The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1907-07-26
after THE RAIN

storm should pass. 1t was only a
summer shower, but she wanted the
hat to wear at the picnic tomorrow
and she hurried for shelter.
Ii happened to be the open doorway
of a business block. A fire had emp
tied the place of tenants and there
was a smell of wet, burned wood that
was unpleasant
But still more unpleasant was the
| fact that the doorway was already oc-
cupied and by Harris Hitchcock of
all persons.
IF my presence distresses you" he
said coldly, Il might find some other
! shelter"
DO not disturb yourself on my ac-
| count" she said coldly There is
plenty of room for us both"
1T will only be for few moments
/ he said with smile These furious
! storms seldom last
Kate made no reply to this state
ment of self-evident fact She was de-
! teTmined not to be drawn into a con-
versatiOn.
Hitchcock only smiled again No
sense of guilt hung heavily upon his
conscience. He had made fun of
/ Kate's favorite matinee hero, and she
/ had angrily declared that she never
] again wished TO speak TO a man who
was SO lost to the appreciation of
| artistic endeavor He had attempted
! to defend his position and had only
! succeeded in angering her the more.
10 f,f,r oh,
| by thunder showers, and every time
| she shrank from the heavy reverbera-
| tons he longed TO take her in his arms
! and comfort her, but he knew better
! than to seek to force the conversation
| when her every nerve was jangling
| But when an exceptionally heavy peal
/ rent the air. he sprang forward and
| grasped her arne
Don't be afraid he said reassur-
ingly That struck nowhere near here.
/ There is not the slightest danger"
Kate regarded him Indignantly He
| had sometimes teased her about her
! fear of lightning, and she was keenly
sensitive about her popularity.
In her overweight nervous condi-
! ton she believed that he was again
tormenting her and, at his touch, she
shrank back, her face white with
| anger and her eyes blazing
Since ii appears that | am not safe
/ form annoyance here" she said, hot,
! ~ will you kindly permit me to
pass?'
Hitchcock barred the doorway 81
will go he said, quietly. Believe me,
| did not mean TO Offend"
Before he could step out into the
deluge she had thrust him aside. He
did not anticipate the move and was
thrown off his balance Before he
could recover himself Kate stood in
| the doorway, gathering her skirts in
one hand.
Just at that moment dazzling flash
shot from the heavens and rent a tree
on the opposite side of the street,
while the discharge was accompanied
! by a terrific clap of thunder
With a little AIRY Kate turned and
blindly sought Hitchcock, who sprang
forward to catch her. She threw her
self, sobbing, into his arms, and he,
oblivious to all else, sought to calm
her. Gradually the sobs softened. and
at last Kate lifted her head.
You always said was a silly about
lightning" she said, smiling through
her tears, but | never supposed that
1t would lead me to be quite so fool
ish"
II can understand it," he said com
fortingly II shall forget all about il
and consider that it never happened
We are still our friends the enemy"
You don't suppose that | can quar-
rel with a man, when I've been cry
| ing in his arms the past ten minutes.
do you?" she demanded. 1T was a
judgment upon me for being so head
strong"
And you are not angry?" he cried.
You were nice and didn't laugh"
she explained. I'm sorry | was so
cross the other night. Though she
added, you were not right in saying
what you did about Mr. Kernochan."
If you had let me finish what |
was going to say / could have told you
my reason" he said with a smile.
Mrs. Kernochan, or Mrs. Cassidy,
rather, is suing him for divorce be-
cause Of his cruelty. | am her attor-
ney, which is how | came to form my
estimate of his character He was in
Jail once for wife beating
Harry" she said. He bent his
head to catch the whisper.
What is it, dear?" he asked.
you won't beat me when we're
married." she asked.
Il should say not. Look, Kate. it's
clearing up. Let's go and get the
ring.
1T was such lovely Storm" she
sighed contentCdly as they stepped
out on the street.