Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-12-21

Il never heard you mention him."
said Mrs. Murray doubtfully.
Il think l mentioned him." said
Katherine. But there wasn't any use
in talking of him because you didn't
know him.
Mr.. Murray eyed his daughter curl.
ously.
But" questioned Katherine, grow
ing FESTIVE under her fathers inspec-
ton, about the picture; 1 thought
mother said it was given you by Mr..
Butler?"
1t was Mr.. Murray who would have
this time CLOSED things over, but his
wife, having come around to the idea
of confession, proceeded to tell the ex-
act circumstances of the wa; the pict-
ure came into their possession, and
their subsequent turmoil of spirit.
Katherine appeared interested, but she
looked intently out of the window.
Here he is now" announced Kath-
crime, futteringly.
''Who?" demanded the other two in
the same breath.
''Theodore-Mr. Butler, He said he
would call this afternoon sometime,
but / didn't expect him so early, and
everything is going wrong! You won't
understand, and yet you keep talking
about him-and I'm engaged to him
that is. he is engaged to me; l mean,
we're engaged, if you don't mind,
please; only" and Kather burst
into tears and flung herself into
corner of the couch. "Only-we were
going to do it all so differently. you
know; we had seen each other so Of
ten at Sally's and at Thanksgiving.
too; he came up to the school-and l
couldn't help caring-but, of course,
you didn't know him or anything, so
we thought it would be better not to
say anything yet; but he would call,
Just as an acquaintance, and maybe
you would like him and invite him
again during the holidays, and then
when you knew him a little he would
talk to you about it-all proper-and
everything!"
By this time Katherine was weeping
convulsively, and through her incoher-
ent recitation her astonished parents
heard the soft opening of the front
door, the low-tOned inquiry for mother
and daughter, and the pushing aside
of the portiere. Mr.. and Mrs. Murray
rose simultaneously and faced the
newcomer, who proved to be sturdy
sort of fellow, with pleasing grey
eyes and freckled nose. He stood
silent a moment; then, as he realized
that Katherine was sobbing, he walked
across the room, lifted her head from
the cushions, and sat down beside her.
saying cheerily:
What is it all about, dear girl?
Come; tell me-"
But his lady-love only collapsed in
moist heap on his coat collar. while
her mother found sufficient voice to
remark:
Henry; are you aware of the fact
that a man you never saw before is
over there with his arms around your
daughter?'
You forget" said Henry feebly, my
friend, Mr.. Butler!'
Mrs. Murray burst into shrieks of
hysterica1 laughter. After a moment
Mr.. Murray Joined in, and Katherine
changed her imbecile tears of grief
into equally imbecile tears of mirth;
while Theodore E. Butler eyed first
one and then another as though fear
full for their sanity.
A couple of hours later Mr.. Murray
was saying to the younger man, with
all the pride of collector:
Yes, my dear fellow; we bought
that study of yours at an auction
for fifty cents"
You don't mean it," exclaimed the
disguised artist. IT'S worth more
than that anyway; though 1 admit il
is not worth much. 1t is one of LOT
left on the coast when 1 broke up
my study in Frisco and went over to
Paris nine years ago; but I'm glad to
see it again, am indeed, and I'm glad
you have it. sir. Same old redwood
frame, too"
Eyes, I bought it because Of be-
gan Mrs. Murray, and then stopped
short
ut is very good thing. I always
said so" Mr.. Murray maintained
stoutly.-Pearson's Magazine.