The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1892-06-01

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just then keeping out Of reach of the
pole in Marks hand, and in 9 short
time even he made good his retreat,
leaving jamie and Mark sole combat
ants in the field.
"You'rc a brute, Mark Peters, and
I'm glad of this chance to tell you sol"
cried jamie.
"Thats all right, jamie. I'm glad
I found out your temper before it was
too late"
"You was, ch? Didn't know be-
fore that could take care of myself,
did you? Well. that just shows that
you amt as bright as you should be,
having known me all your life.'
"Oh, that's all right"
"That's just what it is, and 1t will
always be so, too, for l wouldn't
marry you now, not if you was the
last man OH earth"
al reckon gave you the first
chance, and l am thinking 1t will be
your last one, too" Mark retorted.
"Never you mind. You go and
take care Of your cat"
"You go and keep company with
your dog
81 will. Between Mark Peters and
Rover, / had rather have Rover for
steady company"
BY that time both were retreating
toward their respective homes, and
their words grew to be mere mutter-
ings.
From that day Mark and jamie
stunned each other, and though they
were such close neighbors, lived like
total strangers.
1t is only natural that, after while,
both were sorry in manner that the
quarrel had occurred, but neither
would acknowledge it openly. On
the contrary, when some good neigh
Dor offered to step in and bring about
reconciliation, the offer was rejected
on both sides with so much scorn, that
the experiment was never tried again
by the same person.
The neighbors were about equally
divided in taking sides with Mark and
jamie, but on one thing there was
only one opinio q, which was, that the
cot was TO blame for it all.
Mark too seemed TO acknowledge
that much, to himself at least, for
there were times when he would chase
his pet ont of the house, and shut him
outside for hours at time. On such
occasions the cat would climb to the
roof of the house, and give voice to
his sorrow in long and dismal walls.
"Oh, plague take your picture
Mark would mutter, "now You know
how it feels yourself. l took up your
quarrel, and am shut out, too. II |
was u cat, would climb up on roof
and howl, too, but l am q human
being and dare not do it."
1t was in the latter part Of the win
ter, and Mark was sick at heart with
the pain parting with jamie gave him.
The evening was cold and damp, and
he was sitting before the fire in the
huge chimney, watching the logs burn
down slowly AM crumble to ashes.
His thoughts were of jamie, and he
was debating with himself for the
ten thousantth time whether it would
not be best, after all, to go to her and
beg to be reinstated in her heart and
affection once more. He had almost
decided to give in, when the cat, as
was his habit, jumped up on his knee,
purring softly.
Mark was startled. For the time
being he had entirely forg the
cat. The cat must have felt it, and
thought il was time to receive some
recognition. But for once the cats
judgment was at fault, for instead Of
being peited and stroked, he was
picked up and flung out of doors.
In few minutes the cat was on the
roof of the house, bewailing the cruel
treatment he had just received at the
hands of his master. Mark, however,
only gritted his teeth, stirred up the
fire, and sat down before it, deter
mined to let the cat stay outside for
the rest of the night.
And SO the hours passed away one
after the other, and Mark still sat be-
fore the fire. The only movement he
made was to stir up the fire OCCASION
ally. The cat had been quiet for
long while, and Mark had sank into