River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-11-15


save for one room. Lorimer entered
this lighted parlor, extending his hand
toward a girl, who rose cordially, but
bit indifferently, to meet him.
Lorimer was a fine looking chap,
with a good nose, a good chin and
straight eyebrows-perhaps bit too
serious in appearance. Neryously
seizing both of the girls hands, he
drew her gently toward him, releas-
ing her as he did so.
kitty" he exclaimed, with a queer
catch in his voice, I'll have some.
thing to say to you" He stopped and
laughed in an embarrassed sort of
way Then he went on, faster than
before.
Kitty, my--house, the little house
upon the hill-you know about it. 1t
will be finished in the fall. II want
you to come and be it's mistress, Kitty.
went to look at it tonight. The
work is progressing. We've can
live there, you and /, Kitty, and be
SO happy!"
He stopped and fumbled for an in
slant in pocket, from whence he
drew forth a small, white packet.
See what I've brought you, sweet
heart" he whispered. 81 dared, be-
cause | felt so sure-I knew that"
The girl toyed with the ring for
moment; then, with a faint cry,
sprang to her feet.
"No, no. no." she said, excitedly.
81 can't take it. Steve--you-say you
didn't mean it. l can't marry you. /
fear l don't love you enough. mo,
don't ask me why! l can't do it, that's
all. 1 thought you UNDERSTOOD can't
do 1t, that's ALI"
Stephen Lorimer stood stupidity
erect, twirlfng uen the smallest finger
of his hand the ring which she had
returned to him.
do you really mean this, Kitty?"
he asked, at length. lis it all over?"
You've been a good friend to me,
Steve" she answered simply, and not
unpleasantly. 1--WE thought it over.
l can't change it."
Lorimer looked keenly at her. He
was satisfied that she meant what she
said. He was well assured of it, in
fact.
Ten minutes later he walked out
into the darkness, knowing not with
er he was going, and caring less.
Next day Lorimer met a selectman
of the town.
Steve Lorimer," said the man,
with some clumsy attempt at playful
ness, "if either you or J. T. o. Under
wood don't marry Judge Pollard's girl,
and that right away, I'm blamed if
don't step in and cut you both out
so get move on you!"
81. T. o. Underwood" muttered
Lorimer to himself, as he went along,
so that's it, is it? l didn't know
didn't know"
A few months later Underwood,
newly married, addressed his young
wife,
Kitty" he said, "Steve Lorimer's
going to leave town. They've made
him superintendent at Monroe, a hun
dred miles down the road. l saw him
this morning
Men who go away as Lorimer went,
and who at the new scene Of opera
Tt1ons find their constant presence very
necessary, go back but seldom to the
old place. Lorimer had no family
Inc had himself, Stephen Lorimer, that
was ali.
In the course of three or four years
he made visit to the old place. He
had had but little word from there
in the meantime. 1t was many
months. since he had, received a check
for rent. He wanted to know, to see
with his own eyes, how things were
going. He went there.
Underwood, who met him, was not
quite so dashing in appearance as
formerly, although he was still neat.
He had grown far holder with his
tongue. He was a buffer. A slight
boom had started at one end of the
little town, and some new houses had
gone up. Underwood claimed the
credit for this boom. But the boom
had stopped at Underwoods door.
With all his braggadocio he was poor
almost as poor as man can be.
And Kitty-she was more beautiful
than ever, in spite of the two little
lines that appeared in her youthful
forehead.
After dinner. Underwood, man of
schemes, procured from some place,
on credit, an old livery rig. He drove
Lorimer about the place for an hour.
Underwood showed him a tract of
land that was bargain. 1t could be
bought cheap; it was worth its weight
lin gold. Lorimer knew it-in fact it be-
longed to Kitty, and he knew every
inch of it.. But all through the recital
he understood one thing, and that was
THAT Underwood wanted $4,000. 1t be-
gan there, but it did not end there.
He saw another thing-that was that
kitty needed the $4,000. This was
something he could not get out of his
head. Kitty was poor, terribly poor.
she needed moneys, 900. He knew
we'll that Kitty didn't know the object
of this livery excursion, but he knew
too well the necessity for it.
He left Underwood at the station
and boarded his train. promising the
man that he would think the matter
over. He did so coldly, but politely.
Underwood saw it was no go; that
he had not really convinced Stephen.
Stephen Lorimer had $4,000. He
recalled what he had intended to do