Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-12-08
At the door she had an instant's OPP


Kathy consigned the coin to her
pocket and went to her recitation
''Come with me to the chapel" she
said 30 Jennie, when the noon bell had
struck and they were free. 81 am SO
afraid l shall forget this 1 want to
put it where found it's
The two friends walked away togeth-
er, talking confdentially and laughing
much. But Kathy's laughter soon
ended.
Miss Hance had finished her work,
the collection was back in its place,
and the cabinet doors were locked fast.
''What shall I do?" asked Kathy,
looking at her unwe1come possession
and turning pale. 'I can't give it back
to Miss Hance; there wouldn't be any
thing to say"
''Of course there wouldn't; don't
think of it. Wait until the things are
out again and put it with them then. 1t
won't be SO very long, perhaps
ooh, L can't, can't! 1t may be
months. and couldn't keep it all that
time. Why, it isn't mine! It's steal
ing" she said, nearly in tears.
''Why, no. it isn't stealing!" cried Jen-
ME. you didn't take it to keep. Wait
until tomorrow morning and I will
think of a way TO get it back. I'll find
the key, maybe, and after breakfast
I'll tell You what to do"
In spite of this assurance Kathy was
uncontrolled. She went about all day
long with the coin, lump of remorse,
at the bottom of her pocket Still Jen-
MES cheering promise helped her to
bear up. She had unbounded faith in
her friends ability. Her own idea
would have been to return the coin and
confess. But Jennie thought this
stupid course of action, to be employed
only by girl with no brilliant gift at
getting out of corner.
Next morning that promise which
had been Kathy's hope was not full
filed AS the girls left the breakfast
room Jennie slipped small paper into
her hand.
Il can't do it, the paper said. 81
think Miss H carries the KEY with
her. If / were you would let it roll
under the cabinet and then they will
find it. Nellie Wiles told me an -ele-
giant riddle: What is the difference
between Shake speare and Queen Eliza
beth?' One is Wonder and the other
a Tudor It's the counting-one, two
Good-by.''
Kathy saw little of Jennie that day
Through apparent inattention in one of
their classes the girls were forbidden
to speak to each other. Thus Kathy
was thrown u pom her own resources.
81 can't let it roll away" she
thought, walking forlornly up and
down the hall. ''They might never
find it; it might be swept up or some
thing, and then it would be stealing for
me. 1 ought to go straight to Dr.
Egerton and tell him about it. That
would be the very hardest, and that is
what deserve to do
AS she turned again she paused
DIR. Egerton himself was approach
ing her. Kathy cast herself upon her
impulse.
''Dr. Egerton, may speak to you
for minute?" she asked. with a
humping heart which almost smoth-
| cred her words. She sought the coin
in her pocket In another minute she
would have told him the whole.
Are you not out of order in being
here at this hour, Miss Ward?'' he
asked, severely.
eyes. SIR was all that she could
say.
''Then select different time to ask
| favor of me. Go now to your class
| room"
Kathy hurried away in modification
| too deep even for tears. She entered
the classroom with tagging steps, and
received an unheeded reprimand for
her hardness. AS she seated herself
she caught sight of Jennie Randalls
face, as pretty and rosy as ever, smil-
! ing pointedly in her direction. The
ghost of nod accompanied the smile;
perhaps something encouraging had
happened
! It'was even So At the first oppor-
tunity Jennie handed Kathy second
note:
Il have thought of a way, after all.
Take the coin to Miss Hance and pre-
sent it to the school. She need never
know where you got it, and she can
put it in the cabinet herself
All the weight which had rested on
Kathy's heart through the morning
seemed to roll away as she read.
! Without an instants hesitation she
asked and obtained permission to speak
to Miss Hance. In a short time the
hated coin lay upon that lady's desk
under her near-sighted eyes.
| .'Why. thank you, Kathy." she said,
/
| receive contributions for the museum.
There is especially great deal to be
| learned from coins, and we have only
a few. Are you interested in them? Do
you know about this one? No? Well,
1 will find out all about it for you, and
it shall lie by itself in the cabinet with
| its description on card. 1 am going
very soon to arrange all our coins so,
but as yet have not had time. We
will begin with yours, and your name
| will go upon the roll of honor with
those of the other contributors"
Here was an unforeseen horror! .'Oh,
please, Miss Hance,'' Kathy said, with
quickly-changing color, II think ]
| should rather not be thanked, nor be
upon the roll of honor. IL don't de-
serve it !"
"Why, of course you do, DEAR" an
swered Miss Hance, kindly. ''It is the
only Acknowledgements which we can
| make for a valuable gift Here is DIR.
Egerton. He will be able to tell us
fabout it DIR. Egerton, Katherine
Ward has presented US with coin for
the cabinet-a Roman one, 1 should
think, although 1 cannot tell more
without the glass"
She handed il to the doctor, who ex-
amined it carefully. A thrill of terror
ran through Kathy's nerves. If he
4 II, l., "a