Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-29
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( ALITTLE BIT OF BRAID. ;


80 THAI the an behind her caught the
narrowing M her eyes with sudden
thrusts over her shoulder as she went
anger, and The tdIting of her rounded
chin,
Clumsy" she said in u yoice ring
ing with scorn. She caught up her
skirt, Just raising II from the ground,
llngl hustenyd on. But she threw a
few more or less acceptable home
ON.
II can't think what YOU have been
doing with yourself Ately. Not inn
proving, anyway, And you won't gen
ON ip the direction you are talHpg' |
can assure you. II makes Inc very
doubtful as TO the truth of all your
Yarns Of conqupSt-they arc just what
I tsok them for-Gairy tales, every
onel For no girl would be tame
enough to be trampled on, II that Is
your habit, Nou could mot be 80 blind
as that"
She gave the offending skirt, with
the loop of braId dangling uncomfort-
ably u further hiich. She had the
lVrhjeSt ankIes-the word expressed
her aItoge,her-'and the manfollowlng
her made no objection,
III wus, indeed. his continued silence
she sliced on neXt-to misconstrue'
AT least" she said, with slsItrly
JGutghtrmwardness, "you might
apologize"
they hal reached the landing a,age
where the boa. WAS moored, The girl
proceeded 10 take her place in " with
the calmness and ease which only
come 10 her sen through practice.
She WAS seated with the ropes
in her hands before she read.
~ looked up at the man who had FOL
bowed heT---injO the boat by this time.
Now lA nle see the stroke which
takes daptr' your best girls" she was
aging, and then her eyes met his.
Though I, would have seemed more
appropriate that he should be the one
10 blush, II was TO her cheeks the color
mounted, She actually heslba'ted be-
fore she spoke
SO he was given the opportunity Of
speaking and by this time he avadled
himself, wEjlingIy
81 do apologize" he saGi, very hum
bly," His manner and the laughter IN
his eyes did not, however, accord Who'll
ly whh such an aIGitude.
"Well-re0Nly!" she began, nut he
Interrupted her.
81 win no further--you will grant II
To a long way fuither-l will explain"
There seems room for tt"
He Was quite "a genius at SELLING his
chances lie took her words AS q con-
ceSsion and dipped his Scuis into the
water ud The same Zine.
IL shah he able TO talk SO much bet.
ter when We ARE moving" he said art
fully. II fancy my stroke may prove
as worthy of comment us your broth
er's," he added. He was still smiling
ana he noted, with growing satisfac.
ItiCn, that so was she.
wei ,of mIl the"
"And you do mot even know who
am! Cheek? Oh, don't be hard, Lucl
If you Gke, ann proverbhlly lucky,
am not to blame for that, am /;
Your brother told you he was expect
ing his college chum, Charles Dean?
/ was just coming along--neither OF
y saw me. ] heard you send him
back for your cape" he paused, with
sudden conjunction,
"l0u are not cod?" he questioned
anXiously 81 forget and have nothing
in the way Of "A wrap ITO offer you"
mo, | ann NOT cold" she said, as
stiflIy as she couN.
you walked on, you KNOW, andthen
temptation seized me. An evil spirit
Disguised, most charmmply disguised
Az "a piece OF braid! And ! could not
resist it, | was only afraid you would
think ! had been suspiciously quick
Tor brother"
81 wasn't thinking" She admitted
d. ling.
The mood FOR confession grew on
him.
"or that you might look around"
slId he.
81 wish"
"No, don't say tt! Hear me out first
Honestly, ! was not entirely aciuated
by motives Of mere seliishness, as
might al FIRST appear, put It to my
self Ike this: Here ls,a chumingp gll
going to spend a most perfectly de.
0ightful summer afternoon ON the
river, with no more exciting compan.
ION than The brother she has known
from her earliest days;whose thoughts
are as open TO her as her own, who
hasn't peculianply or even II virtue,
left undiscovered. argued with my.
self about it. Should lett such pal.
try thing as the back az an introdmc
dion prevent me from giving this grI
a trelt--"
"Oh," she cried, " You really cure"
yes" he said, 1T ready stands to
reISon even as q study, u sort of an
explored continent, 80 to speak, a
strange young man, in such a cuss,
must present himself in the light Of
an acquisition"
Her eyes were dancing. "Why don't
you say such an exceedingly nice
young man, while you are about itY'
sho asked, mJcliingly.
81 will go one BETTER" said he, with
your permission. Such an exception
Ully nice PART" And he bowed
"0h, you are DREADFUL" But she did
mot say it as a fatt to be deplored.
She looked away from the soft sum.
mer landscape, down to the edge Of
the serge skirt with it's trimming OF