The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-11-06
YOTHER DEAR CHARMER
BY GWENDoLEN OyERTON.

81 couldn't cough; you wouldn't have
heard me-"
"You might have sung out"
"Hey?"
Kearney made q trumpet of his hands.
"You might have sung out"
you'd have thought it was hotbox
squeaking."
There was no necessity whatever for
giving warning, captain"
Thanks, Miss Kitty. I'm pleased to
hear it"
won't you come and sit DOWN."
Kitty's treble shrilled above the rum
bling, rafting, humping of the wheels.
The captain bent over her, steadying
himself by the brake. "No," he
screamed, "I'm not the man to be num-
ber three, even on the back platform of
a train. But I'm a bringer of bad news" ="
Miss Foster gave an effective start
which resulted in bringing her tiny
hand futtering down upon Kearney's
shoulder. ooh! what?" she cried.
"Only that your good mother says l
am to tell you that it is not nice for
little girls to stay out on back platforms
at II o'clock on a starry night, and that
you must come in"
"But it's so hot and smoky in there, "
she answered, demurely, folding her
hands and settling back against the car.
81 can't possibly stand it; I've a most
dreadful headache" She closed her
eyes and threw back her head. The cap
70, ~ 1,o f,111 1,ornft 0f
the length and curve of her lashes and
of the curls blowing across her brow.
Miss Kitty, Miss Kitty, fear you are
a slippery young eel"
mo, I'm not. Really, my head does
ache. Nobody ever believes that can
feel badly or be in earnest" Her round
eyes rested on the starry sky at an an
gle which allowed Kearney to see that
they were filled with tears.
"Oh, come, captain, don't tease the
child. She has headache, and the airs
good for her. Tell Mrs. Foster that
I'll bring her in directly"
Capt. Mason shook his head and went
away. "Appleton is looking fierce" he
called back over his shoulder.
"What did he say about Lieut.. Apple
ton?" asked Kitty. Kearney repeated
the captains words. "Fierce? 1 Won
der what about?"
"You, perhaps"
Miss Foster smiled frankly. 81 don't
believe so," she said.
doesn't he still hope?"
"Dear, mol" and this time there was a
ring of unmistakable truth in her tones.
"You threw him over rather sudden
like"
81 didn't; he threw me over-truly.
1t was a stupid muddle about-about
Mr.. SAKE, and a rose, and-things."
"The things leaves room for imag-
nation"
Miss Foster ignored this with a smile,
and sat silently looking at the plain
as il unrolled before them in the night,
like wide bale of dark cloth, brocaded
with greasewood bushes. Now and then
the train rumbled over small trestle,
and the white post numbering it shot
past. The telegraph poles whisked by,
and the wires rose and fell like the
swells of the sea. Far off across the
dark prairie light cleaned, at long
intervals, in the window of house
that was invisible; but for them it was
always, minute after minute, hour after
hour, the whirling monotony of the
plain in the night, the steady arch of
the gray-blue sky glittering with stars.
Rumble, thump, rattle, rattle, rumble,
thump, and the ground whizzed past.
and the telegraph poles darted by, and
the cool wind, heavy with the grease
wood odor, whistled around them, but
Kitty sat looking straight before her,
and her tiny hands were still folded on
her knees. She knew that Kearney was
wild over every moment she was MAX
ing him waste.
AT last she sighed. It was a mighty
sigh, which cost Miss Foster severe
physical effort, but she meant it to be
heard above the rattle and the wind.
1t was heard; and hand slipped wear
lily and carelessly from her knee
touched the lieutenant's palm. The
hand was caught-and held. There was
silence again.
Then Miss Foster struggled properly
hard to release her fingers, but she
failed. "You mustn't hold my hand,''
she demonstrated.
"Why?"
Because"
SIS there any other good reason?'
Miss Foster nodded.
Tell me-"
San engaged girl shouldn't let her
hand be held"
Kearney dropped it as if it burned.
Kitty took advantage of the noise of the
wheels to speak her mind aloud-but
not so loud that it could reach her COM
panion. Big chump!" she breathed.
MAY ask who it is?"
''Well, I'm not exactly engaged yet.
but I'm afraid I shall be-"
After a lapse of some moments, Miss
Foster resumed: "You know when
Mr.. Lowell was down at the post? Well,
he-he liked me a good deal. l liked
him, too-some; so he thought it would
would be good thing if we were
engaged. He was dreadfully cross. Not
cross exactly, but-well-stern. He
said 1 needed to be bound. Did you
ever? 1 need to be bound! AS though
/ hadn't bit of principle. Besides it's
easy enough to break an engagement;
at least should think so, isn't it?"
Even the infatuated Kearney found
this childlike appeal for information
overdone, coming from Miss Foster.
"Come off, Miss Kitty!" he said:
Miss Kitty smiled blandly. Perhaps
1t isn't, but thought maybe it was. Is
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