The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-12-05
THE WITCH'S POOL.

| pOSLS. luS udlHIy oval Vi u0E sui UlOW IL
ed face up turned to the moon, one
small slipper meeting the floor in an
unmistakable stamp.
To any other than this very dull
young man who stood beside her, this
pretty girl mood, would have spoken
volumes in human way, but since it
was Halloween night, and she wore a
gray frock with cape and pointed
hood-and he had SO slight an opinion
of his own strapping good looks-he
saw her only in the light of mischiev
Gus elf. bitter sweet, and terrible to
be near.
We'll" she said, "and wky weren't
you in trying the corn meal balls with
us? The girls tried their fates, and
the boys too-and everything turned
out happily" This with a scornful
laugh, and his heart, which had begun
to beat, took on coating of ice.
"Why, it didn't seem to me worth
while" he returned, rolling cigarette
with beautiful unconcern. Il may
smoke, mayn't /? You see [ go away
so early tomorrow, and had to
think about packing. Besides hate
Halloween games"
II suppose So" she SAID, sweeping
his big body with look half pleased
and half disgusted. Il do, too, when
they are as tame as corn meal balls. /
didn't try my fate" she put in after
moment.
You didn'tw
No. l thought it would be nice to
wait and go at midnight to the
Witchs pool That would seem more
like the real thing" And then staring
pensively at the moon, wouldn't you
like to go too?" she asked.
THE Witch's pool? Oh, remem-
ber--y -yes-that jolly dark spot in the
glen. Fine place for spooks and love,
and all that sort of thing, eng" And
then. though his heart was beating
like trip hammer, he laughed like
an idiot.
If this was a game of hearts, this
big young man was indeed clumsy
player.
But fancying he saw cloud steal
ing over the gray cloak's softened face,
he had wit enough to change his tao
tics-though not enough to grasp the
situation as it was offered him. So he
inquired meekly as to who else of the
house party was to go to the pool, or
if all the "other girls and fellows"
would be along.
The girl in the grey coat laughed
till the tears rolled own her cheeks.
oh" she cried, you are stupid.
We shan't go at all sir" And with a
sweeping courtesy and switch Of
her petticoats, she was gone.
This is the uneven road true love
had taken for Gregory Graham and
Kate Murry ever since the former had
accepted her fathers invitation for a
weeks hunting and lnerrymaking at
his Lake George country place.
Gregory, who had been college chum
to sn elder brother of Kate's had quite
determined in New York to propose
to her the moment he got to Lake
George; but though the words were On
his tongue, somehow they We're never
spoken.
Truth TO tell Lake George had in
spired in Gregory's modest bosom a
holy dread of putting his happiness
to the test. In town, sometimes, he
fancied Kate had liked him pretty
well; but in this week under the same
roof with her he had seen her in too
many moods to be very certain of
any particular one.
For example, in the morning Miss
Kate was a very different person
from what she became in the evening
Then she was simply wilful petit
coated maid, coquettish and teasing, or
cold and distant by lightning changes.
In the morning she turned out in
boys clothes-at least this is what
| Gregory called her natty hunting
su t and became terrifying Dianna
of the chase, cold. commanding, and
eager only for killing; with tweed
knickerbockers, Norfolk jacket and
leather CATERS; even to boyish cap
on her head and cartridge belt and
knife-all the bloody paraphernalia
of slaughter.
She carried her gun, too, dainty
silver trimmed rifle, with a grace that
was also killing. And if she never
slain anything else in her life, (she
had once murdered a foolish young
squirrel whose curiousity had cost
him the tod of his head, the mere be-
witching sight of her in her hunting
rig would have laid Gregory's heart
at her feet.
However, until man had openly
committed himself. given the lady the
the whiphead, as it were, he cannot
hope to see the course of love run
smooth
Faint heart never won a fair lady
yet; and no girl in knickerbockers
can be expected to deport herself as
would girl in petticoats.
Gregory misunderstood and went
unconfessed, and Cupid journeyed
always down a rocky path with ban
dage over his eyes.
And on Halloween night even, and
up to half hour of midnight, here
was the situation unchanged
Then suddenly Fate put another
bobbin in her shuttle and the whole
pattern of the web altered
Jack Murray, Hates oldest brother
and Gregory's chum, came up and
slapped him on the back.
Hello, old fellow. having a good
time by yonr lonesome? It's pnd
ding head every time. / tell you. that
don't take cigars to girls and Hallow
cen tricks"
And yet right on the top of this
manly speech off he be set in to talk
about his sister Kate. praising her to
the skies, and pitying her tenderly be-
cause she had never known a mothers
care.
'Of course she seems rough and
boyish sometimes: what else can you
expect of a girl who has been brought
up only by father and three tough