The record-union., 1895-05-04

OF any sort in the house. l must catch
fathers eye, and give him . warning"
Mr.. Iveson was sitting at the head Of
table, with Mr.. Trevosso at his right
hand, and Kath's seat was almost exactly
opposite. She stretched out her foot and
gave a vigorous poke to another that met
hers under the table. Mr.. IvesOn con-
tinued to press his guest to partake. The
poke was repeated with redoubled vigor.
Mr.. Trevosso shifted his position slightly
and looked across at Brian, who sat inn
mediately opposite. But Brian was eat
ing his dinner placidly enough, aud with
as keen relish as if it had been his first
meal that day. Then his brown eyes
sought Brian's next-doOr neighbor.
Kath's face was puckered with anxiety;
she was vainly trying TO signal something
to her father. Maxwell Trevesso'S pleased
features relaxed into smile; he bent his
head over his plate to conceal 1t, and-he
had no more claret that day.
"Good heavens!" thought Kath, with
sudden compunction, noting her fathers
undisturbed serenity. suppose have
been kicking the wrong oneW
Instinctively she glanced at Mr.. Tre-
vosso, and the smile on his face attracted
her attention. He looked up again at the
moment and caught the mute inQuiring
glance from the blue eyes.
"Did 2" Unknown to herself, kath's
rosy lips were framing the query. Max
well was an adept at Hp-reading, and he
nodded significant assent.
Poor Katb; her face flushed crimson,
and she felt that every mouthful would
choke her. But when she tried to escape
into the garden at the conclusion Of the
meal, Mr.. Trevosso followed hel.
"Why were those well-aimed fairy
blows directed to me, Miss KathieY'
ne asked. in his laughing way.
''Did-did l hurt your" asked Kathie,
lamely.
"Weli-I felt them," with a comical
look. "Pray, are you in the habit Of
treating your opposite at table in that
fashion?"
Kath gazed up at him demurely for an
instant; then all her awkwardness van
ished, and she burst into q merry laugh.
II think 1'll make clean breast of It,,
she said, land tell you why those kicks
were given. / meant them"-lowering
her voice confidentially-"I meant them
for father"
Mice flial behavior, administering
punishment to the paternal ankles under
the dinner-table."
"Oh, it wasn't meant for punishment;
it was intended for hint. You see, Mr..
revosso''-kicking up the tiny pebbles
on the gravel path with the toe of her
to say you'd have some more claret, and
l knew there wasn't any more, and So
and So"
$50 you thought you would spare me
the pang of disappointment see!"
And then they looked into each other's 8
faces and smiled again.
kathleen, It's time for you to go and
dress for the concert" called Hernia 8
imperiOus voice through the open win
dow of the drawing-room.
You are coming to the concert, then ?"
said Mr.. Trevosso.
Kath drew herself up with little con-
sequential air.
.'Of course. Pm going to sing"
"You are? What! are you the debu-
tante? thought it must be your sister ?"
Hernia? Oh, she doesn't sing. She
can do nearly everything else. though:
affectionately standing up tor her sisters
talents. "She paints beautifully, and
makes her own dresses, and trims her
own hats. and models in clay. and-to be
sudden inspiration-"I don't believe she
ever tried. Oh, dear there's Esther call
ing me how; l really must CO."
| She ran Oft to her room to make the
necessary alterations in her toilet 1t
did not take her long; Kath seldom
wasted much time over that sort of thing
A quarter of an hour had barely elapsed
and joined her brothers as they were
putting on their hats and coats in the
hall.
"Shall do, boysT"
Brian put his hand on either side OF the
slim waist-not that Kath really had
much waist to speak of-and twirled her
round critically.
"Yes, you'll do" was the terse COM
ment won't she, Mr.. Trevosso?"
Maxwell came forward and looked
down upon the girlish figure with his
good-humored smile.
Kath made pretty picture against the
dark background of the dusky hall. Her
dress was only gray stuff one. but it
was prettily made and suited her to per-
fection. The pretty golden hair was
gathered back in . simple knot. but sun
dry little rebelliOus curls had escaped the
general imprisonment and strayed over
her temples as if they, too, like Max Ire
vosso, wanted to get another peep into
the blue eyes that would have We'd with
any cornt1ower for richness OF coloring.
''Bert, 1 want a flower. Go and get me
one, there's good bOy-something
pretty, mind"
Bert dashed off to execute her bidding,
and returned in two minutes bearing tri-
umphantly what he considered q marvel
OF artistic selection-a conglomeration of
pinkish-purple flowers. with something
blue, something magenta and something
of vivid scarlet.
Kath gave q little shrek of dismay.
"Do you call that pretty? Bert, you
wretch, you've not an atom of TASTE"
Bert looked down at his offering with q
rueful countenance, while MIR. Trevosso
stole quietly out to the garden in search
of something.
"Will these do, Miss Kathie?'
"Wild rosesv' Kath's eyes glistened.
"How good of you. Mr.. Trevosso; where
did you find them?"
''in the hedge at the end of the
garden"
"They are just the thing, aren't they?"
She fastened them in the belt of her
dress. Maxwell, standing by to admire
the effect, thought how like unto wild
rose was little Kath herself. in her sweet
pure beauty and unaffected ways.
Kath would have opened her blue eyes
to their very widest extent had anyone
hinted to her that they considered her a
beauty. Never in ali her widest flights
of fancy could she have imagined such a
thing possible. However, she was the
beauty of the Alchester concert.rOom
that night. Maxwell Trevosso was not
the only man who thought so.
Kath came through the ordeal with fly
ing colors. People tlocked round her to
mpliment her on her success; and even
Hernia grudgingly acknowledged that
she had got through it all right, and did
not look half SO awkwa or unRraceful
as she had anticipated"
"Does Miss Kathie ever look awkward
or ungraceful 2" asked Max Trevosso, to
whom she made the observation, and as
he spoke he cast an amused glance to-
ward the little group OF which Kath, as
tho haroino of tho avauiuo f0rmad th q