The Red Cloud chief., 1898-04-01

the two boys and one girl passing down
the road. She got her work along
bravely, and Just as dinner was all
ready and her father had come in. Jack.
true to his promise, left the three chill
dren at the door and went home with
out stopping to speak.
The children gave glowing accounts
OF their walk. And Jacks going to
make us n kite and fly 1t the next
windy day" they ended.
Nearly every day after that Jack
took the children of into the woods
and fields. giving Mary a vacation
from their noise. When he went to
get them, or when he brought them
back, he always found some little
thing to do to help her.
Then one Sunday he dressed with
unusual care, looking remarkably fresh
and clean. too. and went to church and
Sunday school. Aftcrward he walked
home with Mary, holding her sunshade
over her carefully all the way.
Mr.. Hallott staid at home with he
children Sundays. and II was rather
nm o' WIN
Jack coming he frightened up and ask
ed him to stay to dinner. Jack con
scented, much to Mr.. Hallett's satisfac-
ton. and the childrcn's boisterous de-
light. Mary's father dearly loved to
talk. and Jack appeared to enjoy lis
tening equally well.
After dinner Mr.. ~IIallett went into
tho uittipu r,or, ,nI r,ll ,c1pnn IN hiq
chair. while Jack insisted on wiping the
dishes for Mary. The children swarm
ed about him and got In his way. till
he declared that they were rs bad as
cats, and he'd have to sprinkle them
n see II they would clear out then.
When the dishes were done and Mary
had taken off her apron Jack began
to notice signs OF uneasiness in her
manner.
About time for Bert" he said to
himself; then aloud: IL should think
you'd go crazy with these noisy young
sters around all the time. I'm going
to take them away and you can rest
instead Of working as you usually
do"
boWh NV iodu 'uts NNHa' u my
were hardly out OF sight in one direc-
ton before Bert Hill appeared from
The other. lie, too. was dressed with
particular care, but though there was
no denying that he was handsomer
than Jack there was n certain set to hi:
jaw and a kind of fierceness in his
dark eyes which were not progresses
tnn Thaca yAftonal u,hon ha Urpatpf
Mary. and he became agreeable.
/. But Mary. for some reason. felt un
easy and hoped he would not ash
, where the children were. She alst
, dreaded their return. What woui'
Bert say when he saw Jack?
But when the children came It wa
, quite late, and Jack did not appear
Mary got them bread and butter, 70
which they clamored vociferously, an
r then at Bert's request walked up an
I down the road with him for half a
hour while he smoked a strong cigar
/ After he had gone she sighed YEARLY
She felt dissatisfied with herself; an
n the children, as she put them to bee
irritated her by their constant re
petition of Jacks name. Later sh
sat in her own room and cried. becaus
she was tired. she told herself.
She had not reached that state q
mind, which came only a few week
later, when she cried from perpleXlt
and indecision as to the course sh
should take. She had honestly sup
posed herself In love with Bert. and
took her some time to find out he
mistake.
When Bert learned what was goin
on between the HalletGs and Jack h
was in a towering rage. He met JAG
one night and stopped short befor
him. blocking the way.
what do you mean foollng aroun
Mary Hallett, them" Bert raised hi
voice.
Have I ever interfered with you
Have ] ever been in you way" dc
X manded Jack.
a "No, and you'd better not" Bel
threatened.
you'll be the one to suffer" RI
d torted Jack. unless you are more sobe
than you are now"
"A That nlgnt JACK Heiu eurHest cor
sultation with himself up in the darl
ness OF the pines. He applied man
"a uncomplimentary epithets to himsel
= How could l be so base as to stal
~ in on this thing? To sc to work d.
a liberately to get a girl away from al
A. other fellow. with the firm intent!o
a of giving her up when I'd done It!
was vile. And how has 1t come oul
II has come to this-that II she r.
"a fuses to marry me ! shall be the mo
- miserable man alive. and will rich
30 deserve 1t. too. for being SO contemp
IDLY mean"
IN You've got to try and be half GOO
enough for her now" he said. "Ar
,s you'll have to work harder to do
than YOU ever dreamed of working b