The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1891-04-04

4 III.
never have suspected you of keeping on
with him to amuse yourself or make Il
fool of mc--or goodness knows what
you're after"
"Harlan." said Katy, warningly.
Her ewes were bright with indigna-
ton.
"Going out with him in the evening
is keeping on with him, D." said her lover.
sternly. ~ saw you together last night.
Did I. or didn't II"
liz his cold displeasure he was whole
leagues away from her, and katy's chin
went up, the brightness of her eyes in
creasing to flash.
"You might have she answered,
calmly.
| A hot flush rose to Harlan's cheek.
He had to steady his voice before he
spoke.
al won't ask you where you had been
or ANYTHING about it, won't humble
myself to that extent. Oh. don't sus
pect YOU of much, suppose he begged
you to take walk with him little
ways and talk over old times, and sup
pose you hated to say no and went. and |
suppose might have heard all you said.
But don't like it, 1t was no way to
treat ire. You're engaged to me and
no other fellow has right to your COM
pany on any Occasion-not without my
knowing it. Have so much as looked
at another girl since got your promise?
| No; and never would have. You've
no such notions, though. You suit
yourself and Joe Martin. You've shown
that You don't care straw for me or my
rights or my feelings"
They stood at the Gibsons' gate. Katy's
cheeks were pink, her hands tremulous
with the shocked resentment she could
not keep back. But she forced herself
to say:
''Harlan-why, Harlan do you be-
lieve that"
"Believe it." said Harlan Chapman
severely. "Do believe my own eyes and
your own admission. Believe it,
They stood hotly facing each other
| for an instant.
"fOu will excuse me from my engage
ment with you this afternoon, will you
notl" the young man demanded, stitfly.
"And from all other engagements
all.' hi, sweetheart flung back, and
"Why didn't Harley come inf" said
Salina. busy with some last button holes
"He'll-never-come in--againw her
pretty sister sobbei, burying herself in
the sofa-cushion.
Harlan Chapman stalkcd home and
ate his dinner, and sat down on the
porch and read an article about trout
fishing in late magazine.
He read it thoroughly, examining the
illustrations attentively. and striving to
CLEAN all possible information. But
when he had reached the tail-piece he
somehow felt that he knew less about
trout than about any other fish, flesh or
fowl, under the sun.
He tossed the magazine from him. 1t
slipped from the porch into the petunia-
bed, but he did not bestir himself.
There was no use in pretending. and so
he gave it up.
He could think of nothing but Katy
Gibson-Katie Gibson,
Funny how she had grown into his
life till this breaking with her made him
feel like a balloon sailing off alone from
the face of the universe! Queer what
habit could do!
He tried to quiet his singing sensa-
tions with such like philosophical mus
ings. But, making dismal failure of it,
he got up and strobe up and down the
porch.
He did not feel like a conquering hero
exactly. He knew he ought to. He had
been lightly-nay. wretchedly-treated
by the girl of his heart. He had con-
fronted her with his knowledge of it,
and she had defantly admitted it. |
Hence she was the girl of his heart no
longer; perfectly plain case-plainer
than pleasing.
The young man fell, inconsequently,
to thinking about peculiar dimple |
which one particular grimacing laugh |
of Katy Gibson's always produced.
Catharine Eleanor Gibson. He had !
been used to fancy how that would look !
on their wedding cards next winter.
HIM. How about Sclina's trousseau,
anyhowl How would she get it? 1t /
would make rather a balk, that. He i
had promised Selma to see it through /
and he had backed out, and it was rather
rough TN Selma.
Really, he hadn't anything against .
Selma. 1t was Katy, of course, and in
strict justice Selma ought not to suffer
by Katy's shortcomings.
He was wandering down tine steps
when that conviction forced itself upon
him. He thought he would drive up
and get Selina's trousseau, anyhow. He
didn't see how he could decently get out
of doing that much.
He put in the horse with alacrity. By
the time he had done it he was quite in
the spirit of the thinC. Il WAS more