Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-01-17

huge, pair Of cartilage scissors, that
he had in his pocket when he left the
hospital, I suppose.
Dare you," he whispered.
Now comes the horrible part. Stan
ley, you know never could take
dare. I didn't mean to cut off her
feathers-I wouldn't do such thing.
l only meant to pretend. I lifted the
scissors-in the dark, you know-and
opened them close to the feathers and
the deadly things must have been
razors. Before I knew it-Stan, I'd
have given my life to put those feath-
ers back. But there they were, light
and long and curling, in my hand.
Nobody saw it done. Amy put her
hand to her hat as if she felt it had
been jostled, but she did not feel that
the feathers were gone. Well, Her.
bert was enchanted, and the play went
on. We saw very we'll after that.
But felt-oh, has Herbert written to
you? He insists on treating it all as
a joke.
Finally the play came to an end.
Everybody rose to leave the theater,
and I touched Amy Wilmot on the
arm. II am very sorry" I said, ''but
but I cut these off accidentally"
and l handed her the feathers before
Herbert could stop me.
She just stared a moment, and then
her hand went up to her hat. l could
hear Herbert catch his breath. | can
see her face, the bewilderment chang
ing into indignation, the-oh, the
everything-th people all pouring
past us, dropping their programmes.
putting on their wraps, laughing and
criticising the play.
Then Herbert put his oar in and
started to take all the blame, but she
turned squarely away from him and
said to me in voice choking with
rage: you shall pay dearly for this
little joke. l demand an apology"
with all my heart" l said. II
feel worse about this than you do
"You know very well that am not
speaking about the hat" she ex-
claimed II want you to make your
fencers friend-you remember whom
--retract what you got him to say
against my fencing in the tournament
TO retract it in print"
Then I was angry, Stanley, l drew
myself up and said: II had nothing
to do with the judging, Miss Wilmot,
but that has nothing to do with this,
for which I am horribly sorry, and I'm
ready to do anything to prove it,
Miss Wilmot did not lift her head.
but she raised her eyes so that they
met mine squarely. Are you pre-
pared,' she asked, Ito try that coun-
ter-thrust over again without the but
tons on the swords?"
Hold on" said Herbert; but put
him aside and said: whenever you
choose"
Then come here to the theater to-
morrow morning at 1920. have a
rehearsal at II, and little practice
beforehand will do me good. We shall
have the stage to ourselves"
This is all nonsense" Herbert in
terrupted. Miss Whiteside will do no
such thing"
miss Whiteside is here to speak for
herself" said, angrily. II will come
at 1890 tomorrow morning, with the
greatest pleasure. I think can demon
strate that parry to your entire salts
faction"
you understand" she said, smiling
for the first time, that am not
given to little jokes. have a pair of
excellent swords, but If you prefer to
select your own"
Il shall be quite satisfied" ! said;
"but about the featherS?"
'The gentleman with the scissors
may keep them as a souvenir. . And
che swept down tho aisle and went in !