The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-01-23
MY CHUM KATE.

doubt OF it. Why should Miriam
Mowbray have been so absorbed in
it? Why should she have been 80
startled on detecting my presence In
the library?
And then a delightful, blissful feel
ing shot through me. staggered for
a moment like one intoxicated--in.
toxicated with my own happiness.
said to myself a few minutes since
that If l could but detect the portrait
on which Miriam's attention had
been fixed I would be master of her
secret.
Was that SOP I had found the por-
trait. Had it really made me the
master of her secret?
l paused as I put to myself the
question and drew a deep breath.
Then l strove to answer 1t with 9TH
ar questions, The master of her se-
c-etl Was that secret love and was
it love for me?
Yes, I felt sure of it. What other
answer could there be? She had loved
me all along. She had ''let conceal
ment, like a worm in the bud, feed
on her damask cheek" / was in the
seventh heaven of delight. Mine,
after all, would be the privilege of
breathing that potent word which
would start my Galatea into life.
l descended to the drawing room
and found that not only had the ar
gument ended, but that irascible old
Mowbray had departed and, Of
course, Miriam had departed with
him.
THE old bear!" l exclaimed.
"That's the animal he Is, and not an
artiohoke. He would be a libel on
the vegetable kingdom. By Jove
Miriam must have a lively time OF
it, II way Or the other. ! must
change all that by and by"
l was already beginning to regard
her as my wife and was mentally
engaged in the prospective duty Of
clipping my father-in-law's wings
when a hand was softly thrust into
my arm, and, waking from my
dream, l saw the bright eyes of Kate
looking up into mine. They were
usually dancing with a misohievous
light, but they were serious now.
WELL, Bob" she asked, chow did
you get on? Have you said anything
to Miriam? You have given me the
right to ask you, you know"
'"To tell the truth, Kate, ! have
scarcely spoken two words to her"
"Oh, then, I was not guilty when
l came upon you in the library Of
interrupting an avowal. I felt very
uncomfortable at that time, for Miri.
am looked awfully conscious and
still more awfully scarlet, and you
looked-well, / don't know how you
looked, Bob. It was a sort of OK.
pression-shall l say?"
please, Kate"
We'll, 1t was the sort of expires
sion you would expect to find on the
face of a man who had just picked
up a parcel and wasn't quite sure
what was inside"
laughed.
Your keen eyes don't miss much,
Kate. You have guessed somewhere
near the truth. When you came up
On me in the library, I had made
discovery, but it was only a partia
discovery. Ihad found out that Mi
lam Mowbray was greatly interest
cd in a portrait. I could not at thu
time make out whose 1t was. I hav,
since extended my knowledge"
"Well?" she asked eagerly.
Now, Kate" I said, teasing her
that's where the curiosity Of WON
an comes in. You are as bad as tn,
rest of your sex, Ideolare. OF oours'
you are burning with curiosity t.
know whose portraitit WAS. Confess
now"
Indeed, sir, ! am not. I keep N,
curiosity for better things. My WON
ans wit Is not so sluggish that it ha
not already guessed your mystery.
"Ha, hal" l laughed. You thinl
so. I'll forgive you If you have
Here! I will tear this sheet from m,
pocketbook. Oblige me by writing
upon it the name of the person
in whose portrait Miriam was in
terested?"
Precisely"
She took the paper and pencil
handed to her and wrote upon IL
name.
She gave me back the pencil, bu
not the slip of paper.
Am I not to hold the paper?"
asked.
"You shall see it" she answered
folding it tightly up. latter 20
have shown me the portrait"
Very we'll, Miss Distrustful,"
said.
II was Miss Curiosity just now
You are partial. Bob, to calling pee
pie hard names. You are as bad a
the rest of your sex, 1 declare, sh'
said pertly, turning the tables upol
me for my language of a moment O
so since. But come. Take me h
see this wonderful portrait"
I took her to the library, opened
the album and turned again to M