Connecticut western news., 1899-08-03
THE FATE WHEEL.

| | It was certainly an unfortunate mo-
 Iaent for John Castle to choose to put
 his fate to the touch, for Kate Manners
 friend, and the sight of John Castle of l all persons was calculated to loosen her
 tongue considerably.
 | Leila Castle and Kate Manners were
 students at the Datchley Art school,
 Leila living at home with her family l in Kelton road while Kate. lived Tn
 rooms alone. It had been pleasant for | Kate as she grew to know Leila better to enliven her days by accepting the
 hospitality which the Castle family | offered. They were kind to the lonely little student and she was grateful | But latterly Kate had noticed with
 drawal of the hospitality. MT. and Mrs. | Castle bowed chillily when they met her. Leila became too busy to talk, and | John, Leila's brother, seemed the only one who remained cordial His cordiali- ty, indeed, Kate was forced to admit, | had decidedly increased, and she found | it by no means unpleasant, though she | fretted and wondered over the others. Then came the afternoon when Leila dropped in to tea, and while pretending to wax confidential had lashed Kate s pride and temper. The subject of Leila s confidence had been John s matrimonial hopes and plans, or rather the hopes and plans of the Castle family with re- gard to John.
 From hopes and plans Leila had then drifted on to description, more real istic than polite, of the style of girl
 who often sought to marry John, but who would never be welcomed, nor in- deed tolerated by her parents or herself, from which point she slipped on to hints of the actual girl they all hoped and felt sure John would soon present to them as his future wife. Then she took her departure.
 Kate clinched her hands as she sat thinking over the ugly word picture that Leila had drawn of herself as the artful, worldly entangler of Johns af- fections She could be scornful as well as they. She But a knock at the door interrupted her angry musings
 "Dr. Castle to see you, miss" said the maid, and there stood John himself.
 He did not beat about the bush. He had come to ask Kate to be his wife, and he went straight to the point He took the chair nearest to her, and he leaned forward and told his tale with his love shining in his eyes. But he was not prepared for the wrath and | i'm hn fo xxrhS cha trnr ,a1 him when he paused.
 ''Do you think would marry a man whose people would not tolerate mef" she asked in passionate scorn. Jchn started in amazement Then the recollection of some home speeches to which he had listened lately sent the blood to his face.
 Don't talk in that way, Kate, my darling" he pleaded. Nothing mat ters if you love me-"
 ''Love youi" she cried. "I think I hate everybody in the world-you and them and myself. 2
 ''What do. you meanf' he burst out ''What have they-what have done 2" ''Tell mep' she turned on him furi ously. "Would your father and mother and sister welcome me as your wifef'' John hesitated. He was naturally truthful.
 "You know they would not" she continued "You know they would de- test me and do all in their power to pre- vent such marriage, and do you think I would fling myself at them as you ask f'
 De- sz ness''-
 "Go away" she commanded. 1T will not have you here. am going to cry, but am not going to yield, and I tell you to go. .''
 John had not been in the room half an hour, and he wanted to stay longer, but, having issued her commands, Kate gave him no option. She went quickly into the inner room and locked the door. So John was forced to go but the love and rage in his heart were fierce. How Kate spent the hours which fol- lowed most women know without being told; how John spent them most men can guess, but in the morning one idea, at any rate, inspired them both, though their motives appear to have been wide epart, for they both wheeled out their bicycles and mounted them. Then the divergence of their motives was apparent. Kate, starting off inn pulsively down the stretch of the road in which the lodged, longing only to get away from everybody, realized sud denly that the figure in the distance which had just turned the corner was the figure of John Castle, and without hesitation she wheeled about and sped the other way.
 That John was coming to see her she felt sure, but she devoutly hoped that he had not caught sight of her. The roads were slushy, but the air was still, and the wild strength she brought to bear upon her pedals sent her flying over the ground. She realized, however, that the roads were no worse and the air was equally favorable to John if he chose to follow, and her anxiety became intense.
 As she turned into the buster roads she was forced to slacken pace, and the hiudrance set her fuming. She saw bi- cycles coming toward her, and through the chatter of carts and feet she seemed to hear the swish of others following her, but she dared not turn her head to see if the one she dreaded was among them.
 After awhile, however, she left the clatter of traffic behind her. and the re- baf If tina nuiof xuue varv oraaf Tn