The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1904-07-29

Semple was quite sensible OF Joan
mas presence. and OF what she was
doing.
At this point Katherine Van Heems
Kirk came into the room, and the elder
slightly moved his chair and said
Come ava. my bonnie lassie. and Iei
us hae a look at you" And Katherine
laughingly pushed a stool towards the
fire, and sat down between the two
men on the hearthstone. She was the
daintlest little Dutch maiden that
ever latched a shoe-very diminutiye.
with a complexion like a sea.shell.
great blue eyes, and such n quantity
OF pale yellow hair that II made light
OF its ribbon snood, and rippled over
her brow and slender white neck In
bewlldering curls.
Long before supper was over,
Madam Van Heemskirk had discov.
cred that this night Elder Semple had
a special reason for his call. and when
the meal was finished. and the girls
gone to their room, she was not aston.
ished to hear him say, "Joris. let us
light another pipe. haze something
to speak anent-slt stlll. guidewife.
we shall want your word on the mat.
ter"
"On what matter elder7"
"Anent n marriage between my son
Nell and your daughter Katherine"
Tho words fell with sharp dis.
tlnctness. not unkindly. but as II they
were more than common words. They
were followed by a marked silence. a
silence which in no way disturbed
Semple. lie knew his friends we'll,
and therefore he expected II.
Jorls at last said slowly. For Rath.
crime the marriage would be good, and
Lysbet and | would like II. However,
we will think a little about Il: there
Is time. and to spare. One should not
run on n new road. Say what you
think, Lysbet"
Nell is TO my mind. when the time
comes. But yet the child knows not
perfectly her Heidelberg. And there
Is more; she must learn to manage n
house OF her own. SO In time, say,
II would be a good thing. We have
been long good friends"
I'VE hae been friends for four gen.
eratlons, and we may safely tie the
knot tighter now. The land between
this place and my place, on the river.
side, is your land, Joris. Give II TO
Katherine. and will build the young
things n house; and the furnishing
and plenishing wen share between
u.s."
There is more to a wedding than
house and land. eldor. A young girl
should be wooed before she Is mar
ried. You know how II is: and Kath-
crime, the little one. she thinks not of
such a thing as love and marriage"
"Wha kens what thoughts are under
curly locks at seventeen? Youm haze
noticed. madam, that Katherine has
come mair often than ordinar' to Sem.
pie House lately7".
THAT is so. II was because Of Col.
Gordons wife. who likes Katherine.
She Is teaching her a new stitch in
her crewel-work."
"Hum-m-mi Mistress Gordon
has likewise n nephew. a vera hand.
some lad. | haze seen that he takes
deal o. interest In the crewelstltch
likewise. And Neil has seen II too
for Neil has set his heart on Rather.
ine-and this afternoon there was
look passed between the young men
dinna like. Wen be haelng a chal.
lenge, and twa fools playing at muir.
der. next"
Il am glad you spoke, elder. Thank
you. Ill turn your words over in my
heart" But Van Heemsklrk was un.
der a certain constraint; he was be.
ginning TO understand the situation.
to see in what danger his darling
might be. He was apparently calm;
but an angry FIRE was gathering in his
eyes, and stern lines settling about the
lower part OF his face.
MY Lysbet is the finest lady in the
whole land. Let her daughters walk
in her steps. That is what want.
Now, there is enough, and also there
is some one coming"
1T will be Neil and Bran; and as
the words were spoken, the young
men entered.
Again you are late, Bran: and
the father looked curiously in his
sons face. It was like looking back
upon his own youth; for Bran Van
Heemskirk had all the physical traits
OF his father-hls great size, his com.
handing presence and winning nd.
dress, his large eyes. his deep. sonor.
GUS voice and slow speech.
with the advent OF Bran and Nell
the consultation ended. The elder
at the chill and mist,
wrapped himself in his plaid, and
leaning on his sons arm, cautiously
picked his way home by the light OF
lantern. Van Heemskirk put aside his
pipe. nodded gravely to his son, and
went thoughtfully upstairs.
In his own room he sat down on a
big oak chest; and as he thought, his
wrath slowly gathered. semple knew
that gay young English officers were
coming and going about his house.
and he had not told him until he
feared they would interfere with his
own plans for keeping Neil near 10
him. He remembered that semple
had spoken with touching emphasis OF