Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-07-07

heard approaching footsteps and the
olanking of the saber Of the officer of
the day. His figure doomed up out of
the darkness quite close to her; he hes
itated and looked up at her window;
then, as his glance fell, ne seemed to
see the muffled figure in the corner.
He strobe toward it.
Harry" she whispered.
A pause. yes" was answered, also
in whisper. He came to her and took
her in his arms without word. He
was too uncertain to speak.
Kitty whispered again. 81 thought
you mightn't come, after ALL"
But I did"
eyes" Kitty, with her head resting
on his shoulder, waited for him to ask
for his answer, but he said nothing.
This was awkward. she could not begin
herself. "You look enough like Fred,
in the dark, to be his brother"
"Yes?"
eff your voice were not so unlike his,
I should say it was he"
"Really?"
Good gracious! can't you say any
thing except in monosyllables?"
What is there to say?"
Kitty was desperate; what could he
mean? Again she forgot herself and
reversed the order Of things.
you might kiss me at least, I
think?"
"Shall 70"
Shall you? What a question" and
she turned up her face to him.
"And now l must go, Kitty dear. Oh,
Kitty, Kitty" he whispered, huskily.
She drew back. What is the mat
ter?" But he was walking away.
Don't you want your answer" she
ran after him saying.
mot now; not tonight"
She turned and crept into the house.
Then she knew what she had done.
Chilled by the night air and trembling
with fright, she stood in the middle of
the floor and looked straight ahead,
seeing all her mistake and the shame
fulness Of it as she had not before. To
accomplish revenge, she had come TO
this; she had thrown herself into a
mans arms almost unasked. And the
man had acted curiously. Small won
der She sank upon the floor and sat
for hours with her head hanging down.
Then she undressed and went to bed,
but lay awake until morning. She
thought of Appleton now, and how she
had betrayed him, and she loved him
more than ever she had before. 1t was
hard struggle between shame and in
born frankness, but she determined at
last to tell him the truth in the morn
ing and let him do as he liked, throw
her over, if he wished; but then he
would not, she was sure of that. Only
her old role of dispenser of favors and
he who would play the magnanimous
henceforth.
If only she could have back the Grim
son rose she had pinned on SaXe's coat
1.-THE were to wear it the next day, APP
pleton would recognize it as one Of the
bunch he had given her, and remem-
Der that he had told her that red roses
meant love. She worried and marvel
ed that she should have rushed head
|
of those women whose tears come cas-
lily. but she had been too frightened
and ashamed to cry; at last, at reville
she sobbed away her griefs and slept
| After guard-mounting she went into
the garden with a scarlet face. She
saw Appleton coming up the walk and
paled with fear of what she had to tel
him. She dropped her eyes and fin,
gered a flower nervously until he stood
beside her. ooh, good morning, Fred,
she said, cheerily.
Good morning, Kitty"
A silence; Kitty bit her lip and pull
ed at the flower. 'Well, Why dom
you say something's" she inquired, pet
ulantly.
Eve nothing to say"
She glanced up and saw a red rost
| pinned to his coat-a crushed and wilt
| ed red rose. She caught hold Of hi!
arm to steady herself. He let her hand
lie on his sleeve.
II only came to ask if you had any
message for SAKE. He fell into a post
hole that was in the wrong place, just
as he was starting to visit the guard
| The fall broke his leg, and | took his
sword to make the rounds for him. He
seemed worried about something as
| left; but | didn't understand at the
time | do now So do you, I fancy
| Shall / give him the rose that was
meant for him. or do you want il
back?" He unpinned it and handed il
to her
She crushed the petals until a red
stain trickled between her fingers.
Appleton watched her and fingered
for a while. "Have you any message?
I think he expects one. l have some?
No-you must not say you hate him;
and you must not try to explain. That
is all, Kitty. Pretty, faithless little
Kitty. GOod-by, and it is good-by for
always, too. "-Gwendolen Overton, in
San Francisco Argonaut.