Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-03-23


away SO many excellent people
ooh, no" she sail, emo intrusion
at all. At least, not yet He was
here this morning and told me he
would not be around again until 4
o'clock"
She looked up at the pretty brass
clock had given her. Both its tiny
hands were clasping the figure three.
Thrce.quarters Of an hour, and
whole lifetime thereafter
"Isn't it enough that you should
have killed me-" | said, without be-
ing SO eager to cut me up
II was merely defending a friend,
she retorted
"And you claim kilmer rs a
friend?"
II certainly do. Isn't he friend
of yours?"
"Not at all. If he were, he would
not have interfered with my happiness
as he has done"
81 beg your pardon she said. 81
didn't know he had"
Didn't I tell you last night he was
II scoundrel, intent only upon separat.
ing uS?" | asked hotly.
"And didn't | tell you that | would
permit no friend of mine to be called
a scoundrel by anyone without resent
ing it to the utmost?' she replied.
''But | did call him that" [ in
sisted.
eyes, and what good did it do
you?" she said, stepping to the mantel
and holding ont the empty frame in
which my picture had formerly been
the attraction.
"His will take the place of the
former occupant" said, scornfully.
ellis or another's, >" she responded,
and actually gigglel.
A giggle from gil IS dreadful
enough under any circumstances, but
at this time it was positively CALLING
Great Scott" | exclaimed, stag
gering to my feet, "am then Il two
fold dupe? Are the returns all in?
Hare the back counties been heard
from, Miss Miltby?" and | buried ny
face in my hands.
could hear the click Of the frame
as she set it back on the mNntel and II
mild sort of dull thud as she dropped
into the big chair,
"Mr Kilmer is, at least, enough OF
Il gentleman, scoundrel though You
say he is" she said, mot to talk to .
lady as you do. "
"Oh, Xii beg your pardon, Miss
Miitby," | apologized, II hope YOU
will forget that | spoke so rudely. In
deed, ! did not mean it.
81 don't see what reason you have
for Directing to Mr.. Kilmer paying nc
any attention he sees fit to pay" she
told me for answer 81 have known
him for long time and he is held in
the highest esteem by everyone except
YOU.
But | have known you quite al
long as he has, / contended.
(Which is hardly reason for act
ing as you are now acting" she said
Does he love you?" ] asked, and
could feel thousand throbs in my
head at once.
II presume not, she replied, smil
ing. ''lf he does, he has been too
modest to say So"
"Do you love him.
"rhat is my own affair" she a.
swered, freezingly.
| threw my hand quickly to my
,, side, for, as live, thought that in
slant that my heart would certainl,
break loose and drop down. thin
ii could have stepped on t scale tina
moment with it III my bosom, | woulC
have weighed n ton.
at is not altogether yours" | SAT-
with gasp.
"No?" and the interrogation poln
ran up into her eyebrows and arche
them sharply like spear-point,
: seemed to me.
"No, and | want You to so under
stand It," J. was growing desperate
II have some rights which l propos
to see are respected and shall no
stand like a post and be dumb n
one.
"Ard what rights have you, pray
= that | should respect them?" sh
asked SO surcastically that it felt as
: | had stepped across the path of a cut
ting hailstorm.
"The right Of having my clail
heard before it is dissllowed an
t thrown ont o? court" I responded
{ dropping Into shop talk without know
ing il.
u "Have you ever presented you
o claim" she inquired with judici'
y dignity.
u Had 1? That was the question. Ha
L? For years | had known Kitty Mill
6 by. We had grown up from chile
a hood together. We had gone to schot
/ together. For months | had love
= her By day she was ever in m
II thoughts, and by night her spir
e filed my dreams with music. l ha
y given her my heart without the asl
- ing, but had never asked for her
'e 1t didn't seem necessa-y. l though
Il OF course she knew | wanted it. Nov
IS | was brought face to face with I'll
l. facts. Had | ever presented my CLAIM
lie Well, | had not. At least, not viii
"a the formality which my training as
l. lawyer demanded that | should.
lie "Oh, Kitty, Kitty" and | almo
IA cried from the reaction. 81 love yC
NJ more than all the world, aud wal
Il You as much as want the world; #
" you are the world to rae. Now, wi
E. you say that my claim has not be-
u presented"
I'll 1t doesn't make any difference win
Sc she said, or how 81 said it or wheth
~ my arms were on re mantelpiece,
oII where they were; and it is nobody
l. business how much that man Kiln
II had to do with bringing me to rel
10 izing sense OF my situation, or why
OF ald Kitty smiled when | told him
was all right.
lie think Kilmer is the best fellow
the world, and so does Kitty, with o
Co exception.
"a II l. NT,c MIA