The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-08-16

tuller does, TOT instance.
Il am very glad you are not like
Mrs. Fuller; IL you we're l shouldn't be
here talking to you now"
Shouldn't you? Then am glad too;
but how funny of you to like little wo-
men. suppose II ia becaus you your
self are so tall, ami one generally likes
ones opposite. l think"-she went on
after slight pause, and looking at him
steadily-'I think you are too-not ex-
actly couce!ted-but self-reliant, shall
l say, ever to care for woman who
might seem to be on your level You
would like her TO look up to you in
every sense Of the word, and in fact to
be rather dependent on you. Is that
not so?"
''If you mean that should not like
q great gawky, overbearing woman like
Mrs. Fuller, for instance, you are quite
right; and what is more to the point
l do like a certain little woman very
much-a sweet, lovable little woman
who, to my mind, is all that woman
should be. You can surely guess? Mol
lie, /"
But the words he would have spoken
were checked by the sudden appear
ance Of two girls in the pathway direct
ly in front Of him. Hastily dropping
Mollie's hand, Capt. Dalton muttered
something suspiciously like-"Missing
word?" you know. And looked both
angry and embarrassed.
Mollie, with her womans wits about
her, said laughingly to the two girls:
DO come and have some of this
lively fruit. really believe Capt. Dali
ton greedily wanted to keep 1t all for
himself. Do have some. ! can thor
oughly recommend these peaches" at
the same time pulling two chairs for
ward.
Pray don't trouble, Miss Noreys, we
would not interrupt your pleasant tete-
a-tete for the world. l am sure you
must hate us for bursting upon you in
this way"
This was said in a tone that was
meant to pass for badinage, but which
only succeeded in being ill-bred chafr,
and as such utterly repugnant to a re-
fined nature like Mollie's. She flushed
up hotly and opened her lips, as II to
speak. Then thinking better Of 1t,
she said, turning to Capt. Dalton:
Shall we go back to the lawn, 1 ex-
pect my father is ready to go by this
time"
And turning as she spoke she walk
ed away her little figure drawn up to
its full height, and her eyes glistening
with angry mortified tears. She almost
ran in her anxiety to get back to the
rest Of the company, and in fear lest
her companion should allude to that
other girls remarks about them both.
Meanwhile the two girls who had in
terrupted them inopportunely looked at
each other In meaning way, and one
of them said, "Wellw with a self-satis-
fled emphasis on the well" "All can
say is, that II they are not engaged
they ought to be. She can have no self
respect"
she has done all she can to catch
him, so l suppose she will be very
pleased with herself at her success"
Then turning together, they walked
back, following slowly behind Capt
Dalton and Mollie.
How do, Dalton?" said Major Donne
to him few days later. rs this true
bill against your"
What do you mean?"
Come now, my dear fellow, don't
pretend to misunderstood me. You
know well enough" this with a mean
ing look :.
And, by Jove, my boy l congratu-
late you heartily. A more charming
girl it would be hard to find. You must
stand us drinks all round, to propose
your health and Miss Noreys'."
This speech was made at the mess
before several of Capt. Dalton's brother
officers.
ITS utterly untrue, SIR" he answer
ed, starting up indignant and bewild-
cred at the statement.
Untrue" reiterated the Major. Il
don't understand. / heard it announ.
ced as a fact"
Who dared to say such thing?"
THAT | must refuse to DISCLOSE" an
swered Major Donne, now fully aware
of his mistake.
Excuse me, sir, but / have a right
to know the fellows name, that / may
give him thrashing for daring to
couple lady's name with mine, to her
annoyance"
Il am exceedingly sorry, Dalton, that
you should have had this annoyance,
but l had it from a lady, who pro-
fessed herself to be great friend of
Miss Noreys, so, of course, l never
doubted the truth Of it,"
Then you may tell the lady, who
ever she may be, that there is abso-
lutely no truth in her statement. l
might have known it was some cack-
ling old woman that spread such re-
port, and, as you have helped in
spreading it, must ask you to contra
diet it at once"
81 say, look here, Dalton, old chap"
put in one of the other men, ARE you
sure you never led the lady to suppose
she was engaged to you? Very likely
she spread the report herself, hoping
to clinch the matter. l was served that
way myself once at Malta, but luckily
the regiment was leaving and fiatter
myself | got out of the whole thing
rather neatly"
How? The information may be USE
full to me, if that is the way we guile
less men are caught" this remark from
the youngest sub. present"
well, it was like this: l had flirted
with the girl good bit, suppose, un-
til our names got coupled together.
Then some one asked her If we were
engaged, and she tacitly allowed it to
L.,