River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-10-12

to himself: IF / know Kate-and 4
fatter myself that do know her-she
would rather retain her faith in dead
Jim than lose her faith in living Jim. -
30 he wrote that Jim had got worse and
died. lie did not consider himself in
this. which was to his credit
Then, being no longer required in
/ Colorado. he followed his letter home.
On the way home common sense ar
gued with him and brought home to
/ him very forcibly that he had made a
mistake. Sooner or later Kate must
learn the truth. II would be better for
| her TO hear IL from him now than to have
/ il brutally broken TO her later, when il
might injure her life more. 1t was not
a pl easant mission, this mission of con-
fession on which he went short time
/ after his return, but he confronted him
self with the thought that she would at
least acknowledge that all he had done
was ont Of consideration for her.
! Geoffrey Halkett never told anyone
what happened at that interview. AS a
matter of fact, the girl heard him all
through. and then, white and trembling
with indignation, infinitely scornful
with herself for having allowed anyone
! to defame her lover while she listened,
/ she turned and left him-not. though,
before she had pointedly suggested that
| he should never enter the house again.
''She had never trusted him from the
very beginning" so she said. land
/ now
Hallett took mp his hat and went.
This man. who had thought himself
never TO be astonished again. was an
I obstinate man. but not too obstinate 70
I acknowledge himself astonished. file
/ wasted no time over useless arguments
/ or letters. but he went abroad and some
/ time subsequently he met Jim Paddon.
I The interview was short, but satisfac-
tory All. il appeared, that Hall1ett re-
I quired of ais former friend was letter
I written 20 Kate. telling her how mat
tiers stood. Paddon demurred and
Mrs. Paddon thought Halllett a nui-
sance.
i may he a sneak. said Jim; "but I'll
be r. if I'll write myself down one"
Haikett declined TO enter into the
distinction. You can put it in gen
tlemanly way if you can" he said.
a man with only one lung and a bad
I case i no match for man with two
lungs and good case and a rapidly de-
velOping passion for woman. In less
/ than month IIalkett was home with
the letter.
Kate IS devilish obstinate when
she, in a bad temper he said to him
self Il know what she'll do now;
shell refuse to see me, and I'm not
going 10 trust the letter to the post .
still, he wrote and asked her to make
an appointment She replied by re-
turn, naming a day and hour Hal
kett gasped a little at this, but went
for a walk to think how he should
meet her
lie need not have troubled about
arranging speeches or lines of con-
duct Kate took the initiative at the
interview, as he might have known she
must She was very civil, only rather
distant nd asked MIN why he wanted
to see hrr.
II have brought you a letter." he
said.
She held out her hand
He gave II to her. She looked at the
writing, mGrmured an excuse and left
him.
When she came back there was little
changed about her except a hesitancy
in her speech.
Don't make me apologize" she said,
but. OF course, l knew you We're right
when you told me. only I wasn't going
To allow anyone but Jim TO say such
things about himself. was I?''
Certainly not. said Halkett, too
blinded by the sentiment of the SEN
tence % consider its grammar. 1T is
who have TO apologize"
50 they parted good friends and the
student of women went home satisfied.
and on the whole rather pleased than
not with the sensation of establishment
TO which he was now becoming quite
accustomed
After a decent interval of these
friendly relations he asked her TO
marry him.
Then the friendly intercourse
snapped like pipestem and she told
him he had insulted her ''You ought
ny this time" she said, ITO know me
too well to imagine that / could ever
love again
This finished off Godfrey Halkett.
lie spent a miserable month making
up his mind whether to go abroad or
to the devil, and he finally decided
on a combination, when this letter
came:
DEAR MR. HALEETr-Have VIC annoyed YOU
in any wsys II not, why DO you never came 10
see US now VIC shall both be in, and very
pleased 10 see you any afternoon this week If
you care 10 look US up again very sincerely
yours. KATE TEMPLE
II S--Aunt says she may have to 60 ont
Wednesday, but every other afternoon she will
be a home
Godfrey IIalkett rea1 this letter, but
not all his experience couIa make him
look as though he had expected it.
After little while he smiled and lit
his pipe. and was happy. lie might
not understand women, but he under
stood that letter. On Wednesday
morning ne spent twenty gmneas on a
ring. ON Wednesday afternoon he
called at the Temples and saw Kate
After all, now that he was cured Of
his chief weakness. he was very
good fellow. and there is never a better
wife than the girl who is capable of
astonishing you on occasion. - san
Francisco Examiner.