The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-30

knew. To have him for her partner would
be delightful. and she went forward with
the most gracious welcome TO him. So alb
sor bed was she, SO pleased with Toms APP
pearance, at his polite response to her. she
did not observe Miss Smith-did not see
lilly draw back-did not hear her say:
No, | don't care to play, Miss Smith, /
want Won to play with Widths is my
friend, Will Wentworth. Miss Smith," by
way of introduction.
No, Agnes saw nor heard nothing of all
this, nor Of Wills polite arrangements with
thought of nothing but that her own little
arrangement to have Tom for a partner,
was successful, and 80. blithelv and
I iumphantly, she took her place and lifted
Ter racket. Whizz. she sent the ball flying
over the netting, and whizz it came tlying
again, to be returned by Tom Raymond's
vigorous stroke. Agnes regarded this stroke
with due admiration. Neither Will nor
lilly can match that" she thought. and at
the thought she looked ever and across
the netting TO see q girls uplifted arm
swinging easily forward, the racket hitting
| the bali lightly with u swift. sure, upward
| and onward motion. Where had lilly
learned to strike out like that. all at
once2 Tillvl The uplifted arm that
had partially hidden the plavsr's face, was
lowered. What-what- was not
Tilly, but-bus-shat girl! How did she
come there2 A glance at Willis face drawn
up into y most exasperating grin, at Wills
eyes dartinR forth CLEANS OF fun, was
! enough for Agnes.
Yes. this was Will Wentworth's doing
his hateful plot 10 humiliats her and tri-
umph over her. StunR by this thought she
| lost sight for that moment OF everything
else. and the ball sent so surely back to her
dropped to the ground before her partner
| could rescue ii. An exclamation OF dlsap-
| pointmens from Tom added TO her discom-
| uture, and when Will. the next instant,
| Dried:
wait a minute-till l get another
| racket-Miss Smith has broken hers"
Agnes, finging down her own. exclaimsd:
Miss smith can have my racket, I'm not
! going to play any lonaer"
Not going TO play2 What do you mean?'
shouted Wnl.
II mean that I'm not used TO a surprise
party, and TO PLAYING with strangers Was
| the rude and angry answer.
"You-vou ought to" but Will con-
trolled himself and stopped. He was
about to say. You ought TO be ashamed of
yourself.
Agnes. however, unde stood from the
tone of his voice something OF what he
meant, and turned scornfully away, her
head up, and with Il glance at Tom that
plainly showed she expected him 10 follow
her.
But Tom made no movement OF that kind.
He stood whers he was, looking across al
viii, who red and ashamed. had APP
preached Miss Smith. and was evidently
making some sort of apology 10 her for the
insult that had been offered her; and Miss
Smith was listening TO this apology with
the coolest little fnoe imaginable.
Tom, taking all this In. gave another OF
his odd little ohuckles. Agnes hea d 1t and
flushed scarlet. So-ho WAS taking sides
with Will Wentworth. wss he? And what
what, was that Tillyp Yes, 10 was lilly
lilly with the racket, she, Agnes, had flung
down-Tilly, standing in her place and
and-serying the ball back to that grill
30 lilly was with them tsor Well, she
would see, they would all see that Agnes
Brendon was not a person To be snubbed
and diaregarded in this fashion. nor n per
son TO be for ced to make acquaintances
with vulga or common people, against her
will. Oh. they would see, they would see!
And braoing herself up with thess indig-