
on on his fingers, Gay, how do you like Judge
a., The ehild's face clouded; flashing back came
the reply, accompanied by scowl: Il am
afraid OF him. He whips his horse.'
Gay saw him once when the horse was balk
ing and Judge Kline had to punish him." Mrs.
Agee struck in, hastily.
Mike was always SO gentle with animals, 1
reckon Gather inherits the feeling. Did you
happen to see the horse?'
Mo. sir; Judge Kline told me-"
Inc colonel was wise enough to refrain from
comment. After pause he fired his last shot:
Well. Mildred, if L can't persuade you to give
up THIS match there is proposition I'd like to
make ! think you can't find fault with 1t is
Just this: Suppose you let me have the guardian
ship OF Gather and settle some property on
him; Now, the law Mike hadn't made q will,
would have given you One-third of the prop
erty and Gather two thirds; suppose that you
give Gather one-third and Keep two-thirds
yourself? That surely, is not asking so very
much. And If Kline is an honorable man, or
even decently honest man, he will be quite
willing to agree to this. What do you sayg''
Mrs. Ages sensitive lips shut tightly; then.
Il am willing to leave that to Judge kime,'
said she; 'it don't look well for me to be making
conditions like that II l cant trust man enough
to trust him with my money and my child
can't trust him with me. And if can trust him
with myself l reckon can trust him with the
other things"
you have been talking with him about it;
have you!'
That's the way feel myself" returned Mil
dred, with forced sharpness that set on her
tlmldlty like fierce airs on a hen.
Il see, said the colonel. gloomly. He gave
up the fight at that moment, Though he stayed
half an hour longer, using every argument that
his wits could muster.
She met them all in the same manner; plainly
ne was travelling over ground that had been as
1t were, blazed by previous discoverer, and
Mildred would keep faithfully in the track pre-
pared for her. Did he not remember the alb
solute dependence that they all could place in
Mildred's literal devotion to a duty appointed
to her? When she had beer in his own family
helping" in the days when Mildred Broyles.
though Capt Broyles' daughter had only her
dresses or taught school or helped" in fami-
lies just as the occasion served, she could al
ways be trusted.
mildred is timid about stepping out for her.
self, Mrs. Allerton often had said; "but there is
not any one that l feel safer to leave things
eith. For all her gentle ways and her silence,
she had her opinions and could cling to them.
well, Mildred" he said finally, II reckon
you'll get me out of temper If I stay talking here
much longer, and | don't want to part bad
friends for you will need all your friends if
you marry Kline, SO III iast say good evening,
and ask you to think it over and let me know
Mildred did not say that thinking it over
would make no difference. That was not her
way. Her obstinacy of the mild and
shrinking sort, that. Like dough, recedes at a
touch, but instantly and Silently rises again.
She got up, paling little, not urging him to
stay. as she would usually have done, and shook
hands
His last words were: ''Now. Milly, you think
it over. Don't commit yourself" The little
deaf and dumb boy was clinging to his hand
while he spoke.
Mildred. from the window, saw him jump
into the buggy and drive rapidly away. She
knew that he was both hurt and angry and
slowly the tears gathered in her eyes. She
brushed them away. If l don't trust him
enough to suffer little for him 1 don't
guess my love is worth much" she said. "Col
Allerton doesn't know him, but 1 wish
could have told him If it was not for
that" Hastily she took photograph out of
her pocket, the picture OF handsome,
dark, smiling man-her lovers picture-yet
the face bent above it was white and scared
not in the least such face as a loving woman
bends above the picture of any dear one. TT
would be-awful if now-if now l we're to like
Mike best!' She shaped the thought that
haunted her into words with inexpressible
aversion, but she did shape it, But don't!
l don't she protested, when thought about
it so long, and he is just like what thought
every way
Really the colonel might have spared himself
the cudgeling that he was giving his wits all the
wny home, for Mrs. Agee was affected as power
fully as he could have wished, although the
cratic conscience of woman would brace her
heart to resist him and to cling to Kline. be-
cause-well, in truth, because she was not in
love with Kline at all. Nobody suspected it;
her friends did not suspect it; Kline did not
suspect it; she, least of all, suspected it. Just
the same. like other grim facts it remained.
And this that she had longed to tell Col. Allerton
was the explanation how she could thus deceive
herself.
Mildred was the only child of q ruined and
reckless gentleman, who had covered a multi
tude Of errors by heroic death. His extrava-
gance left Mildred penniless, but she always
adored his memory.
Being without kindred, for Capt. Broyles'
past history was a blank, the little girl was ap-
prenticed to an Ohio farmer with an ailing
wife, who wanted ''some help that couldn't run
of, " and in his family she remained until she
was eighteen; then she began to support her.
self. She taught school, she made dresses, she