The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-11

in the end. 1 stayed for a week in the same
house with him, and people k~new-they
knew, l tell you. He was very courteous.
one bit impressed by my attentions; he
wasn't even f1attered by them. Yet. good
ne Yours NrS~ Ssu lany ARE are" and Susie usHue smiled
Don't you remember Major Barton, and
the Venners' picnic? You made yourself
quite remarkable on that occasion, and yet
nothing came of it. Nv always told you it
was bad form"
IT'S bad form for him to be so migrate
full. and I'll pay him out for it yet. You
see If / don't" she said vindictively.
why do you want to firt with him %
Because no one has succeeded In flirt-
ing with him yet. Isn't that reason
quite, 1 should say. And do you expect
to be more successful in your efforts to an
YES. / do"
but how?'
THAT, my dear Susie, is my affair"
81 couldn't understand your sudden affec-
ton for that child before, but if she is this
mans ward
"Yes?' as Susie paused significantly.
Don't be hard on her, she's a nice little
thing"
I'm not hard on her." with a disdainful
smile; ION the contrary, I'm her best
oh? She didn't seem very cheerful after
you sent her TO call on him the other day."
Perhaps her visit annoyed him?'
1T is quite possible"
vi perhaps III ulun I IKE Der going over
there with Jack"
THAT, also, is possible
Yet it was only Jack; If it had been any
other-and he is old enough to be her
WHO? Jack?"
mo, no; Col. Leigh"
Quite old enough" with a cold smile,
old to be her husband"
What? Are they engaged, then? ?"
There is a sort of understanding, I fam
cy; or, perhaps, 1t would be better de-
scrIbed as a misunderstanding.".
But you did not tell us this?"
why should 1? It's their affair, not ours;
and she never mentions it."
You'd better let them alone, Connie"
Il think / shall-now.''
She was looking from the window as she
spoke, and a faint smile played about her
handsome mouth; for she saw two figures
pacing up the lawn side by side, and recog-
Colonel Leigh would probably be very much
annoyed before all was over; but oh, what
q pity 1t was only Jack.
And what If Jack should mean business?
for really. you know, it looks rather like
Susie. too. had come over to the window,
and she was drawing her own conclusions
from what she saw there.
mo such luck. my dear. Jack isn't a
marrying man"
Luck? Do you want him to marry,
then?'
mo; but there would be compensations.
We should live I'm own then, instead of
this dull, out-of-the-way place. But don't
be anxious. Susie. 1t will all end in smoke
as far as he is concerned"
And she?f
That, you must acknowledge. is her af-
fair. not mine," Constance said carelessly,
as she turned from the window.
Meantime the young people themselves
all UNCONSCIOUS of C~onStance'S plots and
schemes-were rapidly progressing in each
others good graces. ana FOR a short space
Col. Leigh, and all his claims to considera-
ton and respect, were forgotten. Yet he
was coming to the dance that very evening,
and In another hour or two Minnie knew
that those severe eyes would be upon her,
and she would be called to account for all
her present happiness. Ii was not a pleas
ant prospect TO contemplate. so the poor
child steadily averted her eyes from it.
and enjoyed the present moment with q
| reckless disregard of consequences very un-
usual in her gentle nature. Perhaps she.
| too, thought il was "only Jack" and there
fore would not greatly matter.
Time passed on all too quickly. however
as is usually the case when we especially
desire il TO delay its progress-and soon
Minnie had TO hurry indoors to dress for
the dance.
How much she wished there wasn't going
| TO be n dance at all, but just a pleasant.
an evening when everybody would be free
10 stroll about the garden in the deepening
twilight, listening TO the thrushes' melodi-
Gus eVenSong; or TO sit on the terrace,
watching the moon rise slowly. from be-
hind the dusky trees. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
one else strolled or sat there, too. and
seemed in nc haste TO go in. Such an
evening, in fact. as the two last had been
evenings unlike any she had known be-
fore. and never. never to be forgotten.
whatever new experiences the future might
have in store for her.
But-this was the night of the dance. and
| Col. Leigh was coming, would be here almost
] immediately. Col Leigh, who had always