Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-03-30
Tins Tactics
BY CECILIA A. LOIZEAUX
Copyright, 1904 by Cecilia A. LoIzeau1


laid the dog in the open arms of his
pretty wife. She received him enthusi-
astically and bought him an elaborate
collar. He was cute dog. Even Mrs.
Robinson-Smith, who lived next door
and hated dogs, admitted that-that Is,
she said he wasn't bad for a monerel.
And it must be admitted right here
that the dog wasn't of any particular
breed; he was just dog.
He was soon in high favor in the
neighborhood, especially with the Rob-
inson-Smiths, who We're intimate
friends Of the Jones Browns. Bothscou-
pies were newly married, and during
the day while their husbands were in
the city the young wives sewed, talked
and called together
But to come back to the dog In time
he passed the stage Of puppy fireworks
and was old enough to know better
Then Mrs. Jones Browns sister came
to visit her. And during the same
week Mrs. Robinson-Smith had a card
from her nephew that he was coming
down to spend a month with her He
was nearly as old as his aunt, who ad-
mitted that he was called "catch" in
town.
The expected guests arrived almost
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Herriot with a
large trunk and Jack Marvin with di-
vers battered suit cases. They We're
duly ensconced with their respective
relatives, and then the trouble began
On the second evening Mr.. and Mrs
Robinson-Smith trailed their nephew
across the lawn to call on their nearest
neighbor. The two young people were
introduced. Ethel. as Mrs. Jones'
Brown afterward said, was unnecessa-
Nly embarrassed for a girl who had
been three seasons "out'
In the horribly irritating way Of
young married people the neighborly
quartet Immediately began to talk of
domestic affairs. leaving Jack and Eth
el to take care Of themselves. They did
not notice that there was an awful 81
lence, during which Ethel was threat
ened with mental hysteria and was
saved only by Tim, the thoughtful, who
opportunely appeared and jumped into
her lap. She began to talk to him, and
the day was saved-temporarily. Still
patting the dog, Ethel finally said to
the man:
"Why did you follow me out here?'
81 didn't follow you," said Jack
promptly. III l had known that you
were in this neck Of woods you don't
suppose I'd have disturbed 1t, do your"
Then he added, why did you come to
stay next door to my auntf"
How was / to know you had an
aunt out heref' Ethel asked indig-
nantly>
'Well," said Jack, AZ guess we're
both innocent, SO we need not quarrel
over that"
Then there was another silence. Tim
jumped down from Ethers lap and
leaped into Jacks Jack grinned.
"Niee doggiew he chuckled, petting
him effusiyely. Ethel knew he hated
small dogs. She tried to think or some
thing crushing to say, but before the
words came Mr.. and Mrs. Robinson
Smith rose and said good night, and
their dutiful nephew rose with them.
He put out his hand, and Ethel was
forced to let hers touch it for an in
slant, while he said:
$50 glad I've met you, Miss Herriot.
It's awfully jolly that we know so
many OF the same people,"
Ethel smiled, though her eyes were
blazing wrathfully.
'Isn't it?' she said. Good night"
When Mrs. Brown turned to
speak to her sister she found the girls g
chair empty and a moment after heard
her ascending the stairs.
Late that night Ethel rose, lit the
lamp and took from her trunk a pack
age of letters, which she sat down to
read. Long before she had finished
them she was crying softly, and when
she did go to bed again it was to lie
wide eyed and staring till nearly morn
ing. She was awakened by Tim, who
was licking her hand. She patted his
head.
Naughty Tint Did the missus let
you in?"
Rising on her elbow, she saw that
the door was ajar and supposed that
her sister had sent the dog to wake
her.
Tim seemed full of spirits of puppy
hood this morning. He would worry
the bedclothes with his teeth, dash
wildly across the room to catch some
unseen thing and then rush back upon
her, frantic with delight.
Ethel lay staring Mt the ceiling. Her
head ached, and she felt utterly miser-
able She wondered how she could get
away from her sisters house and that
man next door. Tim, finding himself
unmatched, worried awhile at some
thing he found on the floor beneath the
table, then took it in his mouth and ran
off with it.
'If he only wasn't so glad" thought
the girl, referring to the man, not the
dog. HE shows so plainly that he's
glad it's OFF,
Before she got up she determined to
show Jack that he wasn't the only one
who didn't care. She would treat him
as stranger, and she would fiirt with
him, too, and make him sorry. She de-
scended the stairs, explained that her
pale face was due to a nervous head
ache, for which she would try long
walk, and departed in a smart blue
skirt and white shirt waist and very
pretty slippers.
During this walk it was her intention
to map out her campaign, and her
thoughts were busy as she strolled
along. Finally she climbed high bank
cE the roadside, walked along the
grassy ledge for awhile and then sat
down on the brink of an old stone quar-
fy. She was swinging her small French
heels and throwing stones into the blue
water far beneath when somebody be-
hind her whistled a well known strain
She answered before she thought and
then started, almost losing her balance
and clutched at the bank to save her
self. Her face was hot, and she felt
some one seize her from behind, for II
had all happened too quickly for her to
be frightened. Jack dragged her back
and then lifted her to sitting posture
She scrambled to her feet and faced
him.
What do you mean by sitting on the
very edge Of place like thatT Jack
questioned angrily. Suppose the bank
crumbled?'
She looked at him, wistfully at first
and then her glance turned wrathful as
she saw nothing but anger in his face.