The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-02-26
H WAS PRETTY.

had stated my intention of going to
see Miss Kitty clearly enough, but in
doing so | had no very fixed idea as to
what l should do when | did see her,
and in fact [ was entirely nonplused by
the whole situation.
l determined to retire to my ham
mock and think over matters in gen
eral. AS l lay there, swinging lightly
over the water, and with the distant
sound Of the weir lulling my senses
pleasantly, it is not to be wondered at
that l fell into dreamy ~reverie.
Old half forgotten recOlleCtiOns came
%throngin2 upon me; Of little haxen
haired Kitty, whom | used to torment
and laughingly ask to be my little
wife, nearly a dozen years ago, when
she was a little chit Of 10: of her father,
to say in his sober business way, And
SO she shall be, Mildenhall, if | can help
you, and you care to have her when she
is grown up of that quantity touching
clause in poor Dobson's will by which
he had done all that lay in his power tc
help me.
And |, engrossed in turning over
money in the city, had clean forgotten
all about her!
was aroused by the sound of voices
and looked round. There. in the very
identical place where Mr.. Bob Tyncker
had done his extremely futile fishing in
the morning, he and Kitty were sitting
and talking.
And SO the old fellow-and a queer
old fellow he is, too" Mr.. Bob was say
ing, will be round at the house this
your hand"
"Oh, Bob!' said Kitty, trembling.
II say, Kitty" said Bob mischiev-
ously, suppose he really wants to stick
to his old idea of making you his little
wife, Ell? What shall you do then?'
"Oh, Bob, DON'T said poor Kitty.
He has been such a bugbear to me late
ly that-that'-C'that there is a Ian
ger of a young lady shedding tears at
the very mention of his name |
thought to myself g1imly, for Kitty did
not seem to be able to complete the SEN
tence herself).
Never mind. Kitty" said poor Bob,
hugging her tenderly. Il am a brute to
have suggested such an idea. If he
doesn' refuse to have you, why, you will
just have to refuse him, you know, and
that will bring the whole matter to the
usual way of doing things, from a young
lady point Of view, you see
so it will,' said Kitty, Frightening
up once more; but, Bob, then the $25,-
600 will have to go to the Methodist
chapel, and that is just the very thing
that has been making uncle SO terribly
savage"
Let him be-, said Bob stoutly. 1T
won't hurt us after today; you will be
free then, you see, and marry whoever
you like. And we have plenty to set up
housekeeping on between US, without
the beastly money-let HIM be angry if
he likes
And SO he is, sir, shouted Mr.. Dob
son suddenly, poking his head over the
top of the bank. 80 he is! 1t would
make a saint savage to be set at defiance
in this way. | begin to think'--
"Stop!" l called out, rising hastily
in my hammock.
Splish! Somebody had fallen into the
water.
Me, by Jove, and SO l began striking
out Justify on all sides, with hands,
feet, fingers. elbows-I cannot exactly
call myself aswimmer-and getting my
boots above water more frequently than
my head, l am afraid, till l was sud
denly grasped by the collar firmly.
Keep COOL" said my young friend
Bob Tyncker authoritatively-for he
it was-nimbly swimming on his back
with two legs and n arm, and draw
ing me after him with the other. Keep
cool; I've got you all right!'
Cool it is" l thought to myself, my
spirits reviviug as | felt myself towed
along-right across the river! For Bob,
it seems, like a retriever-he certainly
swan as we'll as one-would not con-
descend to lay me anywhere but at the
very feet of his mistress.
There at last! hurra'--
An overwhelming rush of water
across my face cut short my self con-
graduation; l was fairly under, in fact.
And the remarkably unpleasant
thought flashed upon me that l was
driving down under the dipping bush.
But a spasmodic jerk from Tyncker
brought me to the top once more. and
as I gasped for breath heard his voice;
Shift for yourself-catch hold of the
bush-I'm going!"
l caught the branches as high up as
possible and got a glance behind me.
Tyncker was not only going-he was
gone, diving down under the bush, hav-
ing sacrificed himself to keep me from
a like fate.
saw his face disappearing beneath