Middletown transcript., 1903-06-27

OF ner father'S chair. Wn.
father, you've always said m
hair was almost the color
mothers. I'm sure no one woul
think of calling mine red.
II 1 don't know about that, tn
Judge laughed; and I don't kno'
about the temper, either, he ado
ed, reaching up and pincbing he
cheek.
| / never liked red hair, but II
sure don't believe in that sign
Clint said clumsily. He gaze
fixedly into the fire, and felt a
though he were turning to stone
The clock struck twelve with
resonant, defiantstroke as thougl
lit understood the contest il
which it held the stakes, and re
fused to commit itself as to thu
side who would win.
At a quarter past 12 the judge
stood up.
Clint felt his heart beating
wildly. The moment of triumph
was at hand.
The judge crossed to the bay
window at the other end of the
room. Isabel's eyes followed
him nervously.
From one side, among the ger.
aniums and ivy, he drew the
chess table, and pushed it before
him toward the fire.
I think it would be. pleasant
for US to have a game of chess,
he said affably.
Clint sprang to his feet.
Oh, thank you, sir. l must be
going home.
Oh, must you? Well, come over
again, and We'll get at it earlier
in the evening.
1t seemed hours before Clint
finally found himself out on the
smooth road spinning along to-
ward home.
He would have been complete
ly wretched in his defeat if it
had not been for that look in Isa-
bells eyes when she handed him
the corn pepper. He could en-
dure his fathers ridicule and
wait his time, remembering that
look.
And so he made a good story
of it at breakfast the next morn
ing, and added, elevating his
voice above the roaring laugh of
his father and the shrieks of his
mother and sister.
Never you mind. The judge
isn't through with me yet. I've
only fred my first gun. I'll own
when I came out of the house I
was out of shot, but I haven't
given up the fight yet.
Oh, you'll let some other ban
tam rooster carry her off. /
guess I'm safe enough on the
cash and land I promised you.
his father answered, with pro-
laugh.
Don't you count on it, Clint
said, springing up from the table
with fire in his eyes. I'm not
drowned yet, I tell you.
All right, sonny; we'll give a
Dig dance to celebrate your en-
gagement, and an oyster supper. |
[ suppose there's no rush about |
the oysters.
/ hold you to that, Clint said, |
his fist up against the
loor. If the things settled by |
Saturday week We'll have the
lance. If it isn't-well, it won't |
oe. I'm going over to town after
he mail.
He turned and went out of the
'oom. AS the door closed, he
heard his sister say, tittering:
Clint has about as hard time
'ourting Isabel as you had court
ng mother.
This was a warm thought of
comfort to him. AT least Isabel
lad never denied him her love,
md he knew that his mother had
'een hardly won.
Before him was a clear stretch
# road to the Iowa river, three
niles away.
The white fields on either side
parked in the sunlight.
All at once a voice called to
i'm: Give me the road!
He turned and saw Isabel Hill
On coming toward him, driving
er own bay ponies at a fearful
ate.
Clint drove quickly out at one
lde of the read and she sped by
i'm.
He saw that her horses were
lnning away.
There had been no alarm in
'abel's face, though she was
olding the reins with all her
;rength and had looked neither
tho rl0ht nor tho 1of4 -. -