The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-02
HER RESOLUTION.

'no seatS were occupied either by the
passengers in person or by their repre-
sentative luggage, and the lamplighter
had just completed his tour. Dick had
disposed of wraps, cane, umbrella and
the bundlesome fruit of days shop
ping in town; had exerted himself in
every possible and impossible way to Sc
cure the comfort and amusement of his
companion, and then, having failed to
elicit tho slightest RESPONSE, had gone
into permanent retirement behind the
evening paper.
But Miss Katharine Trent failed to
lind anything interesting in the new
magazines and was now leaning dis
consolately back in her seat, wrapped
IN penitent contemplation Of the half
Inch Of Dicks forehead and smoothly
parted brown hair visible above the
edge of the paper. A box of chocolates
and big bunch of violets in her lap
seemed equally unregarded.
II suppose" she thought, drawing
together her pretty brows, IF newspa-
pers were made of glass, could see
Dicks eyes, but it's good thing they
aren't, for I should certainly feel in
cllned to break that one into thousand
pieces"
The train was going at fair speed
now, and murmurs of contentcd CONVEX
sation reached her ear.
Dick" she said suddenly. sitting
bolt upright, "here we AFRO almost at
Bushcy. Arc you really going to go as
far as Watford with me?''
Il am afraid must And Dick laid
down his paper with grave courtesy and
looked for moment straight into her
eyes. Mother is down there with Bes-
sic, you know, and telcgraphcd them
to expect Inc cut to dinner. 1 never like
to disappoint Bcss -
But Kate had dropped her eyes when
Dick looked ut her. The smile and the
I'm so glad" with which she meant
to begin her overtures of peace, had died
on her lips, and she stared with burn
ing checks out into the darkness, while
Dick, with hardly repressed sigh,
again took refuge in lis paper But he
read line after line without catching Il
word Of the sense.
suppose was an ass to think she
cared for me- he was thinking. Its
plain enough now that she doesn't and
never did" And Dick spread out his
paper and rcfolded it with u vicious
punch.
The truth was that Miss Katharine
Trent was "a bundle of startling contra
dictions. That she had tender heart
or that she was thoughtful and earnest
no one who looked for u moment into
hQr hiu cnr1p I
Yet often, if not indeed generally, she
acted without moments reflection.
Her little Italian singing master was
fond of calling her his beautiful chord
of the ninth" and said that everything
depended upon her proper resolution.
1t had begun to rain. A few drops
Zigzagged their downward career across
tho pane with most fascinating unex-
pected movements, but Katharine did
not even see them. She was thinking
desperately Of that look in Dicks eyes.
OF course he loved her. She knew that.
Didn't she love him just as much? But
here her conscience awoke with a start
and Informed her that if she did love
him she had taken every precaution to
conceal the fact from herself and Dick
and every one else. "And don't you"
conscience went on, don't you treat
almost every fellow you know better
than you treat Dick? And didn't Won
this very afternoon refuse even to Talk
about marrying him?"
The train was flying now, and Kath-
airline found herself listening frantically
to the measured double slam, slam of
the wheels that brought nearer every
instant the time when Dick would go.
II know he'll never look at me or
speak to me again. don't blame him.
l can't ask him to forgive me because I
should certainly cry. and-ohp' Her
heart almost choked her with it's beat
ing, for the train had begun to slow up,
and Dick was putting on his coat. Sud
denly II voice pitched in girlish So
prano fell on her ear.
"Goodby, WILL" it said, "and please
write to us at once, won't you? You
know mamma always worries SO about
you. Goodby" "a kiss -"goodbyr'
That was all, but it was enough; not q
minute for reflection, but Katharine
needed none.
Dick was beside her, hat and cane in
hand, but Kate was already OH her feet.
II WILL" she said to herself, with a
swift glance around, while the pink in
her checks changed to red and famed
clear up to her hair. ~ will" The man
at the other side of the carriage was
looking out of the window. mo ono
will ever know the difference. she