Hutchinson gazette., 1901-09-05

children Sundays, and II was rather
tlrosome for him. So when ho saw
Jack coming he frightened up and
asked him to stay to dinner Jack con-
sented, much to Mr. Hallett's satlsfac-
tion, and the chlldren's boisterous de-
light Mary's father dearly loved TO
talk, and Jack appeared to enjoy lis
tening equally we'll,
After dinner Mr. Hallett went into
the slttlng-room and fell asleep In his
chair while Jack insisted on wlplng
the dishes for Mary, The children
swarmod about him and got In his way,
TIL no declared that they were as bad
as cats, and he'd have TO sprinkle them
and see II they woNld clear out then,
When the dishes were done and Mary
had taken of her apron Jack began
to notice signs OF uneaalneas IN her
manner
About time for Bert" he said to
himself, then aloud; 81 should think
you'd go crazy with these noisy young
sters around all the time, I'm going to
take them away and you can rest, ln-
stead of working as you usually do"
Down the road they went, and they
were hardly out Of sight in one direc-
tion before Bert Hill appeared from
the other, He, too, was dressed with
particular care, but though there was
no denying that he was handsomer
than Jack there was a certain set to
his Jaw and kind of nerceness In his
dark eyes which were not prepossess-
Ing These softened when he greeted
Mary, and he became very agreeable.
But Mary, for some reason felt un-
easy and hoped he would not ask where
the children were She also dreaded
their return, What would Bert say
when he saw Jack?
But when the children came 1t was
quite late and Jack did not appear
Mary got them bread and butter, for
which they clamored vociferously
and then at Berts request walked up
and down the road with him for half
an hour while he smoked strong ci-
gar.
After he had gone she sighed weari-
ly. She felt dissatisfied with herself;
and the children, as she put them to
bed, irritated her by their constant
repetition OF Jacks name. Later she
sat In her own room and cried, be-
cause she was tired, she told herself,
She had not reached that state Of
mind, which came only a few weeks
later when she cried from perplexity
and indecision as to the course she
should take, She had honestly sup
posed herself in love with Bert, and 1t
took her some time to find out her
mistake.
When Bert learned what was going
on between the Halletts and Jack he
was In towering rage, He met Jack
one night and stopped short before
him, blocking the way.
what do you mean fooling around
Mary Hallett, them" Bert raised his
voice.
Have l interfered with you? Have
ever been in your way?" demanded
Jack,
mo, and you'd better not" Bert
threatened.
You'll be the one to suffer- re-
torted Jack, unless you are more So
Der than you are now"
That night Jack held earnest con-
sultation with himself up in the dark
ness Of the pines, He applied many
uncomplimentary epithets to himself
How could | be 80 base as to start
In on this thing? To 90 to work de-
liberately to get girl away from an
other fellow, with the firm intention
of giving her up when I'd done itl II
was vile. And how has 1t come out? II
has come to this-that II she refuses to
marry me l shall be the most miserable
man alive, and will richly deserve 1t,
too, for being so contemptibly mean,
For long time he sat meditating,
then he stood up, and there was a
look of determination on his face as
he raised It to the troubled sky such
as had never been there before.
You've got to try and be half good
enough for her now" he said. And
you'll have to work harder to do 1t
than you ever dreamed Of working be-
fore"
From that night 1t was noticed that
a change had come over Jack Ray
mond As time went on he could no
longer be called shiftless. He was
working hard, and people began to
speak of him as John" He continued
to call at Halletts', but Berts visits
had suddenly ceased.
1t was in September that Jack asked
Mary an important question as they
were walking home from church.
Mary answered with a yes" and
then Jack, with some hesitation and
confusion, confessed his original plot
"Do you suppose you can ever for
give me?" he asked at the end.
Mary spoke so low that he had to
bend his head to hear.
81 should have been grateful to you
after awhile-for saving me from