The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-22

a rug in the bow and did not own his guilt
untli bedtime that evening. He was then a
| good deal puzzled by the way in which
| Cousin Winnie received his confession and
| ne 1elt somewhat hurt at her surprising in
dinerence. not only to the skill with which
his crime had been committed but apparently
| to the fact Of the crime itself. Teddy was
| accustomed, especially with Cousin Winnie
to be considered person of Importance
| B-but 1t was such a laundering good
shot, ne urged, standing expectantly before
| her. "W-wasn't 1t, Aubrey?''
Aubrey, on the other side of her chair,
| agreed, like the chorus in a Greek play
Its SO cruel to kill BIRDS said Cousin
winnie absently, especially robins There
was an air of vagueness about her which
! teddy found peculiarly trying He regret
| ted that he had refrained from exhibiting
| the trophy of his prowess to Mr. Meredith
as they sculled homeward down the river.
he was man and sportsman; he would
nave understood. The delay had been merely
TO spare woman's oversensitive feelings
and after all she really did not seem to care
| one way or the other about it.
| why r-robins?" he asked his eyes fixed
| sparrows 2"
II think so. Yes, I suppose they must"
said Cousin Winnie In reply. Her lips were
| grave, but her eyes smiled; she was looking
between the boys-not at them-and ever so
| lar away, as If she saw something quite be-
| yond their range Of vision. Perhaps she did,
| and they were quick to resent her preoccu-
patton, for presently, without further par
ley. they betook themselves to bed.
She didn't seem angry, but she certainly
| was not glad said Teddy ruefully as he
| drew the sheet up TO his chin. II wish I'd
shown the bird to Mr.. Meredith. He'd have
oeen pleased and understood about it. You
| see, one can't kill anything much without
| Vex1ng Cousin Winnie though she made
more fuss over that poor hen hit last week
| than she did about this robin. l didn't kill
| the moor hen, either only stung her," He
| paused rehectively. Il say you DIDN'T be-
neve robins do feel more than sparrows,
| do your" he said with sudden eagerness.
| faS
asleep but Teddy lay awake for a whole
| quarter of an hour. Where Cousin Winnie
was concerned, he would have preferred any,
| thing rather than indifference
The next morning Meredith came to break
FAST, Teddy was glad He liked and admired
Meredith, as any healthy minded boy must
ike and admire man who plays cricket for
| his county and whose average at the end
| OF the season seldom falls below twenty
| elght or thirty. Teddy was rather late for
| breakfast, but when he came into the room
| Cousin Winnie had not yet poured out the
| tea She was standing with Meredith in the
| WINDOW, and she held out her hand to Teddy
| and drew him close to her; Aubrey who
| followed at his brothers heels, put up his
| face for a kiss.
Cousin Winnie looked at her boys and
| laughed. Then she blushed and laughed
again, but her lips trembIed and somehow
| what she wanted to say would not shape
! itself into words. She sat down on the win
dow seat one arm round Teddy's shoulders,
| the other holding Aubrey against her knee.
You tell them, Jack" she said a little
| steadily. and rubbed her cheek against Ted
| dy's cloSe-cropped head.
Neither of the boys spoke They felt that
something momentous was in the air, but
| what they were unable to divine.
Your Cousin Winnie" said Meredith, look
| ing down on the group beside him. your
Cousin Winnie has promised to marry me-
| and-and I'm awfully proud, boys, and glad
and happy, and l hope you'll be glad and
| happy too
There was a dead silence. Teddy flushed
! crimson, paled and flushed again. Aubrey
! less startled, but good deal taken a-back,
stared ct Meredith with wide, open, ques-
| uonlng eyes. Really, truly?'' he said; sit
| is not a joke, Mr.. Meredith?"
| Meredith's lips broke into a smile.
Really, truly, and 1t is not joke. Ask
| Cousin Winnie" he answered.
