, 1905-01-18

hubbub. 1t was very proVok-
ing of Gustave not to tell her
more of his plan. As if it were i'm
possible for her to keep a secret. She
would give him Il bit of her mind when
he brought back the clock, and if it
were not returned that day she re-
solved to read him Il lecture through
the crack in the wall at dusk.
1t would not have been so exasperat-
ing had there been any one in the
house that she could have confided in,
for then it would have been charming
to talk it all I'VE and wonder in a thou
sand phrases how Gustaye could posi-
bly, carry out his delightfully."- dreadful
design. AS matters We're, however, Kit
ty had never passed so horrible Il day.
BY moor she could contain herself no
longer, and sought the company of
Aunt Mehitabel with the purpose of
o~btaining-of course in an entirely i'm
personal way-that spinster's opinion
on the subject of Opponents.
Miss Favcrsham was struggling pa
tiently with the unlucky piece of nee
dlework. a bit of embroidery destine |
to owe Il pincushion, and every time
she broke her needle or knotted her silk
she attributed the accident to the fact
that her labor had begun IN a Friday.
Aunt Hitty," began Kitty cautious
", did you ever know a girl who
eloped-ran away with her lover?"
Yes, Kitty; | have known several
young women before they eloped, but
never afterward," replied Miss Mehita-
bel severely.
as it a dreadful thing to do?" con-
tinued Kitty.
Every dreadful" said Miss Mehita-
bel, threading her needle. mo well
conducted girl yer does it. 1t is far
worse than kissing. 1t is more perma-
ient, you know"
But, Aunt Hitty,"s id the girl, sup
pose one loves a worthy young man
who has the esteem of every n but
her relatives, who will not give their
consent to the marriage, would it be
wrong for her to elope with him? /
have heard Uncle John speak of JUST
fable homicide and killing in sell de-
Tense. Is there's there not ST h il
thing as a justifiable elopement?"
kitty looked very serious, and Aunt
Mehitabel, with equal solemnity, rub
bed her nose with her thimble a mo-
ment and replied:
Il don't know. my dear. There might
be such a case. Perhaps if a girl eloped
to escape starvation Or murder she
might be said to do it in self defense,
and in that case her elopement would
be iustifiable, but | don't remember to
have heard or read of such an in
stance"
Having extracted Aunt Mehitabel's
ideas on the troubled question without
arousing her suspicion, Kitty did not
derive much solace from them. Yet she
was not diverted from her romantic
intention. If she did not wed Gustave
she would never marry, for with the
perfect foreknowledge of youth she
was sure she should never love again.
And if she did not marry she would in
time become Il Spinster like Aunt Me
hitabei, who when she was young had
bS(h pump III plNtit, ~ thC III DCO-
pie declared, and much like Kitty, who
was Aunt Mehitabels height and wore
the same number of shoes and gloves.
After dinner, as the hour approached
When she might look for GuStave to re
turn the clock, Kitty waxed almost
feverish with expectancy. 1t would be
the first time that Gustave had entered
the presence of her uncle since the
dreadful interview, and she wondered
how the two men would act at the
meeting. When her uncle saw how
well Gustaye had done his task. who
could tell but that the old man in his
pleasure at the return of the cherished
timepiece and satisfaction at the skill
full work, might not treat Gustave
quite civilly? And, having relented so
far, might it not be possible, if Gus
taye was duly polite and respectful,
that John Fayersham would be recon-
ciled and give them his blessing?
But meantime the sun had almost
set, and Gustave had not arrived with
the clock. 1t was possible, she thought,
that the work was not completed, and
GustaYe would expect her at their
trysting place. So it came to pass that
when the shadows had grown very
long Kitty, feeling that she could not
wait till next day to give her lover the
lecture which he deserved and learn
mora of tha xyou1arful canrat ,,;o+I,