The Chanute times., 1903-07-17
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Il Il thut youhS AeNs ""o AAa-<N~
ARl cally trying to reach him
(ssA l@IIl over the telephone and tell
him not to come, his face would not
have seemed so happy as he TRANQUILITY
walked along.
And yet his tranquility was after all
only an appearance. And appearances,
as we know, are often deceitful
Casteton was in love with Miss Pink
erly, and by some strange fatality he
had set this particular day and hour to
declare his passion. AS he walked
along swiftly the light Of suppressed
emotion beginning to show in his eyes,
he endeavored to turn over in his mind
the exact language that would be most
fitting for the occasion.
1t seemed so easy now. But would
1t be, face to face with the object of
his alteration? That was the burning
question.
Miss Pinkerly, ON her part, was not
nearly so tranquil as her lover. She
knew he was coming, and possibly she
suspected what his errand might be.
Young women have way Of intuitive-
ly divining the precise psychological
moment when the fate of another lies
in their answer.
Miss Pinkerly's perturbation, how
ever, was not due to this fact alone.
This interesting and beautiful young
woman lived with her married sister,
who a short time after Castleton had
telephoned Of his approach had been
called down town suddenly to her hus-
bands office on some family business
that required her signature. 1t hap
pened on this particular afternoon that
the baby's nurse was taken Ill.
There was nothing to do, therefore,
but to place Miss Pinkerly in charge of
the infant in the emergency. And as
she had, while that phenomenon was
held by the cook, only succeeded in dis
covering that Castleton had left his
Office for parts unknown, there was
nothing for her to do but to wait his
coming with the resignation of despair.
AS Castleton came up the front steps
and rang the bell he heard an ominous
wall.
"Ah," he said to himself, "there's
that baby. 1 hope they won't bring
him down again to look at Some peo-
pie don't know enough to keep their
children out of the way"
The maid showed him into the draw
ing-room.
The wall came nearer and nearer.
Castleton's heart sank.
The curtains parted, and Miss Pink
erly, holding in her arms twenty
pounds of chubby humanity. entered,
an apologize smile upon her face.
you'd better not stay" she said. 81
tried to reach you over the phone, but
you had gone. My sister is away, and
| the nurse is ill, and I've just got to
watch this youngster. Now you men
hate that sort Of thing, and you'd bet.
ter run along. He's dear little fel-
| low, isn't he"
The baby shrank back as Castleton
approached, and this time gave a gen
uine, old-fashioned yell. When he
could be heard, Castleton remarked
cavalierly:
| "Not at ALL don't mind if you don't
Besides, 1 have something important
to say to you"
Miss Pinkerly hesitated. After all,
what did it matter? They knew each
other pretty well by this time.
every WELL" she said, 'but we would
better go up into the nursery, If you
don't mind. His toys are up there"
So up stairs they went.
Castleton sat down on the side Of a
rocking horse.
After all, he thought to himself, why
wasn't this the best time and place?
Dorothy" he began, 81 have some.
thing to tell you. You know /"
1t was evident that the baby resented
this intrusion. He had seen Castleton
attempt to take his aunts hand, and
his chivalry asserting itself even in one
so young he let out at the top Of his
voice. Miss Pinkerly took him in her
arms and soothed him.
Naughty, bad man, go away" she
exclaimed. "There, there, don't cry.
won't let him some near me again"
The baby quieted down, and Castle.
ton, who had begun to walk the floor
turned to his task once again.
Darling" he began.
Miss Pinkerly glanced at the clock.
'It's almost time for his milk" she
observed. "You know 1 will have to
heat his bottle. Would you. could you
hold him just few moments?"
Surely" said Castleton. Here, old
manw
After some coaxing. the baby. all
smiles, permitted himself to be placed
on the knee of the stranger. Castleton
gave him his watch to play with. then
his keys. Then he realized the baby
was slipping of slowly but surely. To
prevent this disaster he grasped the
youngster with a regular golf grip. I'm
mediately there was succession OF
shrieks. Miss Pinkerly sprang into the
room from the gas stove with a cry OF
alarm.