La Junta tribune., 1906-12-08
Kate's
Conscience
BY zOLA FORESTER
Copyright. 1900. by Ruby Douglas
BY zOLA FORESTER

II think that you ought TO tell VIII
lard before you marry him."
Kate did not even turn her head.
4 After listening To variations OF the
same advice and opinion for half an
I hour she felt more than annoyed. She
was frankly angry and perplexed-
III you don't some one else will. and
/ that VIII only make any subsequent
| explanation so unpleasant. Men are
peculiar. anyway, and in an affair @.
/ this kind
"Imogene Wayne"-Kate's face flush
ell hotly--I think you put it altogether
too strongly"
1t is serious matter" Imogene
| bit of the end of her embroidery linen
deliberately. IF it Were my own af'
fair l should consider II a matter OF
conscience Willard Is the sort OF man
to take anything of that kind TO heart
I know him Well"
Il don't care a bit whether he knows
or not.' exclaimed Kate. Il suppose
should have told him in the first
place. but he never asked me, and !
didn't consider il necessary. ! never
thought Bart would"
NO one did" interposed Imogene.
with serene Significance. But the
fact remains that Bart has
| 'IIas what? Am I always In trou-
blef'
Laziiy, comfortably Interested. the
| voice sounded from the inner room
whose windows opened ON the veran-
IA. Kate stood. silent. indignant. her
chin upraised, her lashes dOwncast.
| From the cool shadow OF the curtained
window seat Hart Holman thought
| her sweeter and deaFer than ever. And
Il had been nearly twe yearu ago.
-Are you In ehsse. Bartr' lmogeDs
lauehed- How honG have you been
lislening-bons enough TO agree with
nef Whatever made you come home
when ever body wsSted you TO stay n
| yapanY
"Not everybody. came by special
request" rl
.And went In the nr.a place by sp~-
cial request tOOr'
Kate dashed ODe single glance NJ her
| cousin She had not known how much
Imogene knew. She wondered II Hart
had told her. Against her will she
| looked at Bart. He was smiling at
her. and suddenly. vaguely. she felt
more at ease. After all Bart was
good boy. He had come home the same
"A tribe browner. the lines about his
mouth "A bit deeper. tine look Of his
eyes steadier. The two yearx In Japan
had done him good.
when is the wedding. Kittyr'
No one ever calDe<i her Kitty but
Bart II was such . foolish. childish
name for n girl. she thought. for the
kind Of girl at least that she prided
herself on being. She was not the
fuffy. childish type. She was tall and
slender with smooth dark hair. and
eyes that changed like the sea with her
mood
I'VE are not even engaged yet" she
answered composelly. II can hardly
say when the wedding will be-"
I Kate Ii 80 cautious about matri
mony this time" Imogene said amused
! ly. "She has actually put poor Willard
on probation II he Is good boy for
three months and manages TO fulfill her
ideal In that time. then she will consent
20 an engagement"
III were girl I'D put Willard ON
7 probation for life Bart said cheer
| fully. zone would be perfectly safe.
] There would never be any danger Of
( foreclosure"
/ Three months Is long enough" said
Kate. "a man who cannot stand n
three months test is not worth waiting
/ a lifetime for"
Don't lie vindictive and catty.
Kate" Imogene ostbered up her melee
Of embroidery odds and ends. Every
body at Viewpoint knows about you and
Bart. and when you twit him that way
II is simply bad taste Bart. why on
earth didn't you have srnse enough to
stay awayr'
| 'No one sent me announcement cards
Of the pro.,ation." answered Bart
calmly. Il like Viewpoint willard
and ] are old college pais.-
Were you reallyT- lmosene glanced
hack over her shoulder tn laugh again.
isn't II comical. though. the whole
aRair1 Well. there In one thing sure.
Bart, you won't he pals 70 Hates con
science troubles her,
They were alone several minutes be-
fore the silence Was hroken. Then
/ Barr asked.
~Due< itr"
Trouble mer Kate liffe<i her bead.
and the anxiety in her eyes startled
him ~Yes. II do>r. Barf- Of course !
infend 70 marry willard The proba-
| ton idea h half of n I0swese's non
Geaee- I only asked him TO give me
ehree months to make ny my mind
Il didn't give you three minutes--
.And ! changed u In three weeks,-
- reforted quickly 1T h better tD
/ RNure. But
But you haven't ted willard al,ous