The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-15
KATE'S CHILD.

an indefinite period this summer and that
he comes tomorrow"
eyes" quietly, ~ know"
"Well," with an injured air, "you do
take ID coollyl Are you aware that am
speaking of n man, too, who is both young
and handsomef"
"Wouldn't you call Harry Webster both
young and handsome?"
"Ohw flushing guiltily, "he doesn't
count, and besides" with a sudden access
of irritation against the absent Harry,
she is trying 10 break his neck somewhere
In Switzerland at the present moment, III
be bound"
There was n pause, during which the
young lady's fingers drummed impatiently
on the window, while her cousin sewed
calmly on.
"Wen, Kathie," said Miss Grafton, look
Ing up from her work with an indulgent
smile tout with the idea that is troubling
that small head Of yours"
"Well," proceeding cautiously. II was
merely speculating as TO which of ms he
was likely 10 fall in love with"
Her cousin laughed.
(which being interpreted means which
OF fus il TO feel herself at liberty to trife with
his young affections Wen, sarcastieally,
"shall we toss upl"
81 hardly think we need do that. Sup
pose" hesitatingly, "we leave it to him
To decide between us?"
"Why can't you call spade a spade,
Kathiegn asked Lena Indignantly. 1T
is "A challenge then, with a keen glance,
ga fair field and no favorg Well, SO be it,
Life is dull at the Willows, and Gilbert
Carew will be small excitement"
Kathie felt in excellent spirits on the
following afternoon as she bowled gayly
along i'm the trim little phaeton, the joint
property of the cousins, to meet the new
arrival at the station.
Her self satisfaction increased when she
turned her pony's head homeward and had
time 70 note the unmistakable look of adj
miration in pair of bright dark eyes.
Other details of their visitors personal
appearance had not been lost upon Miss
Kathie as she watched Mr.. Carew, direct
cd by the drowsy porter, mount the steps
toward her post of observation ON the rail-
way bridge.
"It was uncommonly generous OF Lena
20 let me have the first inning" she
thought gleefully. "I quite thought we
should have burst upon his vision stimuli
taneously this afternoon. / wonder why
she wouldn't come with me!" knitting
her brows in momentary puzzlement.
81 suppose she is the daughter" he
thought as Kathie chattered on about
Lena and "the dad" ~ remember my
mother said something about niece liv-
ing with them" And he smiled as he re-
called his mothers parting words
81 know the effect of several weeks in
the country with n pretty and fascinating
girl" she said solemnly. "Propinquity,
Gilbert, is the cause of more than half of
the love affairs in the world. Well, / shall
not mind if it is Kate's child. There is a
niece too, but did not care for her moth
er-she was too giddy."
But Gilbert grew rather bewildered over
the identity of "Kates child" when
Kathie whirled him into the sunny draw
ing room at the Willows and presented
him abruptly to "my cousin Lena"
'We are both Kathleens, you see," she
explained, "and the dad had to make some
distinction between us,
az am evidently not TO know which is
Kate's child" thought Gilbert amusedly.
"Lena is lovely, but / think shall get or
best with Kathie."
So he did kathie was always availa-
bic for music, impromptu picnics and
strolls on the moonlit lawn. She openly
enjoyed his society, and the two became
fast friends-nothing more.
But Lena knew the desire OF the aver
age masculine mind for the unattainable.
Hence she was deaf TO any insinuating
suggestions concerning moonlight ram
bles.
At first she enjoyed the game of hide
and seek, but by and by she realized that
she wanted to be found and absolutely
longed for the sound of Gilbert's advanc-
ing footsteps.
Then, when she felt that matters were
getting serious, she hated herself for the
part she was playing. But she had ac-
cepted the challenge, and she would win
And Kathie, when she saw how the
glimmer of another white gown in the gar
den would cause Gilbert TO rise abruptly,
mutter vague apology and effect hasty
exit through the French windows, awoke
10 the truth at last.
"Well," she said TO herself, "I should
like TO see the stony Gilbert capturedr"
Toward the close of one summer even
ing kathie disappeared, leaving Gilbert
and Lena alone together in n quaint little
summer house at the foot of the garden.
How il came about neither could have
told, but presently Gilbert was holding
the slight figure fast in his arms and muir
muring passionate words.
- Icrru forgot vcrything else in I'M over
whelming rush of happiness, but sud
denly guilty consciousness gained prom
inence in her mind, and she struggled out
of his arms.
He paused in surprise while Lena
poured out vehement explanation of her
attitude toward him since his arrival.
Gilbert listened at first in incredulous
silence. Then, as the meaning of her
breathleSs torrent Of words gradually
dawned upon him, his face grew pale and
set.
Well" he said bitterly, when the con-
fession was ended, "you have played with
me very successfully, and you at least have
the satisfaction OF knowing that you have
vanquishcd kathie."
lie was half way down the path toward
The house when, almost against his viii.
he turned for last look.
Lenas face was hidden from him, but
something I'm the utter despair of her atti-