Aubrey considered a moment. For once
| in his life Teddy had thrust upon him the
| office of spokesman. The duties, for Teddy
he rose manfully to the occasion, and after
wistful glance at his brother whose face
was turned obstinately away from him, he
took step toward Meredith, with outstretch-
! ed hand and lifted eyes.
I'VE are glad he said, gravely, "and We
| hope you will take care OF Cousin Winnie
! Teddy''-he showed the younger brother with
his elbow-"aren't you going to say you're
! glad too?
Teddy remained ominously silent
Cousin Winnie, puzzled and little
and went to the breakfast table. Meredith
| followed, but Teddy stood AS IL turned to
stone, staring out into the sunny garden.
Il think, " whispered Aubrey anxiously IT
! think you ought to say you are glad | think
| Cousin Winnie expects it,"
Teddy shook his head
You don't understand" he whispered
back again. II never thought she could have
punished me so. 1t isn't bit fair
He thrust his hands into his knickerbocker
pockets and fixed his attention again upon
the lawn. Aubrey looked at him with I'M
comprehending compassion.
But she won't care any less for u.s.
he said, consolingly. And, after all, you
! know l don't see what difference it can
| make"
ooh! shut up!" responded Teddy, GROSSLY,
and forthwith took his usual place at the
| breakfast table.
Not word was said by either of the boys
| during the meal, and at the first possible
moment they escaped to their favorite nest
on the top of half-cut hayrick. Teddy
| sprawled at full length in the understanding
hay, his chin supported on his hands, while
Aubrey clear-eyed, and wondering sat beside
HIM
Aubrey felt shaken by the Worrying events
of the morning. Meredth's announcement
| was in itself startling, and he had needed
al. his inherent gentlehood to enable him to
receive such piece of news with due sym
! pathy and some show of congratulation. But
| Teddy's unlooked-for behavior proved even
more astounding. Teddy, whose tongue was
never silent, even when he slept had uttered
no word, good or bad upon the subject since
tney left the house, and that, thought Au-
brey, sadly, pulling a long wisp of hay
a
ter of an hour ago.
This silence struck him as being unprece-
dented and alarming. He hoped that moth
/ Ing terrible, of which Teddy was aware was
Drooding over Cousin Winnie's devoted head
but already he began to be afraid. 1t seemed
useless to prod his brother with questions.
and, besides, It was Aubrey's habit to wait
His actions ike his words came SLOWLY
and grew out of consideration. Teddy, mean
time, though he very unhappy could
not help enjoying himself with that enjoy
m oil
| slider we have right to feel aggrieved. He
| had quarrel with Cousi IN Winnie and that
though de?lorable and heartbreaking was
a matter of Importance since on the occasion
the blame lay entirely with her. 1t was not
| fair TO treat a fellow so. The injustice of
woman weighed heavily on his heart and
| with sigh he turned over upon his back in
the hay: The weight felt easter in that posi-
| ton. Above him a pa-e-blue sky hecked
| with light, drifting clouds, hung far and far
away-much farther, he thought, than yes
terday, when It's color had been deeper and
the sunlight seemed hotter and nearer to
! the earth. A bird fitted across his line Of
vision to perch upon a neighboring bough
He noted that it was a robI1 and sat up
| with sudden animation.
'L-!ook at the brute" he said. II wish
/ had my catapult; I'd teach him to sit sing
! ing there! He shook inn cent fist in
the direction Of the tree.
"All the same l do think it's awfully
rough! She might have kept me IN all d-day
broke off, nursing his knees moodily between
his arms
II don't see why you should mind it so
much, said Aubrey, trying not to look puZ-
zled CHS thoughts usually labored slowly
behind Teddys, coming to a conclusion an
! hour after his brother had dismissed the
matter under discussion from his mind ''It
| isn't as though she would care less for us or
| that we shan't come here any more. There
won't be any difference in Cousin Winnie"
oh, won't there!" retorted Teddy
That shows how much you know about it.
I Why, there was one of the fellows in our