Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-18
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
will serve her and will not spare
Till her pity awake,
Who is good, who is pure, who is fair,
Even her Tor whose sake
Love hath ia en- me and slain unaware.
The group has its eyes riveted on him in
turn. Not word is spoken. Even Tom
Kenrick, who is convulsed with inappro-
pirate laughter, finds nothing to say-per-
haps that is why! Drayton stands as if
Gstonishment has created him fixture on
the threshold, and all the others stand on
their particular scrap of carpet as dumb
founded as himself.
For Drayton the moment is as full of en-
bsrrsssment as it is of wonder. He colors
hotlv. What will she think? That he
purposely misled her-and came home to
10 find her out, as it were? There is train
that takes people away from this part OF
the world at o'clock, and he had firmly
believed that her-visitor-woGld have
gone by it He had thought of one visitor
only.
He had missed his own train, and all the
afternoon had chosen to wander hungry
without luncheon of anv kind-over the
country side, until the bell from the station
assured him that the four train had gone
bv. he thought it unlikely that her visi-
tor would stay beyond the train, and had
then hurried home, anxious to lay before
her the kilograms that had met him at the
railway station. He had kept them in his
pockct ali this time rather than cause her
Gnv disturbance or let her think that he was
prying upon her.
But now-nowi
Perhaps the first sensation be has on see
Ing his houSeKeeper's visitors is one of mad
delight:
Three! ''Three is trumpery," as all the
world knows. But who are these people?
Friends OF his housekeepei? Did ever yet
houstkeener entertain such fashionable
friends as these?
Brenda is looking at him from behind
Rhoda with distinctly frightened glance.
but with as just a distinct curiosity. Drav-
tons eyes fall on her, and really it would
be impossible for even an explorer to mis-
understand the beauty and the meaning of
her extremely French, her ''too, too French,
French gown"
AS for the young men, Gerald Kenrick is
as filled with confusion as any young man
need be, while Tom is filled with something
else. Tom, as has been said, is consumed
with mirth.
DraytoD's ewes having travelled to Tom
rest there. Where has he seen this man
DGlOIC- surely he udS seen Dim. lOIG
lean, dark, clever face is one not easily to
be forgotten-apd those satirical eyes, too.
Dravtpu's memory pulls itself together.
Yes, it was at the Junior Carlton surely
that he had seen him. And Kenrick was
his name. He had a royal memory for
names and faces Kenrick! Is her name
Kenrick?
As for her! His gaze now wanders from
Tom to her. Size is standing little for
ward. as if prepared to take the blame OF
everything, and he can see that she is very
colOrless and very uneasy. This knowledge
Hngers him in some odd way. Why should
she stand there, almost trembling, and as
though she were afraid of him. A frown
settles on mis- brow.
81 beg your pardon" he says in an un-
compromising tone. 'If had known YOU
had friends with you 1 should not have
dresmt of disturbing you."
"You 10 not di aurb me-" saws Rhoda.
81 regret indeed that nv friends are here
now, but you told ne you were going away
for the whole day, and 1 thought
thought"-with downcast eyes-''that I
should not be wanted
Every word she saws maddens him the
more. To speak like this as if she were a
servant and he her master, before these
people-how Goes she dare TO do Ill She
has indeed shirked the Sir but he is
quite aware that she has dropped it, only
because she finds il impossible to say it
with those three listening.
"Wanted!' says be, almost choking,
''You speak as il you thought 1 should not
make welcome, these-these-''
Followers! says Tom KeHrick, SOL
emily
He has conquered his first ebullition of
mirth, and is now prepared for anything.
He is indeed fully impressed with the
beauty of the situation, and is ready to go
ali lengths toward the perfecting of it.
''An" says Drayton. He row looks even
more keenly at Tom.
'Cousins!" corrects Brenda, in her quick
sweet voice, casting furious little glance
at Tom
Tine two things are not otincompatible, my
dear girl, Says Tom, mildly but firmly.
cousins, regarded in the light of followers,
are In our class, quite de rigueur. I'm sure,
sir, addressing Drayton, with an exagger-
sted air of difference. "you will acknow-
ledge the truth of my remark"
Il fear l have not studied the subject as
deeply as you have, says Drayton, drylv.
IAN, true; you lacked the opportunity SO
open to us. saws Tom, with low bow.
'Look here, Tom, drop all that" saws
Gerald, in an indignant tone, meant to be
room.
"And why?" demands Tom, regarding
him with q mourniul eve. care you
ASHAMED, Jerry, of your rank in life? 1t is
because you have your Sunday clothes on
to-day that you would deny YOUR humble
origin? I'm sure Mr.-D-ayton is the
name, isn't it, sir?-Would think but
meanly of anyone who"
Here RhOda, having tried twice to wither
him with glance, end tailed each time,
makes now an angry gesture, and takes a
step that places her before him. Tom thus
extInguished is pressed back by Gerald and
Brenda into a corner, and there kept
prisoner, though ali the time protesting
with hands and features, though. tmercitullv,
without words
There was something you fished to say
to me, says Rhoda, looking direct at Dray-
ton. ..
"A mere trife" says he'll slowly. "It
will keep. Pray do not lett me interrupt
your meeting with your-irisndsl"
She had said friends" fhe pretty lit
tie girl in grey had said 'eouiinL" He