The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-01-15

Kitty locked at him so repToachful-
~ IhaJ he mas sober III "a minute.
Tell lne all about it," whispered
he.
I'm engaged, " and if she d been
| announcing her own funeral, she
couldn't have done it in IL more sol
eIun voice.
Joe flushed up to the roots of his
hair, ana clasped and unclasped his
hands i'll nervous sort of way, but
dIdn, t say anything.
Kitty watched him malicously
Its to thai young Gilbert. He's d
splendid fellow, and mas great dark
eyes and the dearest little mOustache
You know him, don't you?
"No-yes-a little. stanimered Joe.
| to the delight of his listener. But
what's the trouble about? Won't your
father consent?' and he locked SO
utterly wretched that Kitty, with a
faint twinge OF remorse. fastened to
leii him the true state of the case.
He Frightened up wonderfully,
Then you don't love the man alter
ALL" he asked.
We'll, l don't know" she answer
ed, meditatlvely. Il never looked
into the matter mach. Isuppose hes
as good - any one, but I'm not in Il
marrying mood at present.
,toe's cOGnteuauce fell again. Will
| you tell Inc just what you WANT
said he a little sternly.
Now don't be cross, Joe; you're
the only friend I've got in the world, P"
aud Kitty raised her soft eyes implor-
| ingly.
He was Modified at once. why
not break with Gilbert and accept the
| aiternative?n suggested he. "T' won't
be so very dull at aunt Dorothy's.
| I've IA college friend III the neighbor-
| hood, and can visit you occasional
IT,"
Poor Joe. the idea of having her all
to himself was delightful, and he
waited for her answer with subIued
| eagerness.
1T is the only plan that occurred to
| YOU" answered Kitty sarcastically;
| you haven't mucn ingenuity if you
can devise some other way Of get
! ting NE out of this dilemma. I've no
| intention of becoming an animated
! fossil. Now listen TO what Ipropose. >
Then Kitty disclosed her plot, ana
Joe listened aPprCyingIy. and the
Two heads were still bent together
| when Young Gilbert called au hour
Later. He entered unannounced, and
| Kitty gave such a start and blush at
nim that Joe's hopes again sank to
zero. But if he'd been sensible he'd
NnOwn that her embarrassment was
| the result of surprise rather than
emotion. She was very arch and
| winning that morning until after Joe
| left (the little witch knew lie was on
nettles all the time when she chang
ed her tactics and grew cold and dis
tant so you had to tell papa, after
all, " she sueered,, men can't keep Il
secret
| Her lover tried TO explain, but she
| wouldn't listen. and gave hIm such ii
rating as would have done credit to
| the shrillest and noisieSt of viragoS.
is this a specimen of her temper:n
! thought he, escaping into the street
as soon as possible. Who'd have
thought her soft eyes could flash so or
| the lines of her face sharpen in such
= curious way? She really looked
dangerous"
Had he seen Kitty laugh and clap
her hands as he vanished from the
scene, bed have been more puzzled
than ever.
The next time they met she greeted
him with such Il charming smile, and
looked so naive and unconscious
that this little episode would have
passed from his memory if it hadn't
been for one circumstance.
H accidentally " overheard a con
versation between her cousin and
another gentleman. Kitty was the
theme of the discourse.
she's dear little girl, but a regular
rago,' said Joe. Ever body's
afraid of her when she gets into one
of her tantrums. She just raves and
goes on in IL way that's perfectly
frightful. There's a faint OF insanity
in the blood, you know; her aunt and
grandmother died in auinsane asylum.
Young Gilbert listened, shuddering.
These words explained the scene that
had puzzled him before and awakened
forbodings for the future. You saw
her father come down town last week
with his head all bandaged up, and
heard him tell, perhaps, how terribly
he's afflicted with neuralgia con
tinued Joe Poor old gentleman!
twas Kitty did the mischief, for in
one of her angry fits she flew the
tlatirop across the table, and it hit
him in the temple. He's anxious to
marry teI on ,anC ), near "'i"ei' Is "
DC T Tne i m"Rpid ~ trr,od no1o ua
,.o,,,a, az Il.I NJ ~ oc p,1
forII-.,I.jinIy III snit 3nd tEa wiSI, ha
la or,,re,tad III his Janah+ariS
,i'aC go Sbo,1il to Loo
aio,u IN Inc '" e. al ca,
u'e,e trnn no h his t hi MrIr
was d. S,aGs "f faaIinir ''.o" i reaoGl
VIZ e ~pp"iI ba npnn5 TI Rmt
Wiz u os.iI,Ia 49, her
m'Si ~ I'T anira - ~ as
IL t,i TO- u hi it, fo' ,
q ~ e. ~ d,,oi,,,,ts eN ~
"aiU loi l"' 'Iiei ''s GU i'ii''ii'S
They came speedily. a week later
he called on hltty-Just at dusk-aud
was ushered by mistake (?) into the
library. The door between that and
the dining room STOOD signify agar;
womans shriil voice reached nm
from thence. was !5 KITTY s.. Yes,