The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-07-25
perhaps because on this point ehad-

| '
frankness. No, was not in love with
Elsie Harwood, by any means. I ad-
mired her very much, it is true, and
fancied that she rather liked me. I
had seen a good deal Of her during the
past summer, and once or twice the
idea had entered my head that she
was much nicer than most girls, and
that l liked to be with her. That was
all. Why, I had not seen her dozen
times since she returned to the town.
Having thus disposed of the trifing
doubt which assailed my conscience, I
turned to Katherine, who had been
busy planning meanwhile.
''There is only one way to do it, she
cried. : 4 ~.
"And that?" ..... E. zs ri -
zone of us must fall in love-
confess that the idea staggered me
at first, and it was with some difficulty
that recovered breath enough to ask:
(Which Of us?"
"Well," said Katherine, thoughtful
ly, II think you had better. The con-
sequences are less apt to be dangerous
for a man." ~
''Here, I don't know about that.
Suppose I were really to fall in love
and get married?" q,
"Just so. What Of it? You must
get married some time"
"But marriage is a thing a fellow
don't want to jump into out of hand,
in the manner that you suggest"
"You goose! You need not fall head
over heels in love; a mild case of inn
aginary love will answer the purpose"
Suppose it should cause our friend
ship to break up?'
''Oh, consistency, thou art a jewel.
Then how about our theory of platonic
affection?' said Katherine, with a
twinkle in her blue eyes.
''True enough" I replied. +'I'll try
it. Ill fall in love with Miss Harwood
Immediately"
"Oh, no, not with her, surely. She is
so insipid and foolish"
Now, did not think Miss Harwood
insipid or foolish at all, and Kather-
ines criticism nettled me, somewhat,
SO I answered rather stitHy that sup
posed fellow might choose for him
"Certainly," said Katheine, "you are
| dian if you wish"
Whereupon we walked in silence for
some time, while the plot of our story
Insipid and foolish, indeed! I tried
to recall any instance of these qualities
in Miss Harwood, but could not. l
only remembered that she had very
large eyes and very pretty mouth,
with the whitest of teeth. She was a
rather petite, and clinging sort of girl.
At least, that was my mannish defn-
ition of woman who drew forth the
chivalric instincts of a man. / thought
of the Ion drives we lad had together
during the summer, and how much q
had enjoyed talking to her. Although
| she seldom said much, she seemed to
grasp my ideas, looking up to the while
with her big eyes in a contiding and
trustful manner. "Oh, no." thought,
"she is anything but insipid" Where
upon, Katherine, who must have
grasped my thoughts, said:
'When you have finished thinking
about Elsie, perhaps you will conde-
scend to return to our story"
"Of course, my dear Katherine, you
must really pardon the absent-mind-
edness of one who is so deeply in
| love-"
We both laughed at this, and the
laugh made things a little better be-
tween us. We agreed that our plot
must form itself naturally, and the
| chief incident must be the falling in
| love of the hero with another girl. AS
| for the sacrifice we had determined
! must play an important part in the
story, we could not very we'll deter
mine what it should be.
Miss Merry suggested that the hero
should give UP his sweetheart, so as to
| prolong his friendship with his pla-
| tonic friend. I reminded her that she
| had just expressed the sentiment that
! love or marriage would not Interfere
| with such friendship.
But then, his wife would probably
| be Jealous" said Katherine. 1.-The
| chances are ten to one that she would
be an ignorant, empty-headed little
fool'' ,H
This reply of Katherine's angered
me, scarcely knew why. felt in
her description Of our hero's imagin-
a1y lover she had certain person in
her mind, and that person Miss Har
wood. 1t was the first time I had ever
known, Katherine to be spiteful, or
anything resembling it, and it annoyed
me particularly, as knew that Miss
HarWood was not at all foolish, al
though she was not what you would
call an intellectual girl
We walked along in silence for some
time, and finally gave utterance to
+ the opinion that did not think a man
would give up his lover under the CIR
cumstances. 4s. i.
IF there exists a friendship such as
we have in mind. it must survive all
barriers. 1t must be far above any
such petty considerations as jealousy
81 am sure no one said anything
about Jealousy said Katherine. pet
tishly. .I'm afraid that you fatter
yourself. = Il
'sOh, no! | don't mean anything like
that answered, hastily; ''bEt here
we are at your door, and we have
made but little progress. When shall
we lave our next seance:''
Can you come tomorrow evening %
Eyes; and we will begin the story
them s5s@
But the next evening came, and
the story was not begun. / called,
and found Hubert Williams. man sIs
never cared very much for, talking
away gayly to Katherine.
Williams was determined to stay.
as long as I, and as our story was, of
#f01lTSn mt men ionad had 10 loo no