Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-06
Be1BANNER Of Blue
TIH% - S:R c rOcheHo
S-= 10

why, Fairlie!" she kissed me into good
humor again.
My poor, poor darling Kate-often, often
in the weary days that were coming have l
thought over these things and wondered IL
you yourself would not have preferred the
lack Of romance and mystery to all the ro-
mantle and mysterious things which hap
! pened to us. But l will own that she never
said so, and even when far away was never
tired Of joking me about my plate Of por-
ridge" as she was pleased to call the
truest and most loyal of friends.
/ did not notice much that went on be-
tween Mr.. Rupert and my sister till John
went away back to college on the morning
Of the 18th Of January. / remember the
date because l had worn all my pretty
things during the first fortnight Of the year
1--WE we're preparing for the e~xaminatlon)
and Kate lent me a pink bodice of hers that
she had only worn twice. l said that l
might be robbing her. And she answered,
"Oh, you are welcome to 1t, Rupert does
not like
And then stopped short in confusion. I
looked at her in amazement, but did not
say anything then. For l wanted to be
down at the school early that m~orning-be-
fore the coach started, indeed, when John
would come into the school to say goodby
to the rector. | had promised him and l
knew that he would be dreadfully disap-
pointed if l were not in the infant depart
ment.
So l put on Kate's bodice with the sash
John liked, and went of, but in my heart
/ boarded her words concerning Rupert
and meant to speak to her about them at
night. For, though 1t was very we'll for
John to be fond of me, 1t was not at all the
same thing for his brother to make love to
Kate. And afterward l found out that John
had said just the same things to Mr.. Rupert
Glendonwyn that l meant to say to Kate
] which is a strange thing, and shows how
the mind OF two such friends as we were
may run upon the same lines.
John did come into the infants DEPART
ment. l was getting down the maps, which
were always rolled up from Friday night to
Monday morning. 1 always liked we'll
enough to roll them up at the week-ends,
but the days never seemed so long as when
l was taking them down on Monday MORN
ing.
l observed in Johns old diary the entry
for the 18th of January runs thus: Found
F. in the school room. Helped her unroll
maps!"
l did speak to my sister that night, and,
though she was at first inclined to be
naughty with me. / found that Mr.. Rupert
G~lendonwyn had been at the Flower cot
three times-each time, curiously enough,
choosing Tor by accident happening upon) q
time when my father was absent. Then 1
remembered that on two Of these days a
message had come from the new English
doctor at Kilgour, saying that he wanted
some improvements made on his study and
greenhouse. And once my father had walked
into town with me to see about these. DR..
warner made up to us on the way, a tall,
dark, spare young man, with eyes too close
together, piercing like gimlets and with a
slight cast in them. He stood gazing hxedly
at me, trying to make me look at him all
the time he was holding my father in talk
which, indeed, 1t is not dif1cult to do at
any time.
Such a thing would have driven Kate
crazy. She was all on pins and needles IL
any one did a thing like that to her. Only
by working all the time could she get rid
Of the feeling that any one was looking
steadily at her.
But with me 1t is different. an more of
the plate-of-porridge type. who, / dare say.
get through the world easier and with much
less trouble, both to themselves and to other
folk. So l did not mind a bit about DR..
Warmers eyes. He might stare me through
and through II he liked. l only joggled my
fathers arm, called "Goodby, old dear"
and trotted me to school with the gimlet
eyes following my back hair up the street
till / turned the corner. But 1t was little
cared. ! was going to buy some brandy
balls for my little f~avorite, Johnny Col
stoun. He had met me the night before,
somewhat ostentatiously wiping the tears
from his eyes.
"All mine bwandy balls is donel Mist
DION 'Donin he gave me lots. Use orul
sorry he's gone-isn't you, 'TeatEer?"
Dear little man, SO full Of feellnEI