The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1907-03-21

She looked at MIN out vi lHe colHoi
of her eye as coquettish canary
might look through the bars of Its
golden cage. ... -
Possibly" she said, rising III
look over my list and see.'
She took from a desk small mem
orandum book bound in soft gray
leather. Ingram saw on its cover in
silver script the word engagements. "
He gasped. He believed that Miss
Prentice was coquette, but he scarce
A., thought she would carry it this far.
1t was simply malice aforethought-
cold blooded, premeditated method.
His mind was so fixed upon one en-
gagement that he forgot there were
others. The book was one of those
small indexed affairs most women
keep, and Ingram's eyes followed Miss
Prentices pretty finger as 1t ran down
the letters to a." She turned to the
page indicated and scanned 1t for a
moment
Il don't find it here" she said, look
ing at him as If she had pinned him
to a mistake.
do you find any others?' he asked
sarcastically.
ooh, yes, quite number
Let me see them he commanded
There was no flute note in his voice
tln Il, hic fanp hard
She smiled and quite ignored the hand
extended to receive the book.
Il shall do nothing of the kind she
responded with spirit. These are
my private papers and you have not
yet the right to inspect them"
There was an accent on the yet
which might or might not be signifi-
cant, but Ingram missed the force OF
1t.
"Oh, Katherine" he groaned, as his
hand fell.
81 said mot YETI she added, soften
Ing. seeing that she might provoke
too far.
please let me see them now" he
begged.
"Will you promise not to scold If
do?"
rs there any reason why should
scold, dear?" he asked, with the ten
derness that lies half way between
hope and despair, ready to burn or to
freeze.
"Of course there isn't. But you men
are SO queer about some things
What, for example?'
well our engagements, for one"
she hesitated.
But how many engagements are
you entitled to-" he said, with indie
cision trembling on every word.
Miss Prentice was very pretty, very
winsome, very exasperating.
"As many as we care to make, OF
course" she answered, boldly.
Ingram shut his Jaws down tight.
She was hurting him sorely. He was,
perhaps, over sensitive for a man who
had known as many women as he had.
Let me see the book he said,
dulled to unreasoning obstinacy
ooh, very well, if you insist"
She gave the book to him. He
held it in his hand moment, looking
at the silver lettered word on its
cover. What secrets might be locked
within it's leather lids he did not know.
He did not want to know, yet he must.
She smiled, watching him hesitant
with it in his hands. He could have
struck her in the face with it. He
knew she was measuring his weak
ness. A strong man would have given
it back to her unopened, but Ingram
was incapable. Jealousy overmastered
Justice to himself and to her. He did
not dare to look fairly at the woman
before him, and slowly opened the
book.
Page after page, under different
dates, was full of names. They were
mere blur at first. BY degrees they
assumed definiteness of outline and
were ineligible.
January 15-Mrs. Morgan's to din
ner at T."
January 17-Theater with Mr..
Prices party at $780,"
February 4-Reception at Mrs.
Browns from to H."
February 1O-Tea at the Arts Club
| at s."
And SO on were the engagements
| of Miss Prentice enrolled. Ingram
| threw the book to the floor.
DAM" he exclaimed, angrily. But
, it was not the expletive that invigor-
ates and encourages. 1t was more
subjective than objective.
"And in the presence of lady. File,
fie, Mr.. Ingram, laughed Miss Prem
tice, recovering the discarded memoir
andum. He made no effort to restore
1t to her.
why didn't you say they were that
kind of engagements?" he growled at
her as II she were at fault.
Her blue eyes opened like an aston
ished baby's.
What other kind could there be?"
she exclaimed.
Jaw, I don't know" he replied, turn
ing away as d disfavored school boy
might turn from his beloved teacher
He faced her again in moment
"Why do you make me suffer so,
Katherine? he cried to her out Of the
depths of his woe.
She laid the book aside and came
| ,rnru nnar To him Her stem WAS that