The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-04-21

1 Was that Jack who talked so--could
: be-her Jack?
ooh, come nowl" laughed Ned "yol
. know you are exaggerating, She's no
quite as bad as that!
: Pretty nearly uefully 81 don
} so much mind her skittishness--l coulC
break her of that, hatter myself-bu
she has a terrible temper! "
She must not faint, Jessica told her
self frantlcally. Oh, she must not!
Was that dark thing beside her in the
shadow of the portiere fauteuil? She
sank down on it heavily, weakly, eX-
haustedly. Horror of horrorsl 1t at
first succumbed a second to her weight,
then move, protested with vigorous
energy, shrieked,
All faintness banished, Jessica leaped
to her feet, her soft, quick cry of alarm
mingling with that mufIied roar Of
rheumatic agony.
That's aunt" gasped Ned.
"Jessica" cried Jack. He strobe for
ward and flung aside the porticre. The
light from the library poured into the
shadowy morning-room 1t fell on
Jesslca standing just within very white
and trembling, and it showed on the
floor large and ungraceful heap of
crushed drab silk and bugles, disorder
ed front" and gruesome groans.
For moment they stood and stared
-speechless. But Miss Murphy kept
on groaning.
What is it all about?' queried Ned
bewilderedly, helping his aunt to rise,
IL, faltered Jessca, sat down on
Miss Murphy"
"What?" cried Ned
We were eavesdropping," confessed
Miss Murphy, with venomous candor,
and Jessica took me for footstool
and"
My darling!" whispered Jack (no,
not to Miss Murphy Il thought when
l heard your voice you were hurt Or"
Jessica famed up.
How dare you? Stand back sir!
Here's your ring" She tugged bravely,
but it fitted well. q have heard in
what manner you speak of me. No"
don't appear astonished!
Recall your conversation of yesterday
with Ned Sales"
Ned stared at being thus abruptly re-
ferred to. Jack looked dazed. Il did
not intend to hear such another con-
versation as that which had been re-
peated to me, but did. If l'm-I'm,"
the rose crimsoning in her cheeks, |
'skttish,' bringing out the hateful |
word with jerk, "and-and deuced--
oad-bargain, slowly, "and if I've got
4 ter-ter-here's your ring!"
She had wrenched it off at last.
But Jack did not take it. His dumb
lismay had turned to uproarious mirth.
t was we'll a noisy polonaise was in
in the drawing-room. He
aughed. He kept on laughing. Sud-
lenly the whole ludicrous misunder-
bursting on Ned he struck in
With very howl of delight, and they
fell into each others arms like
ouple of crazy boys and supported each
ther and laughed
But recollecting Jessica standing
here, Sutherland explained between
hametul relapses into Laughter, 1T
'as-a horse. thought l knew all
bout horsefesh. l knew nothing |
ave to take her-the idiocy is mine.
fondly fancied had found a Maud S.
i'm Smiley's famous nag could beat
er. | gave a thousand for her. She's
now you understand"
For Jessica had sprung forward,
louth and eyes three sweet, remorse-
II "O's?'
"Jacl-Jack! And how l talked just
owl" all riotous bushes II must
ave, after all, a-a-the kind Of {
'mper you said the horse had
"Ill risk it, laughed Jack. /
Needless of Mrs. Bryant's small l
ephew, who had entered and stood !
an exclamation point of in |
lisitive delight; needless of Ned who l
ung in silent, spasmodic commissions {
the portiere; needless even, this rash s
)ung man, of Miss Murphy-that anc-
Mt virgin who, rigid and frigid glow c
ed at him in an access of scandalzed 7
0desty, lie took his sweetheart in q
S arms with good, long, loving kiss, e
I'd thus adoringly addressed her: e
Doubted me, did you? You-con- a
mptible htte-wretch! {