The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-26
STRATEGY.


ballad that had been fashionable in her
ooh, it is you, is itY" said Miss Pru-
dence
Eyes, aunty, it is I, said Kenneth Dare.
"I've no time to attend to you, Kenneth.
Yes, 1 have, too," she added suddenly as
she caught sight of drawn look around
his eyes. "Ken, you aren't siok?''
sNo, not sick It's mind disease that
you had better be ministering to, auntyl''
''Oh, see. It's that little Helen Bald
win has been teasing you. Now, Kenneth,
tell me the truth
"There's not much to tell. She doesn't
care for me-
''Has she told you so?''
''Not in so many words perhaps"
"But''-
''Oh, aunty, don't, pray, talk about IL
any more
When Kenneth was gone with his fishing
rod to the shadowy little trout stream
among the rocks beyond the field, Prudence
sat herself down to think.
"Kenneth's fool she said "But,
dear, dear, we're all fools once in life
Time s'pose and if he really has set his
heart on the moon, #hy, the moon he must
have"
step when Prudence came up the garden
path.
Morning, HelenP' was Prudenoe's sal
utation. els your mother at homer
Eyes, she is at home, Miss Prudence.
Will you walk imp
"Presently-after I've caught my breath
a little. Nice chickens, these. We have
had no luck with ours this season. But
shall have more time to see to 'em after
awhile. Kenneth is going away this week"
SIS he?''
No eye but the keen observant orb
peculiar to womaDkind in general, and to
Prudence in particular, could have detected
the slight deepening of the carmine of
Helen's cheek.
eyes," and Prudence heaved small
spasmodic sigh, 81 don't spose I'll ever
see much of him again"
'Why?' questioned Helen, with
shrug of her shoulders. 81 suppose he is
not going to Patagonia or Alaskan
Prudence rubbed her plump hands COM
placently together.
"What should you say, my dear, to a
wedding in the falnily?"
"a weddingP You are not going to be
married, Miss Prudence?''
"Me? NonsenseI 1t is Kenneth I
mean"
'Kennethf''
"And what should you say to a rich
lady up in Boston, my dear? All, you
may well open your eyes, but I always
said Kenneth s handsome face would make
his fortune for hinl"
And away hustled Miss Prudence to
meet Mrs. Baldwin.
And then, tying her hat over her face,
Helen went out into the woods. She felt
that just then she must be alone
Helen had made too sure of the hand
some young captive to her beauty. Was
he lost to her foreverp And Helen felt for
the moment almost as if life had no fur
Their interest
There was a cracking of the under
| brush, and Helen started up, turning red
and white, for it was Kenneth's step.
He raised his hat with sort of cold
courtesy as he passed her, but showed no
| indications Of an intention to pause.
''KennethP' she spoke softly, so softly
| that it was strange he caught the muir
| INJURED syllables.
Ibid you call me- Helen?'
eyes. Oh, Kenneth, is it true?"
is what true?''
Don't play with me, KENNETH" she
cried vehemently. "You knew that I loved
| you; that 1 love you still. know it is
! too late, but must speak out, OF shall
! diep'
Helen, don't understand you'll"
eyes" she said bitterly, sit is all very
! well to take refuge in a pretense of igno-
rance, but you knew all the while that
loved your
And then Helen began to cry as if her
heart would break. Kenneth drew her
hands gently away from her wet eyes.
| "NellyP'
cit makes no difference now" sobbed
Helen. " Y0u-you are going to be mar
ried to some-somebody elsel''
"Never! What misunderstanding are
! you laboring under? Who has told you
| that was going to be married?''
/ "Your Aunt Prudence
"There is some mistake here. am not
going to be married unless''-he smiled
and besitated-"it is to you, Helen
| And when they returned to the house,
where Prudence and Mrs. Baldwin were
chatting cozily, Prudence gave them one
long look.
"Ah, she said after the scrutiny was
ended, 81 see how it isi'
''But, Aunt Prudence" said Kenneth,
chow came you to tell Helen such a story
about some imaginary Boston girl?''
81 told her no story" said Prudence
81 only asked her what she would think
of such a young person.
"But you told her I was going to be
married. -
$50 you are, aren't your said Pru-
dence, with a twinkle of the eyes.
Kenneth, " said Helen, who had been
mentally solving the riddle st see it all.
Aunt Prudence has woven web of strata
| gem around me-and, after ALL I'm not
very angry"
So Prudence went home to look up her
very best recipe for wedding cake in a lit
tie book that hung behind the milkroom
door.-Exchange.
|