The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-07-13
7xA7 pgkRLE TIE
HHzDD1ZfMB.

AD1
Young Mr.. and Mrs. Courtenay were
not on speaking terms. That issto say,
when they did address each other
which was as seldom as possible-their
accent" was simply perfect,Sssrammar
absolutely irreproachable, and manner
well. '.artic regions" would give n
some faint idea Of the state OF affairs
stages OF their acquaintance they had
always been more or less fond Of spar
ring" but as Mrs. Courtenay was be-
ginning to admit dismally to herself,
they had never had spar" like this
before. And all about such utter nom
sense. too the little woman murmured
ruefully. as h recalled the last. and
master. But I don't care"-forgetting
that at the present moment her dainty
little nose and redeemed eyelids bore
most unmistakable testimony to her
fragrant disregard Of truth.
II was perfectly right (she always
wash. HE ought not to we-.r a bright
purple tie with a complexion like his"
Yes. thatswas the root Of the matter
that purple tie. oh, and how it had
appeared since then, on every possible
occasion. ave when, the regulation
white n was necessary, until Mrs.
Courtenay told herself she would never
wear a scrap Of purple again, although
h knew perfectly well how much It
enhanced her fair, dainty coloring.
Courtenay had risen hat morning
with a liver, or a head, or something,
and Mrs. Courtensy's remark al the
breakfast table as to his complexion
had been the last straw, so to speak. A
spirited argument ensued, which ended
by Mrs. C~ourtenay's temper rising to
a 1,a nnan cSN, -, = ArlyIi~r - r-o ra ~
arms was the result. Later IN In the
day the little woman made several flu
tile attempts to soothe C~ourtenay's evil
IDENTIFY wounded feelings; but either the
liver, the head, or the something in
tervened. II at last she told herself
she would leave him, to come round to
his own way. This was four whole
days ago, and it would be difficult to
say which of the two was more miser-
able.
Mrs. Courtenay had a troubled con-
s~c!ousness of several very sarcastic re-
marks on her part, while Courtenay
could not forget the shy little "olive
branches" Which he had refused to
take. Burns was seldom more true
than when, in his reckoning up Of thu
man bodies" he finished his lines with
When nae real ills perplex them,
They make enow themselves to vex
them
But Mrs. Courtenay had a real ILL.,"
as 1t happened as she stood thinking
things out-somewhat uneasily it must
be confessed-while waiting for the
horses to be brought round.
You may tell Barnes to saddle Vixen
for me-" she said to James as he stood
awaiting his orders for the day.
Pardon me-" broke in Courtenay
freezingly. and with an Enthusiastically
r%esolute expression on his ~clean-cut
handsome face. Il am riding Vixen to-
day" Then turning to Jar9es, Bring
Bell round for Mrs. Fame"
Now Vixen was a recent addition to
the stables, bought with an idea of be-
Ing absolutely Mrs. Courtenay's own
private property, for the two were de-
voted to hunting, and always followed
the hounds at every available opportun-
tty. However, upon closer acquaint-
ance, she proved altogether too much
for her young mistress to manage; in
fact, was decidedly vicious and any
thing but safe. Courtenay had decided,
therefore, that she must be sold at the
earliest opportunity, and in the mean
time they must not tempt fate by max
ing use of her. Mrs. Courtenay's order
to James, given in distinct defiance to
this arrangement, proceeded in some
lndetinable manner best known to her
self from an overdose Of purple tie.
There it was again at breakfast time,
md more brilliant than ever, 1t seemed
to her. He must have bought anoth-
er," h thought, "for I'm sure It's three
shades brighter this morning" Then
again, he "he didn't care for any eggs
the bacon was abominably overdone-
the coffee was cold"-in act everything
was wrong but presumably the purple
tie. In an excess Of righteous indigna-
ton, and with a burning desire to
avenge herself. Mrs. Courtenay
launched her little bombshell, only to
be met with C~ourtenay's crushing re-
joinder. She dare not question it, for
that lookon his face, which she had only
seen once or twice during the course of
their brief married life, told her that
he meant in this thing to have his way.
AS she stood by the window, in her
neat, trim riding habit, she locke a
picture of lovely, mutinous discomfort,
but the tears were not very far away.
She could not help thinking Of Courten-
avs remark when he had decided the
mare must be sold.
II wouldn't ride her myself, darling.
much less allow you to do so. Do you
think I will have any needless risks
for you?"
vixen will be a handful his morn
ing, Barnes" she heard her husband
say in his CHEEKY way.
THAT she will sir" returned the
man. Il don't think I would risk it If
I was you. Let me go and saddle
Freddy; there's plenty Of time"
NO, We'll leave it as 1t is" was
-ourtenay's answer. She'll be al!
right once we get away" Then, tell
your mistress the horses are round"
AS Mrs. Courtenay made her way
down the wide staircase a feeling of
sick terror came over her. What If
Vixen were to prove too much for her
master. Fearless horsewoman though
she herself was, there was something
IN the brute's appearance that made
her more tha regret her hasty order
to James.
ITS all my fault" she thought mis-
erably. Il knew he didn't want me to
ride Vixen, and he's only taken her
himself, so that 1 shall be safe"
AS Courtenay stood by, ready to help
ner to mount-a labor of love which
he always performed himself-she no.
,iced the offending purple tie was no
longer visible; had been replaced by a
blue one-the exact color of his eyes,
as she had once told him with an ad-
miring kiss. That did it.
Putting her pride on one side she
laid her hand caressingly or his arm.
'Don't ride Vixen this morning, Cour-