The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-17
H0RTENSE De WITT.
THE STORY OF A QUIET GIRL.

! an heiress, and that when her guardian,
| with whom she lived, had gone with his
family for a trip TO Colorado. Hortense
had declared her preference for coming out
to BIakesburg to Ralphs mother. and had
had her way.
"A regular little lady," said Ralph's
father, whose Judgment was as a rule
rather sternly critical
! Ralph said nothing He recalled a GER
| tain singular twinkle in Hortense's bright
! eyes. He reflected on the pecdliar cir
| cumstance of her jogging his elbow at
| the breakfast table, so that he had spilled
| some water, aud then giggling behind her
napkin. But he said nothing
| When he went out TO the barn, pres
| emily, to curry Betsey, he thought for an
| instant that Betsey's cot had got out
Of the stall. Hating in the door, ne per-
| ceived that it was Hortense De Witt chas-
ing several squawking hens round and
! round.
! She sat down on a keg, red-cheeked and
! disheveled. Il love to be where / can do
! as I've a mind to- she declared.
Il guess you always do, don't you?" said
! Ralph astutely, and Hortense laughed.
! She felt at her neck
| I've lost my diamond stick-pin," she
| announced. "Never mind, I'll find it. I've
! lost two or three. Come on! Let's have
| some more fun" She cast a look around
! Have you ever walked that beam up
! there?' she demanded Ralph had not.
1t was a very high beam, and narrow
tense.
You're not" said Ralph.
Amt I2' Hortense gave a light
spring and climbed into the hay loft, lift
| ing herself by dextrous clutches. Sine
mounted to the high beam, ana stepped
out upon it.
Don't" Ralph begged.
'Why not?" She was half way across
| It,
IF you should fall you'd be killed" said
Ralph. Hortense increased her pace and
| arrived safe at the beams end. Come
on up. What are you afraid of?' Some
thing in her voice turned Ralph's cheeks
redder, but he answered steadily:
I fell off a roof and broke my arm
once, and I've never liked getting up on
high places since~ I get dizzy"
"Oh," said Hortense, with no little
scorn. Il don't I'm the best performer
| In the gymnasium at my boarding school,
! Look here" She went back across the
BEAM pirouetting as she went, her arms
spread. Ralph ceased to look at her; it
made him feel sick
Il guess" Hortense De Witt called
down at him. you're a-er-a 'fraid-
| catn
Maybe" said Ralph, holly flushed
| Hortense descended agilely. Yes" she
repeated, 81 believe you are a-you know
what! She snatched Ralphs cap off
ana tossed 1t to remote corner and ran
| into the house
! AT dinner Hortense was denure To he
sure, she caught Ralph's eye and screwed
her eountenance to look like the hired
man, who was cross-eyed; but nobody
| saw 1t but Ralph
She is very much like her aunt Martha
/ ca ola sr
''She was so quiet and dignified Always
Ralph smiled srimly. Il shan't squeaI on
her" he thought
Your father and l." said his mother.
| are going down to John Warren's a little
while; he is sick. See how well Won can
entertain rHortense, Ralph"
Hortense, Ralph reflected, would be moro
| likely to entertain him. She was in the
parlor, inspecting with apparent gravity
| the pictures and the albums; but Ralph's
discerning eyes saw the mischief in hers,
! suppressing and waiting.
What's in this closet, I wonder?" she
inquired, her impulsive hand on the latch
Some old books and mothers grape
| wine and fathers best clothes' Ralph re-
! sponded rather stiffly. He had not forgot
! ten that Hortense had called him 'fraid-
| cat.
| studied the contents of the closet and
! softly giggling she took from its hook a
| black broadcloth coat. She put it on and
! buttoned it, and went waltzing around the
room; the long tails swung giddiiy as she
Whirled.
Father only wears that coat to funerals
| and weddings" Ralph warned her. faint
| ly grinning. Something jngled in the peck
! ct, and Hortense pulled forth bunch of
keys.
"What do they unlock?" she queried
| Fathers desk here, for one thing"
| eai "a nh nd W. Instantly fNr
| answering, for Hortense went immedi-
| ately to the desk.
Ralph followed. Look here" he said
don't unlock that. Father keeps his pa
| pers there, and money sometimes. No
! body ever goes to it but him; m forbid
| den. Don't touch It,"
I'm not forbidden, 'Hortense retorted,
| and unlocked it before Ralphs eyes.
See here" he protested, aghast, and be-
| ginning TO be indignant with his madcap
| cousin. HOrtense, with a gay litter, took
! a bunch Of papers out of a pigeonhole
I'm go to read EN-" said she; but she
! did not. Her quick ear had caught a
| sound. She dropped the papers; she tore
| off the coat and fled with il to the closet.
| And when the steps which she had heard
! came closer and Ralph's father opened the
| door, she was sitting by a window with
| History of the Civil war opened on her
| lap And Ralph was left standing by the
| open desk the papers scattered at his
! feet.
."Ralphm said his father. Behind him
| was Ralph's mother, looking in with
| startled face.
Red in the face. his heart beating pain
| fully, Ralph stopped and gathered up the
! papers Ralph" said his father, what
are you doing in my desk?'
| Ralph had heard him speak with that
| voice once before. 1t was when a hired
man had, through hard driving and care
| legeneSs fOundprpd horse. q did NOT
} answer "Well?" said his father.
"I-don't know. sir Ralph murmured.
"You don't know! Give me that key
said his father, warmly, land go up to
your room and stay there till you find
| out"
Ralph glanced at Horteuse De Witt.
She was looking at him with frightened
eyes.
II.
He was in the habit Of obeying his