The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-10-30

the dpe9 ma opee ID Qu1nkly Aathloex
b asndaAg way CLOSE to Mr. Wrinkle,
/ talking M6st earnestly earnestly,
I think. for any subject connected with
litmatnre. She starts violently as ap-
pear and moves little away.
"You seem nervous Miss Walford, I"
says Mr.. Wrinkle. Kathleen flashes her
dark eyes ct him and exclaims: "Nerv-
otsa Oh, mol" As much as to say,
"You know I did not start FROM nerv-
ousnasa"
b.. ] murmur something about having
Left my notebook, and go over to my
seat and hunt for it most carefully. It
IL not there, Of course, as left it with
Lon, and while am looking for it Mr..
Wrinkle leaves. after few words to
Kathleen about how long he will keep
us on the early writer's As If did not
know he changed the subject on my en-
trancel As soon us lie is gone turn to
Kathleen and see her hurriedly putting
note in her pocket.
Kathleen Walford" ! exclaim, and
just then Lou and Hortense burst in the
room. We beseech and implore her to
tell us how and where she met Mr..
Wrinkle, for met him we are certain she
has. and what there is between them,
but she laughs at all our questions and
declares she has no idea what we mean.
She never saw Mr.. Wrinkle before She
did not hesitate about asking his name.
She only meant, when on entering the
room she said, "Oh, I cannot" that
she could not learn literature. The note
l saw her hide was only piece Of pa
per with her French exercise on it, etc.
But when we ask her to let us see the
French exercise" she will not Tells
us we must trust her word, etc. We
treat all her explanations with the con-
tempt they deserve and tell her mysteri-
ously that "She will see. which is
equal to the darkest threat But we do
not get hold Of the note and we are tor
tured with burning desire to see it's
contents
In the evening Kathleen comes to us
and proposes to have some fun, but we
inform her that we are not having fun
with people who do not oonfide in US
She gives US look. of reproach and ex-
claims In q heartbroken tone, "Oh, If
you only knew" But we tell her un-
sympathetically that is just what we
want-to know-and until she reposes
In US the confidence we deserve she is
not one Of US
Nearly two weeks have passed Mr..
Wrinkle seems to take no special notice
Of Kathleen, but every day one or the
other Of us sees Kathleen hiding note.
She is not good at deception. really
think could do it better myself We
wonder If Mr. Wrinkle knows that we
suspect He seems perfectly at ease and
meets our eyes with the utmost equa-
nimity, but then he's man, and one
can never tell what man is up to. At
least that is what our French teacher
always assures us, and she has been
married and ought to know. As time
goes on we only grow more anxious to
have "our little mystery" as we call
it, explained, and at last we decide we
will not sit tamely by any longer and |
have romance enacted before our very
eyes without knowing all the particu-
lars So we waylay Kathleen after
school hours and explain to her calmly
but firmly that although we dislike ex-
tremely to resort to force, still, unless
she consents to tell us all about herself |
md Mr.. Wrinkle, she will have two |
pitchers of cold water-one after the
over her, dress and all.
After which dire threat she reluctantly
to comply with our demands
md tells us to come to her room after
Inner and we shall hear all. So we let
Ter go and exist until 8 o'clock when,
" various strategiea we meet in her
Dom.
Imagine girl very much like me
listing at the country home Of her un-
le last summer, she begins, looking
round with rather amused expression
t our interested faces.
Imagine how soon a girl of lively
disposition would tire of utter, ceaseless
nonotony-no companion Of her own
age, no gayeties, no new novels-in
short, most unenjoyable period Of her
ife. She would have left for her home
n the city, but this could not be man
aged without giving offense, SO she
'pent her time consulting calendar,
which hung upon the wall Of her room,
md noting with rapture the passing of
edious days and the slow but sure ap-
roach to the beginning Of the next
month, when she was expected at a
riend's house for a visit.
"One day, when there were about
hree weeks of monotony still before her,
he happened to be at the village hotel
rdering for dinner some dish from the
andlady for which she was famed.
BE sure to let us have it by 8, Mrs.
she said, for we expect COM
any to dinner, and you know Aunt
ane prides herself on her punctuality.'
Yes, miss, it shall be there prompt,
Though I don't know as I ought to
romise it, for have my hands full,
that with being cook and waitress and
and all, with only one
irl to help me, and she fool, and a
andsome young man in the house with
is father, and they expecting things
ice and neat and having them, too, for
10 Star and Crescent shan't fall into
lsrepute while I'm alive that it
,an't.'
"A handsome young MANI asked the
arOine of this story with stndiad oare