The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-09-14

o'clock, then, after I've visited the
guard?" Kittie nodded and hung her
head. But this is not fair to Apple
ton. If we are to do this you mist end
everything with him, and marry me.
VIII you?" A long pause; kittie
seemed to be thinking. The waltz was
nearly ended: yes, the last notes were
wailing now-if she could put off the
answer for moment. "Will your"
| insisted SAKE. Another pause. Apple
ton was making his way toward them;
he did not like the look of things
..Kittie, will your repeated Sake.
II must think" she answered. I'll
! tell YOU at one o'clock" The smile
she gave him as she muttered this
below her breath was assurance
enough. Both were VIGOROUSLY
happy. Kittic told Appleton that
she feared Sake was badly in love
with her, and chatted on SO happily
that he regained his wavering faith.
Kittie went home and waited until
one o'clock. She planned her revenge
with delight. SAKE should be thrown
over SO calmly that his stiff pride
would never recover.
At one o'clock she threw shawl
over her light gown and crept down.
stairs. She was badly frightened,
little inclined to turn back. Things
were assuming n serious aspect. If she
should be caught it would be bad. Out
side, she waited in the corner OF the
house and heard approaching footsteps
and the climbing of the saber OF the
officer of the day. His figure doomed
up out of the darkness quite close to
her; he hesitated and looked up at her
window; then, as his glance fell, he
seemed to see the muf11ed figure in the
corner. He strobe toward it.
Harry" she whispered.
A pause. "Yes," was answered, also
in a whisper lie came to her and took
her in his arms, without word. He
was too uncertain to speak.
Kittie whispered again: II thought
you mightn't come, after all.
but did"
Eyes" Kittie, 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 be
gin herself. "You look enough like
Fred, in the dark, to be his brother
S Yes"
D eff your voice were not so unlike hi
l / should say 1t was he.
4 Really"
e Good gracious! can't you say any
: thing except in monosyllables?'
"What is there to say?"
Kittie was desperate; what could h
: mean? Again she forgot herself ant
n reversed the order of things.
+ "You might kiss me, at least,
g think"
n .shall you? What question" an
# she turned up her face to him.
e And now / must 20, Kittie dear
It Oh, Kittie, Kittie," he whispere
l. huskily.
e She drew back "Why, what is tn
matter?" But he was walking away
il Don't you want your answer?" sh
d ran after him saying.
% "Not now; not tonight"
.. She turned and crept into the house
is Then she knew what she had done
II Chilled by the night air and tremblin
& with fright, she stood in the middle @
1t the floor and looked straight ahead
r seeing all her mistake and the shame
# fulness of it as she had not before. I
" accomplish a revenge, she had come
n this; she had thrown herself into
te mans arms almost unasked And tn
lie man had acted curiously. Small VOL
IS der. She sank upon the floor and 81
for hours with her head hanging dowl
ii Then she undressed and went to be-
IN but lay awake until morning. St
lg thought of Appleton now, and how st
I'd had betrayed him, and she loved hi
S. more than ever she had before. 1t WI
to hard struggle between shame and il
If born frankness; but she determined q
a last to tell him the truth in the NOR
I'd ing and let him do as he liked, thro
in her over If he wished; but then
tn would not, she was sure of that. On
W. her old role of dispenser of favora al
to privileges would be- ended; 1T would
ct he who would play the magnanimo
er henceforth. If only she could ha
back the crimson rose she had pinn'
ed on Saxe's coat. If he were to wear
in the next day, Appleton would rcco
at nize it as one of the bunch he hi
ok given her, and remember that he hi
on told her that red roses meant loy
de She worried and marveled that S
DE- should have rushed headlong into su
ne disgrace. She was one OF those won
ne whose tears come easily, but she h
Ter been too frightened and ashamed to CT
lat at least. at reveille. she sobbed aw
lid her gricfs and slept.
~. After guard mounting she went in
the garden with scarlet face. S
he saw Appleton coming up the walk a
lat paled with fear of what she had to t
him. She dropped her eyes and
gered a flower nervously until he ste
are beside her. "Oh, good morning, Ere
she said. cheerily.
.GoOd morning. kittie."