The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-04

had. Jack shouldered himself between
her and her proper escort, took her al
most in his arms and set her upon tho
ground. The audacity of it half mar
alyzed Mr.. Topmark. He began to scowl
darkly. then broke into a wry grin. saw.
ing:
'Now, see here, Jack. that amt lest
egzactly the fa-ar thing, but | ca;n,t
quarrel with you. You're so much or
older man N me I'm bound ter treat
you respectful eff you do git in my wav !"
THANK you. feel very much in
place just now" Jack said, keeping fast
hold Of Rob's hand. 1t was small and
gloveless, neither white nor soft bnt
thrilling to the finger tips with the sinh.
tlest vital essence. Something in the
touch Of it set him all a-tremble. He
was taken aback when il was drawn
steadfastly from his clasp and dropDed
at its owners side.
"Where is Mr.. McGregor?" J.ck
went on, standing obstinately close.
'Oh, daddy's comm in the carriagap,
Mr.. Topmark returned, with leerinp
wink that made Jack ache to throttle
him and sent hot, painful red into
Rob's cheek. She had been very pale
as pale almost as her old white frock
that, in spite of its shabbiness, could
not mask her youthful grace. But she
had not tried to make herself in any de.
gree fine, though she might reasonably
have known herself the focus of all ewes
She wore the narrow brimmed black
straw hat that had been her best for
three years. There was black ribbon
too, about her little waist and fall Of
old thread lace at the neck of her gown.
1t left the round throat bare, though
every other woman there had swathed
herself to the chin.
For part of Rob's eccentricity was
that she preferred to be out Of the fash.
ion rather than to spend her time max
ing over her few scant frocks. Mrs
Winfield said it did seem to her the
greatest piece Of laziness-the way Rob
McGregor was always three years be.
hind the style. But Rob never looked at
anything from the Winfield standpoint
Besides her abundant leisure, which
that model woman bemoaned as snare
OF satan, was not, after all, SO very
abundant.
Rob read to her father for hours each
day, or upon fine ones led him abroad
to refresh himself with sunshine and
sweet air. Nor was the burden of their
scant affairs by any means so light as it
looked from the outside. She kept up
faithfully to the blind man her fiction
of prosperity, and success in it meant
standing always between him and the
outer world The decadence of their for
tunes touched her nearly For all her
bravery, her own ragged horse furnish
ings and the shabby old carriage in
which sometimes she rode abroad were
engines of torture. Yet every year or so,
when her father insisted that the yehi-
Gle be refurbished, she acquiesced dutl.
fully. made a pretense of sending it
away, and six weeks later had IL driven
to the door, smelling of the fresh var
nish she herself had brushed over il,
with cushions beaten to puffy lightnesS
and straps and tassels set in new places
Then the blind man said, with little
laugh:
Next time, darling, you must have
a brand new equipage, for, after all
equipage is truly tho test of gentility'
If shabby, it stamps you either mig
gard or q pretender. Clothes hardly
matter, so they be clean and suitable
and not vulgarly fine"
Memory of such speech gave an edge
he did not dream Of to Mr.. Topmark
leering, significant laugh But she
stood very upright and walked toward
the church door between the two men.
When she reached the step, each put OUT
q hand to help her. She ignored botn'
sprang lightly upon the big stone, STEP
ped inside and walked almost the leng'n
Of the aisle, with Mr.. Topmark MAKING
strenuous efforts to fan her over ner
shoulder. Usually she slipped into inc
irst vacant pew. Today she was hercey
amused in the thought Of making 'n'
whole congregation cape and start
When at last she sat down, 1t was ~
Iuch wise as to leave room beside nei
or her adorer. IL was wholly ag"n''
he most rigid convention OF the occaslOn
hat any man should sit beside a WON
IN. but Mr.. Topmark was unable 'or
list the tacit invitation OF her gian0,'
30 pumped down upon the bard WOW
m seat so ponderously that sniver a., .ss
trough the gazing throng. FROM ~, H.
oor Jack noted it and swore unuer -. -
'reath. But Miss Winfield, though 'uo
ropped her eyes and made p re'ena
4 distress over the general ti''e onh
bout her, said to her own heart:
he little fool Isn't she dom pes W.
ully just the thing meant her 70 ~ a
Then she settled herself into po's,
evere devotion, head bowed, eyes To-"
n the hymnbook. Through the wlnuv~
he had seen the Talbot carriage uin .hls
p. She meant Mrs. Talbot 10 po ' 10.
o point with pride to the dliierep'U, oh
ween her favorite and that hlgn9 Loo
Tho sat. regardless of time ana pinto INTO
curing q flood OF merry nonsenS' M.
lr. Topmark's delighted ear. Id
Vinfold thought she must be po's,ny
Of the tfoDJ'