The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-06-29
In the Stocks
By Martha
necalioch Williams
cspyssss 1904. By M.rA. MecsHsd-xzzn


ute. Fate perhaps knew how. Karsens
certainly was all in the dark and Us an /
cry as he was amazed to find himself
In CupiFs tolls. He had got almost
through this house party as through a
hundred others scot free. unburdened
by more than passing memories OF
black eyes or gray or blue. Indeed he
had passed ND Mildred Gore as impoS-
sible two minutes after he took her In
TO dinner. regretfully too 1t was on
many counts so desirable that he
should find In her the woman be
wished to marry.
She was his equal in birth, In for
tune, in position; his people approved
her thoroughly; moreover, there had
descended to him burden OF obliga-
ton to her blood which II was inpossi-
bic that money could discharge. Her
father had come to his fathers rescue
In day OF trouble that otherwise must
have ended in disaster. forcing his way
through q mob Of clamoring depositors
in the elder Karsens' bank, with bags
of gold In either hand and a ready
promise Of ten times as much at need
That had stopped the serseless run
Men who had been ready to fight for
their money had begged abJectly to
have it kept in the vaults.
This, of course, had been in the days
Of provineiaIism, before Banker Kar-
sens had come to the city to prosper
and die a millionaire His son Herbert
bad only the haziest memory Of the
fitting Of Minton, the little home town.
and haziest of all Of Mildred as a wisp
of long, white clothes with something
red and squirmy at the top of them.
which he had been hidden to kiss. but
from which be bad turned away in DIS
gust, sticking small fists into his first
pair Of pockets and saying grandly.
"Pm q man now; don't kiss girls any
more"
Until two hours before they were to
leave Hidaway, the Barton country
house, he told himself the Gore girl
was out OF the question.
His wife must have, above all things,
beauty and brilliance. Mildred was
1 quiet, lumpish even, he thought, con-
tent to play wall flower or happy with
Il Dicky Barton for company. Dicky was
an infant terrible. aged seven ALI the
other girls stunned him as much as
they dared.
He had somehow sensed It that Nil
dred might be a beauty II she chose be.
fore be saw her come home from q
rapid ride with cheeks Ike damask
roses and tendrils OF soft brown hail
framing her glowing face A crowr
OF wild grape blooms lay lightly above
the tendrils; sheaf Of pink wild rose:
was crushed against her dark greer
coat Just below the throat She was
laughing, too, as merrily, as happily. a;
, Dicky himself-Dicky, who rode at hel
: elbow. impishly happy over having
: brought both their horses to the edg'
! Of running away. Dicky 1t was VIII
had crowned her, after pulling OF he
hat and letting down her hair ri,
scowled at Karsens as that gentlemal
\ made to help Mildred down, sayin,
? shriily: You 60 way and stay wit
+ your no-goods! She" nodding towar'
j Mildred. belongs to me. I'm goin' Z
c marry her when I'm grown up. Tbs
will be about Christmas after next"
{ "Dicky, don't you think it might b
next Christmasf' Mildred asked. he
. eyes dancing. II hate long engage
i ments. They're always dreadfully sol
\ rowful. besides being anlucky." Dick
n looked at her doubtfuEy.
How do you known he asked Gar
you begaged 70 the fellow yeu carr,
: round In your locket? i saw You kis
Il the other day. Let me see what b
books like; you know you said 20
would
% $50 win-some time" Mildred ar
swered. catching him by the shoulder
-, and swinging him back and forth Kal
&c sens noted how soft yet firm her hand
n were, the fine modelling Of wrists an
y palms, the whole pose Of grace an
y strength. But he hardly knew that
Ie did note them-he was so bhDdly, so II
d riously jealous of the fellow in th
4, ,ocket. When Dicky ut last ran ava
- 10 Ills L1Oluc2 rtrseHS otOON OShVIS AZ
dred, asking imperatively, Are 70
" really engaged?"
% What's that to-HecubaT Mildre
x countered. her paling roses suddenl
III red again
Everything Karsens said, with
y, thick undernote. Mildred. Mildred
4 he went on, Il have been blind this te
" days. Now that see is it quite &c
lates"
81 don't understand" Mildred sal
suddenly, prim and pale. She he
turned away her face as she wour
up her thick hair and massed 1t hie
on her head. 81 must CO." she ma
INJURED. 'Dicky has every hairpin
some Of his pockets. He says he meai
20 keep them so cannot 20 with Il
- others. Ny hair, you see, is unrul
1t de6es ordinary fastenings, 50 unle
I can get the pins back before be thinl
to hide them the chances are I shs
really be prisoner until tomorrow
All this in huddle, with fight aft
It. Karsens stood staring after u
~ vanishing figure In q Sowing daze. Z
was angry clean through II 1t VI
fate's decree that be should be tn
,v bowled over. why had II not come
pass at first? Then he might have b