Evening star., 1896-01-18

caustic remarks anent the afternoons al
zebra recitation ranked Id the young girls
bosom, and she showed him no mercy. She
forced his pieces into Improbable corners;
she coaxed him after apparently unpro-
tected single men," only to slaughter the
pursuer and at last in completing an in
nocent looking combination, swept the
board time and again.
Looking up in the midst of the fifth game
he became conscious that their normal con-
ditions were reversed. He knew that DIS
face was flushed. and his brows in tangie.
while she was watching him with cool.
amused smile.
What are you thinking off, he asked
suddenly.
II am thinking of algebra" she answer
ed demurely- 1T does seem'-she gave
him .man"-"as though checkers'-she
gave him two more-''was so much easier'
and she swept the board
When the teacher retired that night ne
registered a vow that he would beat that
girl at checkers, even if he had to give up
his school and devote his whole time to
studying the game. He lay awake long
time, gazing at the bare ra1ters anoVe ms
bed, silver gray in the moonlight that
streamed through his uncurtained window,
and thinking of this remarkable checker,
playing family. He remembered the 1oVial
old mans way of pretending to be In ex-
treme fear, and how he would calculate:
'.Ah, now you've got mef LOOK at that,
nowI / never expected that NOW, you
have got me- ETC., and the way his knotty
lated uncertainty.
He remembered Ernest keeping up
laughing conversation with his mother. and
appare entity not paying any attention 70 the
game. He remembered Hattie' always
watching him with that keen. amused
smile and moving her pieces with swift,
sliding touch of slim, white hand Then
he wondered why he had never noticed her
hands before Also, he remembered Ger GER
tain vivid color in her cheeks, and won
dered If it showed the same by daylight
Ii NAV have been week after this even
ing that Edna Bristol, Hatues pretty put
dull seatmate, found the day too snort tol
her lessons, and had to stay after schooL
Hattie obtained permission to wait for
her and after every one else was gone she
said to the teacher:
'I think you have a checker board here,
Mr. Field. Won't you show me how to
play By numbers|
The schoolmaster rather shamefacediy got
out his board and his books: "Rudiments
and they played games and variations by
the dozen. And pretty Edna seemed to
find the atmosphere conducive to study, for
she mastered the refractory grammar les
son thoroughly.
The next day Edna said:
Teacher, 1 can study after school bet
ter than any other time May L stay to-
night?'' And so the program was indefinite
Iy extended.
Now, a young man cannot play check
ers with a pretty girl night after night
without coming to give fully as much at
tention to her as to the game; consequent
Iy the schoolmaster felt as though. great
blank spot had moved into his life one af-
ternoon when Hattie, without looking at
Rim. left the house Immediately at the close
of school
The following afternoon q big, fresh
/ faced young fellow, whom the schoolmas-
! ter had never before seen, called for Hattie
/; and took her driving IN very dashfng
equipage. Edna volunteered an explana-
ton after school That's Bill Keeler," she
said. He's Hattie's beau, and he wants
her to get married His mother has promis-
/ ed to give him the farm If he'll get wife
before Christmas"
/ This news threw the schoolmaster into
/ the sulks. The young farmer visited the
! school, being received with bashful cordial
ity by the big boys and girls" and with
I cold civility by the teacher. He took Hattie
to the Thursday evening singing school,
and was driving with her and Edna every
day.
! This week was one Of misery for the
schoolmaster. though his checker board was
some consolation But sitting alone In the
darkening school room while the snow
( whirled high around the windows he would
Imagine that vivid face. Lit by great Tum-
inous eyes, opposite him. Or, as he looked
from book TO board, he would see the swift
Hash of a slim, white hand above his own.