The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-01-06

too, before | was expected, in order Ia
spy out the land and take my cousin
Kate unawares. and the reason for this
day received from my father. / took it
out OF my pocket and read It again for
the twentieth time. There was no mis-
.aking its import, and that was dis
quietng enough.
MY dear Jack" IL said, II have re-
Trained TIL now TO brOach a subject
upon which have set my heart. Since
your mothers death have led lone.
ly life, ana It is now my wish that you
should cut the service. take 10 yourself
A wife and settle down here az my
nearest ncighbor on as fine an estate
as there Is In the whole County Of
Kent. | will come to the point at once
Your cousin, Kate Fielding, upon her
attaining her majority last month came
into the entire SclcOmbe property and
ClJ,000 a year. Now, | do not know
what your predictions may be in the
matter, or, indeed. whether you are
still heart whole or not. But Kate IL
dear, good, sensible. level headed girl
"A wild sort Of creature once, as you
may remember. but sedate enough now
and If you could bring yourself to
liking her-and persuade her. II per
sun sion be necessary, TO like you. and
make n match Of it. | should be the
happicst of men, feeling 1t 10 be an adj
equate rccompense for your long alb
scncc. and n guarantee that | should
never lose sight OF you again for long.
am sending this letter to your agents
80 as to give you twenty four hours of
reflection before your arrival here on
Thursday. Yours afGectionately, John
Hamilton"
Just so" said, thrusting the letter
once more into my pocket. The dear
old governor is in dead earnest, but he
Is the worst matchmaker outside of
petticOats in the three Kingdoms. What!
Marry that harum-scarum trce-climb-
ing. bareback riding tomboy, Kate
Fielding! Not If | know ii. I don't
want TO offend the old boy, but he
must be n bit reasonable In this mat
ter. We must argue it out together.
Why. if | remember Alright, she had
red hair and squnt, and no girl can
ever recover from red hair and n
squint Sedatc enough now, is she?
She must have changed. indeed. why,
remember her once lighting n boy
twice her size for i'll treating a three
yCar.old little maid. Ged! that was
fine did like that. Why. hello
What Is this? Here already"
Jumped out upon the platform. The
old station master touched his cap.
"'Artily glad to see you back again,
Captn. Are you expecting the car.
riagc down.
mo, Briggs. Glad to see YOU looking
younger than ever. Send up my dress
ing case to the butler ana let the rest
Of the luggage follow tomorrow"
Right, sir, Then you don't wish
nyT"
NO; | shall take a short cut afoot
across the meadows
And with that strOlcd down the IA
miiNr village street until came to the
hcdgcrows. and. mounting n stilc,
caught glimpse Of the old home. Be
youd some two miles of intervening
meadows lay broad belt OF woodland,
and above 1t a square church tower,
with gables ana clustered chimney
tops, russet colored in the slant rays OF
the setting sun. II wanted an hour
and half to dinner time. as | asccr-
tanned y my watch and leaping from
the Stilc proceeded down the footway
between the high hcdgerows, leisurely
swinging my umbrella and thinking nj.
ways of that little hoydcn Kate AMI of
what the immediate future had in store
for me in that direction
Suddenly | became conscious OF an
alarming change in the weather The
tops OF the hedgerows bent all aslant,
and the larger twigs beat the air like
whips. \ great pail of darkness spread
overhead. threaded now and then Ivy
lines OF fire, and at last loud smack
right overhead brought my reflections
to a full stop.
by Jovew said |. II am caught in q
thunderstorm and mile yet to go"
Quickenlng my pace and rounding n
sharp turn in the pathway | perceived
barely twenty PAGES in advance of me
an adorable lttln figure with skirts
auttcring in the wind and lossy hair
all blown awry, who was struggling
wildly with q red parasol that refused
90 be closed. Just in front of her was
4 stilc: the rain now began TO come
down in great sp,ashes. a furry OF
wind caught her as she was nearly
over the stlle. aud the red parasol
went carcering away in midair Ike a
parachute.
This was an opportunity not to he
lost and before she was aware OF my
presence had leaped over the stile
aud was handing her down on the
other side. with my umbrella uufurlcd
AMI ready
Pardon me-" l said In my very best
manner. AS YOU appear to he going
my way will you permit me to offci
you the hospitality of my gamp|
She turned up the loveliest face In al
the wide world. with the rosiest check:
and the pretticst of dlmples coming ant
going in them. and her white teetl
showed deliclously as she laughed ant
said
circumstances would compel me IL
any case, and thank you very much.
and without further ado she put he
head under the umbrella in very nea
! profanity 10 my own. I never knew