Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-08-13
EXITS SWEETHEART.
BY WILLIAM WALDO.

/
IAN hour ago." said Jack, rising alb.
ruptly, land 1 would have given all l
possess to meet you. Now you are the
last person in the world l desired to
see. Oh, I'm an awful unlucky chapv'
| The visitor grew little uneasy.
| Il cont understand you." she said,
simply.
Il wish you hadn't come in, that's
ALL" said Jack.
"If 1 had known" began Miss
Nelthorpe. But came to see
Exit"
"Yes," assented she, surprised at
Jacks boisterous interruption.
Exit, fortunate Kit"
"And he promised to meet"
| But you'll forgive him. He left me
here and, after making me promise to
wiring from you an assurance of for
giveness, told me to be sure and not
let you go until he came back"
"But 1 want to tell you" said
Miss Nelthorpe, with a roguish laugh.
mo, no. l won't listen," said Jack,
resolutely. You're going to slang Kit.
You are going to blame him, scold
| him. Now you must forgive him.
He's such a splendid chap, and-and it
was l who made him go out"
"Tm glad" she said, and laughed.
"Glad? Then you didn't want to
meet him and make it up?"
mo. It's not exactly that"
"After all, it was only lovers quar-
| rel, slight brush, and all about a
hat, paltry toque. You see, Kit has
told me everything. Now you're sorry,
really sorry, Kit is out, aren't you!"
NO." began she in a petulant tone.
Now" said Jack, in CHEEKY tones,
81 see you relenting. The hard little
heart is melting"
She laughed outright.
Every well, then," she admitted, her
| face wreathed in smiles, Il am sorry"
Capital" said Jack. Hes such an
awful decent chap-Kit. You'll be so
happy and 1 shall be so miserable"
Miss Nelthorpe stroked her muff. AS
she raised her eyes she saw on a chair
near by the dance programme.
why" she said, that's the pro-
gramme Of"
"Yes," interrupted Jack, hastily.
"Fancy your keeping it."
1.-THE pencil, you know" replied he
''such jolly handy thing to have"
YES" responded Miss Nelthorpe,
feelingly, especially when it hasn't a
point
by Jove," he said in desperation,
what splendid chap Kit is!'
"Yes; you told me-"
81 suppose you're simply devoted to
him."
"Humph! Yes, II like him.
Like him"' repeated Jack. "My
dear Miss Nelthorpe, you love him; you
know you do" t-
Likes him." he said to himself.
| "She only likes him."
The girl gave the case due consid-
Grafton.
WELL" she said, perhaps you are
right, Mr.. Cardrew. 1 do love him."
Jacks face fell.
Loves him." he said to himself.
''I've over-persuaded her. I'm forcing
her into a loveless, distasteful mar
riage, and l simply worship her."
when l say l like him-love him."
explained Miss Nelthorpe, taking
Jacks dismal expression as an index
of his true feelings, "ef course 1 mean
in friendly way-a brotherly way"
Friendly" said Jack. c'Angelr he
thought.) ''Brothcrlyw said Jack.
c'Lovely creaturer' he thought.)
Poor old Kit" he calculated in his
most buoyant tcne. C'She doesn't care
a snap for him. She has thrown him
up. She's in love with me, while l
have promised"
Poor old Kit" echoed Miss Nell
thorpe. ''If only"
IF only" repeated Jack, coming
closer and touching her gloved hand.
on" she said, you mustn't do
that"
NO"
81 mean, you oughtn't to-" -.~..
mo"
Silence for exactly thirty seconds.
after ALL" said Jack, with a gallant
attempt at gayety, you can't do better
than stick to Kit. Make a better hus-
band than l.
why, what do you mean?"
Handsome chap, we'll made. I'm
loose-jointed, plain. Kits amiability
itself. I'm never civil before twelve
and always grumpy when the sun goes
in. Kits bright, talkative, witty, com
panionable. I'm silent, unsociable and
dull"
And your livers?" inquired Miss
Nelthorpe.
Il don't believe Kit has one, while
II believe I've got two. Now you
see what a treasure you've got in Kit
And Jack picked the programme VI
and nursed it tenderly.
She watched him closely.
80 you'll forget his little unreascu
ableness, won't you?"