The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-26


frightened, at her own cruelty.
you forget, there is that wretched wom-
an and the child she said.
He was silent a moment, as if exercising
restraint, then he took the packet. You
carry the cur treatment a little too far,
Ninian. Such things ought not to be men
toned between us. That woman, the child,
1t is none of mine-you talk about what you
don't understand. Is there any writing in
side this?' AND he tapped the envelope.
"Nsy said Ninian, her lips curling.
What is it? Notes?"
yes, notes"
well, I'm much obliged to you," he said,
tore the paper into pieces. flung them to the
winds. and caught her by the wrist.
"A fine piece of bravado!" she laughed,
coldly.
Meet me here tomorrow" said King, in
tensely.
Il will meet you no more"
well, let that be settled when the time
comes, he answered, after a pause. IF you
must go now 1 will see you across the
park"
Ninian made no demur. She walked along
with an indifferent mien.
Goodbye" said Curtius, at the terrace
steps; 81 shall be by the frs tomorrow at
6. I'll do anything you ask of me, Ninian.
Say you care for me-"
She looked at him placidIy with a COM
monplace smile.
For all your show of heroics just now,
you are sure to want money sometimes
she said. Write to me for it. and l will
always send you all 1 can. If you are in
extremity L will try to succor you to my
ability, as I would a wounded enemy, or a
houseless dog-that is how 1 care for you,
Curtius King"
1t was Christmas eve, the air soft and
warm, and still breathing autumn fragrance.
A light mist drifted over the park, where
the new moon was slipping fast behind the
wicked thorn. The grange windows were all
yellow. In the portico the children shrilled
their carols about the shepherds and the
ships" A Christmas tree stood in the hall;
there was mistletoe against the panels, and
a great bowl of Wassail had been brewed.
A string band filled the gallery, and softly
played old tunes in between the dancing and
the caroling. In the quiet library away from
all the revels, Cornelius Greatorex and
Ninian stood together in happy, mutual
understanding. "And so you love me,
Ninian?' he said.
1t was only loves unwearying reiteration.
He knew she did at last! After a time the
girl drew back, and looked him up and down
"a soldier and a g~entleman-her look grew
strained.
You are like a king among men" she
said. 81 am not worthy of you. l, who once
pledged myself to a coward, a poltroon."
THE hayward impulse of a tender heart"
he answered. Forget it, Ninian.'
And you do not think the less of me that
I so pitied Curtius KingI'
Greatorex smiled. "Pity is akin to love,
sweetheart, certainly" he said, "but as a
rule relations do not keep together. Besides,
whatever it was, dear, when a man is down
like King, l would not strike him by so
much as a grudging thought"
Ninian chung to him adoringly, "Oh, you're
splendid!' she said, 'ft sets me up in my
own eyes again that a man like you can
want ms for his wife"
Greatorex kissed her rapturously. He
could scarcely believe his dream of winning
her had really come about; she had been SO
persistent, so ~haughtily perverse about that
poor BLACKBOARD King.
"Now leave me-" said Ninian, "I want
to be quite alone to think it all over. Listen,
there are the children calling you. Don't
tell them where L am. I must have ten
minutes to myself"
And so it happened that a little later her
maid, searching cautiously, peering into one
room after another, found Miss Ninian alone
in the dim-lit library, her head upon her
hand. 1T looked to the maid as if she had
been crying.
"A note, MISS" said the girl, coming in
ON tiptoe and speaking in a guarded tone.
zone of the farmhands brought it. He
sent for ne and made me swear I'd give it
you or he'd force his way into the rooms
himself, he said. 1t was that good-for-
&Is LgI
too"
"A proper sort of messenger" said Ninian,
half aloud, and her eyes were hard and
bright. I'll take the note, Rose. That is
ALL"
II thought I'd better bring it, miss, than
risk a scene" said Rose, half apologizing.
Il waited till 1 could come on you alone"
But there was no answer, and the maid
stole away with a half shrug. She had her
own notions about the real state of things.
Ninian snatched the note open and, with
out stopping to raise the light, stopped over
the soiled, bedraggled scrawl:
Il am under the old thorn tree; it is all
over, l am spent, lone. Remember what
you said. / shall wait here till morning.
Let me see you"
Ninian read this twice, tore the paper into
shreds and burst out laughing. She went
AAou the library INTO the nall, and her eyes
roved over the little crowd as if in search
of some one. Evangeline Asshe came up.
"You seem much amused, my DEAR she
said.
i am" Ninian took her by the arm.
I'm looking for Major Greatorex. l imagine
Curtius King is lurking in the park and
sending in messages to me. The mans mad.
1 must ask Cornelius to go and speak to him.
The audacity of it! He thinks, perhaps.
that 1 might go to meet him with all the
new jewelry on that Santa Claus has given
me-
You're going from one extreme to an
other" said Evangeline. king is not a
footpad."
Ninian threw back her head, and laughed
with the carelessness of very scorn.
NO" she said. "his moral fiber is not
robust enough for that. Don't say anything
to Aunt Kettle; it would only brighten her.
Cornelius will know what to do"
'Humph!' unused Miss Asshe, astutelv
Something's wrong. Abuse like that is a
bad sign. She hates him-yet, but what is
hate? That's where the trouble may come
in"
Five minutes after she had left Evange-
line Ninian was stealing across the grass
to the old thorn bush. She had not found
Major Greatorex; she had not looked for