Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-05-12

handkerchief; will you not pick it up.
! Miss Grahane?" Dunbar said. with
grin.
This decided her.
ssPlease tell mademoiselle that we
are in the middle of game now, and
| that hope she will bring her nephew
| out to join US, she said, with quiet de-
| termination.
you've done it, Miss Grahame," Dun
as declaration of war, / am no true
prophet. Well, remember shat the
| stars and stripes will hutter beside
| the union jack if the lilies of France
| advance before hostile hosts-''
! She knew there was a hidden mean
ing in his words, for his eyes met hers
as he spoke, and there was in their
brown depths sympathy she could not
| fail to read.
ssHush!'' she answered, in whisper.
''Here they come"
None could notice in mademoiselle's
manner as she advanced beside her
nephew that chagrin was raging in her
heart, for with the gayest of smiles she
cried, taking Kate's white hand play
fully in hers:
'sAs the mountain would not come to
| Mahomet Mahomet went to the noun
| tain. Permit me, dear child, to intro
duce to you my nephew, M. Leon DIES
| treville.''
| The bow the gentleman made, as he
raised his glossy black hat, would have
reused the envy of dancing-master-
as for Nellie Barlow, its aristocratic
| grace simply overwhelmed her.
| Kate made her best curtsey, and,
without giving mademoiselle a chance
of second consideration, both intro
duced the young Frenchman to Nellie
and Arthur Dunbar.
| AS the two men met face to face,
Kate could not but mark the contrast
1t was like the chance encounter of
| two dogs-say Caesar and some little
toy terrier-the one careless and digni-
| fed; the other full of fun and grimace.
| Yet, for all that, Leon d'Estreville
was very handsome young fellow.
| with his delicate features and large,
luminous dark eyes. if he had only gone
| to Regent street for a tailor instead of
to Shoreditch.
''Now," mademoiselle chirped, pleas
antly, ''you can enjoy a four-handed
game. Leon, ask Miss Grahame to be
your partner. and see if you cannot be
| a match for Miss Barlow and her young
friend.''
She emphasized the ssher'' so as to in.
sinuate that Mr.. Dunbar must not con-
slider himself as one of the parlor party.
| do not believe that there ever was
game of croquet played where SO much
small feeling was exhibited as on this
occasion, chiefly caused, I am sorry to
say, by the reprehensible conduct of
Arthur Dunbar, who would strike
Icons bali so viciously when the OPP
portunity offered and make such a dis
graceful null of his attempts to GRO
quet Miss Grahame's, and did laugh so
hilariously when the young French
man in trying to retaliate crashed the
mallet down on his own shin, that
even Kate was annoyed with him, and
Nellie could have wept for vexation.
But now the slinner bell; and Kate
Grahame had to endure the hunilia-
ton of seeing the party separate, with
out mademoiselle making the slightest
sign Of Cancellation.
This slight of one who had done her
such service cut the sensitive girl to the
quick, so creeping to the governess'
side she whispered:
''May I ask Nellie and Ir. Dunbar to
dine with us?''
Mademoiselle Campignon was petri-
| ned at her auGacltV.
''Kate Grahame," she demanded,
shave you taken leave of your senses?
I have suffered anguish at your conduct
during the past twenty-four hours. To
think that young lady, who has en-
| joyed the careful training that you
have, should condcscend to pick up
promiscuous acquaintance with a total
stranger, an American, too, who may
!
know to the contrary, is enough to
make ones hair stand on end with hor-
rOr. What do you suppose Miss Balder-
stone would say to such conduct? | am
sure it would nearly break her heart -
'But he has the manners of a gentle
! man." Kate faltered.
$50 has my hai1-dresser. Yet you
would not have me ask him to dinner,
would you?''
Mr.. Dunbar leaves here on Monday,
and perhaps we shall never see him
again." she said, ruefully, land l only
wished to show him some attention for
the great service he rendered me-
''The great service! He pulled a
puppy-dog out of the river, and you
make as much fuss about it, as if he had
saved your life
''Oh, mademoiselle.''
But here Leon. who had been walk
ing in advance, came with much taste
to the rescue.
what church is that. whose spire
see in the distance over the trees?" he
asked.
Mademoiselle waited for Kate to re-
spond, but as she was silent, answered.:
''Sunbury, very pretty village about
a mile from us. After dinner, l am
sure Miss Grahame will be happy TO
show you the place. She is famous
walker, and"
But Kate was not to be disposed of in
this off-hand manner.
II shall spend the afternoon in writ
ing to Miss Balderstone. and shall be
denied the pleasure of accompanying
you. sir. Besides, your aunt has just
been reading me a homily on the i'm
propriety Of cultivating the acquaint-
ance of strangers
It was very saucy thing for the
young lady to say, but she was at bay
now, and, sweet as her disposition
naturally was, do not mean to main
| "a; fhof che vroS of vyorT1a n