Evening times-Republican., 1903-11-19

s
/ Perhaps, in some far-away corner of a
neart which Mrs Pitkin had merely
/ dipped into. Mr. Pitkn held a vague
desire to give some one a better chance
\ in Loves lott ry than he had drawn
himself. Be that as it may he became
vastly interested in this little affair,
saw possibilities in it he had not
grasped himself and determined to do
what he could to bring 1t to a happy
/ conclusion. OF course. he had dread
| tul fear that Mrs. Pitkin would storm
and rave and make his life misery
afterward. but that didn'; matter.
| Watching with wistful eyes. Mr.. Pit
kin saw many things. He saw that the
patient girl-conscious only that she
was poor and shabby and of no account
I--resoluteIy thrust away from her any
| hope that the young man cared for her;
The saw. on the other hand Frank Dorm
| ton, for his part, was shy and diff1dent
about saying anything to the girl. Mr..
| misunderstanding at the idea of that
dreadful scheme of his-yet determ ned
To put 1t in operation.
The absence of Mrs. PitKin on the
visit to her formidable sister gave him
an opportunity Rules were relaxed
at "Pitkins" at that time; Mr.. Joseph
Pitkin took turn up and down the
street, and smoked pipe In comfort,
the while he thought about his young
friends. And there, coming toward him.
was Frank Dornton.
Frank waited at the door until the
strolling Mr. Pitkin should return; then
he asked, casually, for his aunt.
Gone away for day or two," said
Mr.. Pitkin.
You must miss her. sir" venturei
Frank.
Things are-quieter." said Mr. Pit
kin, with sigh. And then he added,
with careless. casual glance at the
sky above '.Pitkin's," Deborah is in :
side; you'll find her in the little room
at the end OF the hail.
1t is quite surprising how soon yoa
can get along a hall If you are in
hurry; Frank Dornton did 1t in record
Itime. And then 1t was that Mr.. Joseph
Pltkin, with a fiuttering heart, knocked
out the ashes from his pipe. but the
pipe in his pocket, and went into pit
kin's" with stealthy step.
He waited five minutes, and then h
went along the hall, and opened the
door of the little room at the end. De-
borah Rendle sat making up accounts
at table; Frank Dornton was looking
at her, as tho making up his mind tt
say something. Mr.. Pitkin thrust back
that 'blown-a about" hair Of his little
more. and smiled. and addressed them.
when married Mrs. p" was his
first surprising remark. Mrs. P. gave
me no time to reflect: I had chance
to do that afterward. In confidence, I
might almost say that Mrs. p. rushed
me into 1t. II / had refiected"-he
sighed and shook his head solemnly-
but that's another story. Now, MY
dears. you've had time enough to re-
feet: and 1t seems to me'-
| Deborah looked UP suddenly from
those eternal accounts and caught her
breath; the boyish face OF Frank Dorm
ton flushed, and he looked at Mr.. Pit
kin.
IL don't understand" began
Frank.
NO, Of course you don't understand" "
said Mr.. Pitkin. with a new note ]
his voice. You don't understand tha
there may be such thing as waiting
too long; waiting, In fact, until the
brightness has gone out of young eyes
and the softness and tenderness out
of young voices: waiting till the might
have-been is all there Is left to sig
over. My dears'-this quaint little
man stretched out his hands toward
them with a great hunger in his. eyes
this kind Of thing never happene
to me; sometimes wish 1t had. Now
ii you and the lad here have though
that you'd like-quite apart from Mrs
P.-to set UP together in small way,
and II a matter Of e so would be Of any
USE
Deborah Rendle had closed the books
in great hurry and was bending her
face over them. Frank Dornton had
Mr.. Pitkin by the arm ana was forcibly
taking him out Of the room. Outside
in the hall. he first vigorously shook
hands with him and then asked him
what the devil he meant by 1t. And
Mr.. Pitkin chuckled; and then, remsn
bering himself. said It was a hard
world. There were whispers and NUT
terinss and another shaking Of hands:
then Mr.. Pitkin went of to the kitchen
CHS usual place at night, for the sake
OF peace), and Frank Dornton went
slowly back to the little room and
opened the door.
Deborah Rsndle was not busy with