The Caucasian., 1897-07-08

TO do it. You do not know how il
nurts me to give you mp, But 'tis
your privilege to hear and my dusy
to bear the message from Capt Sid.
ney. A few days ago he asked mo
lor my permission to approach you
on . subject"
The GID sprang up, her face GRIM
son, her eyes ablaze.
Your permission, father. He had
better get from me some token of At
least partial consent for him to ap-
proach you on such q subject, Per
mission, indeed! Father, l hate the
map!'
my. my, my" said her father,
half laughing, half astounded, "but
! never saw you SO stirred up, Inv
darling! Why. Sidney has been here
every two or three weeks for . dozen
years, Is twice your age, and has ac-
tuaIiy seen you grow up and has
never made any secret of waiting for
you. Rich, handsome. jovial and
actually worshids you! thought
you two were fine friends"
Father. father" exclaimed the
girl, "you do not know me. As
your guest and friend endured
Capt. Sidney and treated him court
eousiy. But do you think a girl has
no heart, NO ears, no eyes. l have
disdained from maiden modesty to
tell you before, what your question
demands of me now. Would you
have your daughter wed a man
whose excuses have even reached
the ears of as uuworldly a maid as
II Am to be won by a man merely
because he Is your friend and is
rich, handsome. jovial and worships
me, as you sayi do not love him
that is enough! Oh, fathe,!' she
said with sudden impulse, as she
seated herself in his lap and took
his face in both her hands and laid
her face against his, "did not my
dear mother love youi You know
what l mean-how l meanw and
tears rolled down from her brown
eyes.
"By the eternal, you are right"
said the Colonel, as he arose hastily
with trace of emotion in his own
voice. Il hadn't thought of that!
The scamp!' he repeated half aloud.
II like him myself. out what am II
Only gambler! He is another
gentleman-yes, q gentleman-but a
gambler for all thst! And his ex-
cesses in other whew.
Annie!" he called, as he kissed her
and started into his room, "you are
right-always right-always right.
| hadn't thought of that" and the
door closed on his form, trifle bent,
Annie thought, as she sank in q
chair and wept from sympathy for
her father.
But there never was q girl like
Annie Dinwiddie. Tears did not
stay with her long. She dismissed
the captain with a contemptuous
sniff as she vigorously wiped her red
nose and eyes, and then she fell to
thinking with her practical little
mind to find a way to help her father.
Throwing an opera shawl over her
head and rounded shoulders-for the
air was chilly-she sat silently rock
ing and looking up at the stars
Presently the big gate at the pike
shut with a bang and a few mo.
ments later the rhythmical feet of q
saddle horse played q tune as they
pattered up the gravel walk. On
came the horseman till the animal
reached the portico where sat the
silent figure in white, when he SHE'D
suddenly to the left. The ease with
which the rider retained his seat
showed he was accustomed to such
antics from his horse, and the dex-
terity with which he pressed knee
in the animals chest and whirled it
about face with q twist of q firm
hand, made the girls eyes sparkle
with excitement. In q moment the
rider had bounded DER the railing
with:
"Hello, Anne, is that tho way you
frighten off your beauxi Sit out
here in the dim light with Just
enough white about your head to
frighten their horses to death, and
have them plunging all about over
your white pink and forget me- not
beds9"
"Jim! Jim! How could youfn
laughed The girl, as she arose and
shook his hand. didn't tell you
you should not come over tonight
AS Uncle Jack, the carriage driver
would say, you are a positive 'nues-
sence.'n
| 80, Anne" he said with boylsh
enthusiasm, as he drew q chair up
close to hers, I just couldn't stay
away. l have thought of you all
day. Jim Wetherall,' said the old
gentleman when he came into the
lower field, where I was looking
after the hands plowing and let them
all 60 down to the spring for water
and waste an hour idling Just be-
cause l was thinking Of you, Jim
Weatherall. if you ain t in love you
are just . lunatic, and that's all.
Why the mischief don't you look
after your businessi And is this the
way you let them run corn rows
over q hillside, with such . fall as to
make . gully the first hard rain that
comesi"
"After supper I saddled Troup,
and thinks |, 'I'll just ride over and
look at the light in her window
But you may never speak to me
again il the rascal Troup didn't turn
in the gate before I knew it, and
here am. And, oh Anne," he said
"if you only knew how l love you
I, But Jim's mouth WAS stopped with
. hand over it-which he proceeded
} to kiss, to it's fair owners chagrin-
! for she immediately withdrew it and
gave the kisser . rap on the head
with the other one.
. Jim! Jim! Don't be . goose,
I she said. "You don't know how sai
and worried I am tonight" and sh,
proceeded to tell him all her father