Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-09-21
Little DOrothy'S
Courtship
By VIRGINIA LEILA wENTZ


big fish" of the house party-that was
the name she had given the young Eng
lish earl-talking to her alone. She,
alas, was only poor little Cousin Doro-
thy and acting in this particular house
hold as Joan's mothers paid compan-
ion. So she pretended to be bored
with his lordship's society.
"La-la, la-la, la-la-la," she hummed,
sinking back into the depths of the
easy chair and stretching her white
arms lazlly.
Il say" said the earl, "am firing
you, Miss DorothyT'
Dorothy stopped hummlng. NO."
she drawled, with mock mischief, mot
exactly. But''-here she smiled her
sweetest smile upon hlm-"you won't
be vexed, will you, IL tell you that
I'm a bit sleepy and that must sleep
In the sun? Will you draw this chair
over for me, please?" Rising slowly,
she adjusted the feur-de-lis at her
waist while his lordship drew the chair
TO the sunny corner Of the big veranda
How'll that dof" asked he.
''Splendidly Now for cushions"
How manyT'
Hundreds" said she.
He collected as many as he could
carry and fetched them to her.
Here are thousands" he announced.
s'Deliciousw murmured Dorothy, sink
ing back into them with sigh of con-
tent. This is quite perfect"
''It will be when fetch you q sun
shade" he amended.
''Sunshade" cried she. go away,
you Goth j want the sum-"
You'll be pickled" warned he.
'No," corrected she, dimpling, pre-
served" Her long black lashes lay mo-
tionless on the wild rose flush Of her
checks.
The earl chuckled and, pretending
that he fancied her already asleep,
crept elaborately away on tiptoe. Joan
and the rest Of them were in sight,
and he advanced to meet them.
Joan Shannon was unquestionably a
beauty. She had been photographed in
every variety Of pose; she had been
painted by several Of the most cele-
brated artists on two continents, but
In spite of this fact she had passed
through the whirl of three seasons and
was still unwed.
.'She must be waiting for q title"
people said. as other girls far less
beautiful came out, danced through
season or two, and were led to the
altar by men Of their choice.
However that may be, included
among the guests at this particular
house party at the Shannon's big coun-
try place on the sound was the young
Earl OF Stowbridge, and II was common
property that Miss Shannon already
had found him very attractive
so awfully sorry you couldn't join
us in our sail this morning" she began
in her sweet, suave voice, with an ac-
cent which was the result of much
travel. "Is your headache better now?"
"'Pon my honor, I've not given 1t a
thought for the last half hour. found
Miss Dorothy reading ON the veranda,
and she took pity ON me and put down
her book, and-well, somehow she must
have cured my headache! She's got jol-
ly pretty dimples, and she's cousin
Of yours, didn't some one say?"
"Yes-distant Mamma never liked
me to associate much with her family
when we were little, and now, as you
can imagine. we aren't very-er-con-
genial"
"Such fun" observed the earl lacon-
faalIu IIic fat, pton @,,r,aI and
looked at him reproachfully. "And who
would wish to be 'funT" said she.
"Oh, don't know" said his lordship
gallantly.
Miss Shannon found herself wonder
Ing for n moment as they walked on
whether the earl might not prove testy
after all. Would he be uneasy Under
the crushing and ordering about to
which her father and mother submit
ted. If there was one thing she dislik-
ed 1t was ebstacular people. She had
been brought up to expect people to
agree with her.
"Of course" she sighed, Struggling
her beautiful shoulders discreetly, 81
feel sorry for poor little Dorothy. Moth
er won't need her after the autumn,
and I'm sure 1 don't know what's going
TO become of her then. Besides, she
hasn't any practical sense. Just look at
her now lying asleep in all that sun.
She'll be simply black with frecklesw
That afternoon when everybody was
yesting for n dinner dance In the even
Ing the Earl Of Stowbridge wandered
into the library, cool, dim apartment
banked with books and made comfort
able with couches.
He had just discovered one of his
favorite authors and settled down to
read when the sound Of feminine E,
voices In the adjoining room disturbed
his attention. Six seconds had not
elapsed when he became aware that
IL was no ordinary Interview and that
he should make n step forward to an
-Slnce his presence. 1t was not In his
character or traditions to be an caves
dropper; nevertheless he found him
self curiously unable to move or utter
a sound.
Angling for hlm-IT 1t was Dor
othy's voice, low and impassIoned, but
with quick little gasp or two, such
as would come from one who had sud
denly received an unexpected douche
Of cold water.
There can be no doubt Of that"
game Mrs. Shannon's Icy tones. "Only
yesterday Joan was telling me Of her
own misgivings''-
''Misglvlngs! There was still that
tremulous catch In the breath.
''Oh, OF course young men will be
young men," continued Mrs. Shannon,
with pur In her well bred tones.
"They will pursue the girl who holds
out the angling iron. You are clever |
don't dispute the face; you are clever
and calculatlng-but one thing l have |
10 tell you: II you wish TO remain in |
this household you must assume diff |
ierent pose. And, remember, not an |
other conversation alone with the Earl |
of Stowbridge while he is under this
roof. You may 20 now"
There was silence just for an ap- |
preclable fraction of a second; then
little Dorothy seemed to be drawing
herself up TO her full height as she
flung defiant, passionate answer into
her aunt's face:
II thought at least you were lady,
but you're not. You're cowardly and