Hutchinson gazette., 1900-06-07

the occasion; but--ht must be owned
the room looked little unsteady
for moment.
However, he betrayed very llttlc
emotion outwardly, and Mrs, War
ner appeared 80 perfectly seh-pos
aessed that II quieted him nt once.
When Mark got into his room he
was astonished TO 'ememb'r that he
had not taken fair look NJ his cid
acquaintance during the whole even
ing,
The next morning, even looking
with his laundced eyes, Mark WA
forced to acknowledge that " those
10 years had taken away something
OF The grlish look from her lace, sht
was much hnndsoner ,nm ihr ever
had becn-with her dazlllnB com
pleXon, her beautiful brown eyes
and the rnre smile, which, when she
talked, In up the sad expression OF
her face,
katharine comported herself 0d
mirably, She talked freely with
Mark-sang Toms fayorlte songs
was easy and unembarrossed; and
for her pnlns, Mark, in his heart, de-
nounced her as the most soulless
creature that ever breRthed
"She never could have loved HIM
said Tom one night when he and hin
wife were holding confidential talk
In their room, ~ fancy she was 4
Bit OF illrt,"
"Nobody was ever farther from H.,
My opinion IL that Mark was ms un'
Just rs possible, You know how pas
sionate he used TO be and Katharine
was always the proudest creature
that ever breathcd!"
Ellen was right there.
Katharine was sitting alone In the
parlor one evening, amusing herself
at the piano, playing old melodies,
and recalling half-forgotten songs.
Ellen had gone out to visit n sick
neighbor, and Mark she had seen
wandering Off toward the village,
an hour before, so that she was left
quite TO herself
But lust then Mark was comng up
the walk, and the tones OF that low,
sweet voice reached him through the
stiffness Of the evening, and the song
struck his heart like the echo oi
some hOlf-forgotton language, II
was nn old, old melody she had often
sung for him,
"Don't let me interrupt YOU" he
sad, entering quietly,
/ "You came In 80 suddenly that ] al
most thought IL was your wroith,'
she said 81 had just finished my
song--a sweet old melody that my
mother used to love-
He was ycXed that she should
speak'so composedly Of thing that
had stirred his heart like n wind
from the past.
"Will you sing me one OF those
Scotch songs | heard you singing TO
Ellen the other nlght?" Mark asked,
She sang him several songs, and
then they fell into more familiar
conversation than they had done
during all these days.
n was full hour before Ellen
came in, and there she found them,
with the new moon looking in at the
window and cnsting its light upon
Katharine's face, aud softenlng It.
Inwardly, Madam Ellen thought a
great step had been gained; but she
was innocent as dove.
The next day Ellen arranged IL 30
that Mark was obliged to go out rid
ing with Katharine; and, MS she saw
them depart, stood on the veranda
and nodded her head in sign of APP
proval,
The following day was Easter, and
Katharine resumed her old place In
the choir, the place which she had
filed when she was Ellen's chum and
schoolm0te In the long ago.
How fair and sweet she looked MS
she stood in the organ loft singing;
and how the beautiful words of the
Easter carols fell from her lips,
"She must be happy" thought
Mark, ITO sing like that"
"IIe Is risen. He is risen" sounded
sweetly upon the air and the audi
ence sat spclbound while the sweet
singers otfertory filled the church.
, The next morning Mark surprised
his cousin by announcing that he had
decided to go TO Europe.
, Don go-yet,' whispered his
cousin Ellen.
y But Katharine gave no sign of dis
approval
Marks departure was to be as sud
den as his resolve; and that very
afternoon he stood in the broad hall
way with his satchel in hand his
baggage strapped for the train,
Mark and Katharine found them
selves alone.
He had taken her hnnd-they both
tried to speak-then she was con-
scious that he dropped 1t and turned
away
She stood there incapable OF a
movement--shc knew that he was
looking back at her from the door
way, and suddenly Ellen cried out in
a voice full Of misery;
"If you are human, Katharine
don't let him go sol Can't you see he
loves you?"
At those words her false STRENGTH
gave way-she heard his voice full OF
passionate tenderness calling
"Katharinel Katharinc!h
She could not speak-she put out
her hands blndly, and IN th0' int
stant Mark read more clearly her
henrt than he had done even in the
old time.
I'M.