The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-02-08

tiAl4C -AlACA Cdtllt III Slle was 50 nervous
that she spilled candy all over the
floor, and when he had gone she was
obliged to sit down in a corner and fan
herself, whereat the woman of expert
ence laughed.
One day when Allen called Kitty had
large piece of court plaster on the
size of her forehead. She was so pain
fully ashamed of it that there could be
no doubt about the cause Of the injury.
though she tried to tell Allen that she
had bumped her head against a door.
BY a singular coincidence. when Kit
" left the store that afternoon at &
O'Clock she met Allen ON the nearest
corner. He said that he happened to
be passing, and if she didn't mind
walking little way Why. Of course.
It all looked perfectly natural TO the
grass widow, who was witness Of the
occurrence.
I'm afraid your father hurt You
pretty badly said Allen. And Kitty
stopped suddenly. with her face fam
ing. Does he often do it,
The tears began to force their way
out Of Kitty's eyes. She was ashamed
of them, ashamed of the wound, asham-
ed of everything in the world.
Sometimes those little injuries leave
a scar" continued Allen. and that's
bad for pretty girl who wants to find
rich husband some day and be an or
| nament of society. But good doctor
| can prevent it, you know, ami happen
to be going right now to see the best
man in the business If youll come
along he'll look at your head. and he
won't charge you a cent because you're
friend Of mine"
For some strange reason this propO-
sition seemed to Kitty to have an ad-
verse moral aspect but Allen persuad-
ed her.
Kitty went to see the doctor. and he
told her that she would have to come
every day for week at least if she
wished to avoid bad scar. He was a
clever man, and he saved her from dis
tigurenent. but he did not treat her for
an affection of the heart that was get
ting worse and worse all the time She
was seeing Allen every afternoon-see-
ing him in her dreams. both sleeping
and waking, too, poor child-and she
knew that she was in love with him.
but she would never have believed that
he could care for her if it had not been
for the wise woman in the shop.
Hes dead stuck on you" said this
sapicnt person. "AnyboGy could see
that"
But he hasn't said q word about it,"
protested Kitty. HE doesn't even look
at me, or when he does he looks right
through me. And he talks right
through ire too. l don't know half
what he says. might just as well be
telephone for all he cares about me-"
The wise woman laughed.
You'll find out" she said. III bet
you could make him marry YOU if you
had any sense
At this suggestion Kitty nearly fell
in a faint, but she fancicd that Mrs.
O'Neil did not notice it.
When Kitty's wound was almost
mended, Maginley, who had noticed
that his daughter was not coming home
quite so early IN the afternoons, got
into quarrel with her about it and
struck her again. Allen told me of
this occurrence, and he seemed to be
Interested in the coincidence that the
injury was precisely similar to the
former one, except that it was upon
the other side of the girls head.
Queer isn't it," he said.
Allen" said l, what are you going
to do with this girl?"
Nothing" he said indifferently. I'm
going to Europe in July
Later he told me that he had advised
Kitty to run away from home.
I've seen her father" he said
There's no doing anything with him.
He's not responsible He ought to be
in an asylum"
Then why don't you send him
therc?" l inquired.
Too much trouble" replied Allen.
When the experienced Mrs. O'Neil
heard that Allen was suggesting fight
she asked Kitty what she was going
to do.
81 haven't got any place to &C" said
Kitty.
Hell find YOU Il place" said Mrs.
ONciI
Goodness" cried Kitty. Il couldn't
let him do that. He's done enough for
me as it is. He asked me once where l
could 90. and l was ashamed to tell
him that | didn't have q friend in the
world, so | said | had an aunt in Buff
falo. l used to have, but she's dead"
Don't you worry" was the response.
when he says CO. go. I tell you he's
in love with you. He really means it.
Hell marry you"
One day Kitty came to the store as
white as Il ghost. She was almost half
an hour late and was breathless with
running.
I've been over to the Children's So
ciety," she said. They're going to
take Lottie and Jane. Fathers so
rough with them now that l had to do
something Mr.. Allen told me what
to do. And Pm going away. 1t seems
awful to leave father, but Mr.. Allen
says there isn't anything else to do.
I've got to. That's all there is about
it."
I'm glad you're getting little
sense" responded Mrs. O'Nei