Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-04

lie was as one who, seeing the Importance
of immediate movements struck motionless
by the very intensity Of the necessity. Re-
cent events, beginning with his untimely
intrusion upon his loved one and culminat-
ing in that mysterious hint from Betsey
Bo5bin. had mixed his thought product and
made it unreliable. He had never yet en-
countered any situation when he had been
terrified by the strength of men pitted
against his own, but this necessity for i'm
mediately asking Mercy to join her fate
to his sent his heart up until he feared to
close his mouth for fear of biting 1t. 1t
would be as If a June bug asked a hum
ming bird to mate with him, he reflected.
lie sunk his head and watched bit OF
thread upon the carpet
She repeated her permission. saying:
you may look now. jack
He reasoned that in order to say this
she must have conquered an entirely natur-
al tendency to shrink from him. He kept
his eyes resolutely turned away and told
her that he did not want to look.
Not in the leastr' he added.
''What?" she asked, surprised.
II mean he began, with an intelligence
like that of a blind kitten, mot unless you
have-on all your clio
Jack Selklrk!" came in Furnishing &C.
cents from her astonished lips.
AS If she would return unless she had!
There was a bang on the dish pan in the
kitchen.
That topped Selkirk's edifice of black con-
fusion. Aunt Betsey had told him to be
bold. That whdcking upon tin meant that
he must not only atone for what had hap
pened, but must put that momentous ques-
ton as to the future. The reverberating
encouragement did not exactly help to
make things easy for him. but 1t held him
to his task. And in the meantime there
was an injured look on Mercy's face, grown
from his declaration that he did not wish
to look at her. He felt that that error
must be corrected first, so he started IN 10
do it, saying:
oh 1 beg your pardon. didn't exact
ly mean what 1 said then. OF course, L
want to look. whether or not
The words, while quite well meant, were
not well chosen. and Mercy became excited.
She stamped her foot and emitted an ex-
plosve:
''JaCki'
He made a gesture of despair.
IT don't know what l meant he said,
and the last words We're partly drowned
by q ferocious flood of crashing sound rush
ing from the kitchen.
Mercy. too much confused herself to pay
much attention to the strange noises in the
other room just then. said, agsrieved;
Il should think not!'
The seriousness of the moment was painted
on the young mans face in broad strokes
He was quite pale, and there was more
perspration here. and there about his face
IMAM tIe IOOill neat war
NO he remarked, L give you my
word
And this, he knew, had no meaning under
heaven.
The kitchen at this instant developed into
source of noise like unto a battlefield or
boiler shop, and began to get upon his
nerves Mercy, astonished by the racket.
started to go away.
What can Aunt Betsey be at work att"
she exclaimed. I'll go and see.'
Jack grinned and started toward her,
with one hand held out in protest against
her departure.
No he said, don't 60 It's only-she's
merely-why. you see
Mercy seemed interested, but not much
impressed.
Jack she said, you are positively
maudlin.
He knew that this was true, and made no
protest.
His eunbarra ssnent had driven hers
away, and she said with mischief:
We'll III admit that it was very shock
ine, but you might. at least, say that
looked nlce.'
Il WON'T lie answered idotically. evil
IDENTIFY with the idea that this would save
her outraged feelings, and wholly without
consciousness that those feelings were no
longer outraged.
CWhang! Bang! from the kitchenl
Well of all things to sayr said Mercy,
and again stared toward the kitchen door
III find out what's the matter in the
Kitchen, and then I'll send Bess to entertain
while you wait for father. You don't seem
70 be able to talk to me very we'll"
1t occurred to her that here might be q
good place to change her manner toward
him. She did so. Her air became that of
an injured maiden. She pouted
II don't believe" she said that a little
while ago you even lookedr'
''Oh. did said Jack anxious to clear
himself of this charge. II lookedr'
Her change of front was instantaneous
Jack SellCrk!' she said fiercely, IF you
dared! Oh. ] could You outrageous-!'
And from the kitchen To-
rolling on stew pan as of warning kettle
drums.
Selkirk's hands were cIenched and his
face was set with q great disgust of self
as he told himself In confidential mental
words:
'oh, I'm an ass, ! am! An idiot child,
I'm a damned fool I ami
Mercy looked at him. and in her usually
innocent dark eyes there glittered a sug-
eestlOn Of extreme delight. Maidens are
ever pleased when they see a man In mis-
cry from bashful lOve-up to Il point that
IS. There was more drumming from the
kitchen. 1t brought Sel1irk to state OF
mind which was an injustice to Betsey Bob
bin his partner in the combination His
emotion changed. He felt resentment
against her for keeping up the noise. He
lUngcd 20 scorch her-and all the world but
Mercy He said savasely in his brain that
lie wished that woman In the Kitchen would
shut mp her Internal rocket But instead
OF stopping, being no mind reader (and
incidentally, being very happy over her
l'st4N III WIS ultU<Itti IItpDSall, tllG earnest
little drcssmaker pounded more indussri-
Ously, and Mercy again went toward the
door. Also she said that she believed her
father would be back soon now. a s consider
able time already had elapsed since his de-
parture, and that she hoped that by tbs
time he came Selkirk would have recovered
his usual mental health.
Il don't want TO see your father Jacl
protested
Mercy quickly rallied TO the family de-
Tense, and her tone was full Of scorn as
she made answer:
'WeI, I guess he'll be able to bear III
under The atilictiOn,' she remarked.
Jack griuned neryously again.
Tit isn't your father that | wish &C
see, Mercy-its-yOu,'
If, instead u letting embarrassment force
his eyes TO drop he had kept them fixed on
his companion, IL is possible that he would
have seen the look upon her face, which
said. as plain as print:
Il believe he's coming to II nowv'
And 1T was glad look.
But almost Immediately. and with thai
unconscious discrimination which comes
nptarJl 20 women in such circumstances
she inquired, with a much exaggerated lool
Of innocence;
Nc? Wby?"
why" said Jack. with 4 great rush Of
blood To- his already overcroWded face, Nv,
been having u little--talk with your Aun
Betsey.''
'Sne Is NOT really my aunt Won know