Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-07-19


killed me. said, without being so eager
TO cut ms upS'
II was merely defending friend, " she
retortcd.
"And you claim Kilmer ms IA friendY'
81 certainly do. Isn't he friend Of
yourss"
"Not at all If he were, he would not
have interfercd with my happiness as he
has done"
Il beg yourpardon, she said. 81 didn't
know he had.
Didn't l tell you last night he was
scoundrcl, intent only upon separating
usf" l asked hotly.
"And didn | tell you that l would per-
NIT no friend Of mine to be called "A scoun-
drel by any one without rcsenting it to the
utmost" she replied.
"But did call him that, " insisted
Eyes, and what good did it do your"
she said, stepping 10 the mantcl and hold
ing out the empty frame in which my pic
ture had formerly been the attraction.
Ellis will take the place of the former
occupant l said scornfully.
His or anothcr's, she responded, and
actually gigglcd.
A gigglc from a girl is dreadful enough
under any circumstances, but at this time
it was positively CALLING.
"Grcat Scott ! exclaimed, staggering
10 my feet cam l then twofold dupcf
Arc the returns all in2 Have the back
counties been heard from, Miss Miltbyi'
and buried my face i'm my hands.
could hear the click of the franc as she
set It back on the mantcl and mild sort
Of duh thud rs she dropped into the big
chair.
MIR Kilmcr is, at least enough of n
gentleman, scoundrcl though you say he
is" she said, "not to talk TO "A lady as you
do.
"Oh, Xii beg your pardon, Miss Milt-
by" | apologizcd, Il hope You will forget
that l spoke SO rudcly Indeed did not
mean II. O."
Il don't see what reason you have for
objccting To Mr.. Kilmer paying me any
attention he sees fit 10 pay, she told me
for answer. Il have known him for a long
time, and he is held in the highest esteem
by every one except YOU. ~
"But I have known you quite as long as
he has, l contoudcd.
(Which Is hardly a reason for acting as
you are now acting, she said.
"Docs he love you ! asked, and l
could feel a thousand throbs in my head ut
once.
Il 2resunc not, " she replied smiling.
"1f he dives, he has been too modest 10 say
So
"Dc you love him?'
"That is my own affair" she answered
frcczingly.
l threw my hand quickly TO my side,
for as live l thought that instant that
my heart would certainly break loose and
drop down. | think If l could have stepped
on n scale that moment with it in my bos
ON l would have weighed a ton.
1T is not altogethcry yours, | said, with
n gasp.
"No?' and the interrogation point ran
up into her eyebrows and archcd them
sharply like % spear point, it seemed tome.
No, and want You 10 understand it. 4"
was growing desperate. Il have some
rights which propose 10 see are respected,
and / shall not stand like post and be
dumb as one.
And what rights have YOU pray, that
l should respect them she asked 50 sar-
castically that it felt rs If | had stepped
across the path Of n cutting hail,torm
1.-The right of having my claim heard
before it is di-allowcd and thrown ont of
court, l responded, dropping into shop
talk without knowing it,
"Havc you ever presented your claim"
she inquired, with judicial dignity.
Had |? That was the question. Had /?
For years I had known Kitty Miltby We
had grown up from children together. We
had gone TO school together For months
had loved her BY day she was ever in my
thoughts, and by night her spirit filled my
dreams with music / had given her my
heart without the asking but l had never
asked for hers. 1t didn't seem necessary.
l thought, Of course, She know | wanted
it, Now | was brought face 10 face with
the facts Had l ever presented my claimy
Well, ! had not--at least not with the for
mality which my training as "a lawyer de
mandcd that l should.
"Oh, Kitty, Kitty, and | almost cried
from the reaction, Il love you more than
all the world, and | 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 prcscntcd;'
1t doesn't make any difference what she
said, or how she said it, or whether my
arms were on the mantclpiccc, cor where
they We're, and it is nobody business how
much that man kimcr had to do with
bringing me 90 "A realizing sense Of my
situation, or why hc and Kitty smiled
when l told him il was all right.
think kilmcr j. the best fellow in the
world, and so does Kitty, with ono cxccp-
ton.
When l left the house, Mrs. Miltby met
me in the hall.
Here's "a sovereign remedy for the
headache, John, She said, handing me n
bag of herbs eve used it for 40 years,
and it never fails.
ooh, that's all right, moth-Mrs Mih-
by, said |. Il guess I'm cured Of that
kind Of headache forever. And If She
hadn't stood in the door as l went down
the walk m sure l should have jumped
clean over the gate and acted in a manner
utterly unworthy of my dignity rs a ris-
ing young lawyer.
1t was & p. m, and Kitty had not missed
her engagement at 4, because by that time
1t was permanently settled.-W. j. Lamp
ton in Free Press.
The Great Danubian Catfish.
One species alone has managed to take
up its abode in Europe. This is the wells
of the Germans, the true silurus, from