The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1906-09-19
Kate
Conscience
By IZOLA FORESTER
Copyright, 1896. by Ruby Douglas

hour she felt more than annoyed. She
was frankly angry and perpleXed.
If You don't some one else will, and
that Will only make any subsequent
explanation SO unpleasant Men are
peculiar. anyway. and in an affair of
this kind
"lmogene Wayne Rates face flush
ed hotly-"l think you put it altogether
too strongly"
1T is Il serious matter" lmogene
bit off the end of her embroidery linen
deliberately. III it were my own at
fair | should consider II matter of
conscience. Willard is the sort of man
To take anything of that kind to heart
| know him We'll"
Il don't care II 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 it necessary. never
thought Bart would"
No one did" interposed Imogene.
with serene significance. But the
fact remains that Bart has
"Ilas what1 Am | always in trou-
blef"
LaZily. comfortably Interested. tho
voice sounded from the Inner room
whose windows opened ON the veran-
da5 Kate stood silent, indignant, her
chin upraised her lashes downcast
From the cool shadow of the curtained
window seat Bart Holman thought
her sweeter and dearer than ever And
IL had been nearly two years ago.
Are You in there, BartT Imogene
laughed How long have you been
listening long enough 10 agree with
me? Whatever made you come home
when everybody wanted You to stay in
Japan"
Not everybody l came by special
request"
And went in the first place by spe-
cial request toof"
Kate flashed one single glance at her
cousin She had not known how much
lmogene knew. She wondered If Bart
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 a
good boy He had come home the same
IA tride browner, the lines about his
mouth II bit deeper. the look of his
eyes steadier. The two years in Japan
had done him good
when Is the wedding. I<ittyf''
No one ever called her Kitty but
Bart II was such foolish, childish
name for Il girl. she thought, for the
kind Of girl at least that she prided
herself on being. She was not the
fluffy, childish type. She was tall and
slender with smooth dark hair, and
eyes that changed like the sea with her
mood
1--WE are not even engaged yet" she
answered composedly II can hardly
say when the wedding Will be"
Kate Is so cautious about matri-
mony this time" lmogene said amused
ly. She has actually put poor Willard
on probation II he is a good boy for
three months aud manages 10 fulfill her
ideal in that e. then she will consent
10 an eneasc..'1lt.'
IF / were "A girl I'd put Willard on
probation for life" Bart said cheer
fully "One would be perfectly safe.
There would never be any danger Of
foreclosure"
"Three months is long enough" said
Kate. ~ man who cannot stand
three months test is not worth waiting
a lifetime for"
Don't be vindlctive and catty,
Kate" lmogene gathered up her melee
of embroidery odds and ends Every
body at Viewpoint knows about you and
Bart. and when you twit him that way
it is simply bad taste. Bart, why on
earth didn't you have sense enough to
stay away
mo one sent me announcement cards
of the probation" answered Bart
calmly. Il like Viewpoint Willard
and | are old college pals"
Were YOU really?" Imogene glanced
back over her shoulder TO laugh again.
isn't 1t comical, though, the whole
affair? Well. there is one thing sure,
Bart, you won't be pals if Rates CON
science troubles her"
fore the silence was broken Then
Bart asked:
docs it,
Trouble me?" Kate lifted her head,
and the anxiety in her eyes startled
him. Yes. ii does, Bart. OF course /
intend TO marry Willard. The proba-
ton idea is half of it, Imogene's non
I T.
three months to make up my mind"
Il didn't give you three minutes"
"And | changed II In three weeks"
she retorted quickly. 1T is better to
be sure But
But you haven't told Willard about
meg
Not yet" She hesitated and then
added nervously, earnestly: 1T isn't
that he would mind, although | sup
pose he would too. ! know | should
mind If he had done such thing and
had not told me- But | thought he
knew, of course, until one day he told
me he didn't believe a girl ever loved
more than one man sincerely and alb
solutely. and he was glad for that rea-
son that | had never been engaged be-
fore"
II agree with him" Bart swung
over the barrier of the window ledge
that separated them. II don't believe
you'll ever love any one as you did me.
Kitty, will you?"
The impersOnal frankness of his tone
disarmed her She replied almost gen