The Portland daily press., 1895-04-30

killed me, - said, without being so eager
to cut me up?"
~ was merely defending friend, F" she
retorted.
"And ycu claim Kilmer as a friend?'
81 certainly do. Isn't he friend of
yoursF
mot at all. If he were, he would not
have interfered with my happiness as he
has done.'
II beg your PARDON" she said. ~ didn't
know he had
Didn't I tell you last night he was
scoundrel intent only upon separating
us?' asked hotly.
"And didn't tell you that I would per-
nit no friend OF mine to be called q scoun-
drel by any one without resenting it to the
utmost?" she replied.
"But did call him that" insisted.
eyes and what good did it do your"
she said stepping to the mantel and hold
ing out the empty frame in which my pic
ture had formerly been the attraction.
"His will take the place of the former
occupant?" said scornfully.
His, or another S, 'she responded, and
actually giggled
A giggle from girl is dreadful enough
under any circumstances, but at this time
it was positively CALLING.
Great Scotti'' exclaimed, staggering
to my feet, lam I then a twofold dupe?
Are the returns all in? Have the back
counties been heard from, Miss Miltby?"
and buried my face in my hands.
[ could hear the click of the frame as she
set it back on the mantel and mild sort
of dull thud as she dropped into the big
chair.
'Mr. Kilmer is at least, enough of
gentleman, scoundrel though you say he
is she said, mot to talk to a lady as you
| do"
"Oh, XII beg your pardon, Miss Milt-
by" apologized, 81 hope you will forget
that spoke SO rudely. Indeed l did not
mean ito
1T don't see what reason you have for
objecting to. Mr.. Kilner paying me any
attention he sees fit to pay she told me
| for answer. III have known him for long
time, and he is held in the highest esteem
by every one except you"
''But have known you quite as long as
he has," contended.
(which is hardly reason for acting as
you are now acting" she said.
"Does he love your" 1 asked, and
could feel thousand throbs in my head at
once
81 presume not,' she replied, smiling
eff he does, he has been too modest to say
So"
DO you love him?'"
"That is my own affair, % she answered
freezingly.
I threw my hand quickly to my side,
for as live thought that instant that
my heart would certainly break loose and
drop down. think if 1 could have stepped
on a scale that moment with it in my bos-
ON would have weighed ton.
SIT is not altogether yours, :" said, with
a gasp.
"No?' and the Interrogation point ran
up into her eyebrows and arched them
sharply like spear point it seemed to me.
"No, and I want you to understand it"
was growing desperate. 1T have some
rights which propose to see are respected,
| and I shall not stand like post and be
dumb as one."
"And what rights have you, pray, that
should respect them?'' she asked SO sar-
castically that it felt as if had stepped
across the path of a cutting hailstorm.
"The right Of having my claim heard
| before it is disallowed and thrown out of
court, " I responded, dropping into shop
talk without Knowing 1t.
''Have you ever presented your claim?"
she inquired, with judicial dignity.
Had /? That was the question. Had L?
For years had known Kitty Miltby. We
had grown up from children together. We
had gone to school together For months I
had loved her, By day she was ever in my
thoughts, and by night her spirit filled my
dreams with music. 1 had given her my
heart without the asking, but had never
asked for hers. 1t didn't seem necessary.
I thought, of course, she knew I wanted
it. Now was brought face to face with
the facts. Had I ever presented my claim?
Well, I had not-at least not with the for
mality which my training as lawyer de-
manded that I should.
'fOh, Kitty, Kitty" and almost cried
from the reaction, 81 love you more than
all the world, and I want you as much as
want the world, for you are the world to
me. Now, will you say that my claim has
not been presented"
1t doesn't make any difference what she
said, or how she said it, or whether my
| arms were on the mantelpiece, or where
| they were, and it is nobody's business how
much that man Kil1ner had to do with
bringing me to realizing sense of my
oiuuoeiOliJ VI WHY iiO IAioUy oiilAOu
| when I told him it was all right.
| I think Kilmer is the best fellow in the
world, and SO does Kitty, with one excep-
ton.
When I left the house, Mrs. Miltby met
me in the hall.
"Here's sovereign remedy for the
headache, john" she said, handing me q
bag of herbs, Eve used it for 40 years,
and it never fails"
"Oh that's all right, moth-Mrs. Milt-
by SAID I. II guess I'm cured of that
kind of headache forever" And if she
hadn't stood in the door as I went down
the walk I'm sure I should have jumped
clean over the gate and acted in a manner
utterly unworthy of my dignity as ris-
ing young lawyer.
1t was p. m, and Kitty had not missed
her engagement at 4, because by that time
it was permanently settled.-W. j. Lamp
ton in Free Press.
The Great Danubian Catfish.
| One species alone has managed to take
up it's abode in Europe This is the wells
l -e .I-,.,, f.--.