The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-02-14
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the other afternoon and apelogiZed pro-
fusely, so l told him he mus, do pen
|ance. He was very humble. / old him
ne must play one of ny favorite pieces,
and he is going to obliGe this afternoon.
How nice. 1 wish l could do some
thing for You"
On, l can easily give you something
to do. if o wish it"
please DO"
Talk auntie round to more modern
views; she is such a Puritan. you can't
think II you could do that l should
be everlastingly grateful"
He sighed.
The twelve labors of Hercules rolled
into one" he answered. II am afraid
my overs of persuasion are not very
good. If YOU will give me the opportu-
nifty l will try"
How brave of YOU. Well, you shall
try. We shall be on the parade this
evening. I will introduce you"
for Your sake"
Thank You, Gilbert" she answered.
How nice of you, Kitty. to use that
name. I had no notion it GOULD be-
made so pretty. Don't call me anything
else any more"
She held up a warning finger.
I'VE are talking nonsense again; let
us talk OF the people. Oh! there is my
first violin; let us go and listen. ! am
sure he will be sorry IL he does not see
me-"
Gilbert was introduced to Miss Dun
STAINS aunt. Miss Selby, III the evening,
and tried to max himself agreeable.
He was left alone With her shortly
after, Kitty going into the town for
something.
II do hope. Mr.. Somers. my niece has
not shocked you. for I'm sure I do not
know what to do sometimes, she seems
to have no idea of propriety."
Gilbert laughed to himself at Miss
Selby's idea OF propriety, whilst he
promptly did his best to allay her fears.
Il should not mind so much" CON
tinued she. but l DO think that when
q cir is engaged she s}1onid behave
with more caution"
Gilbert started. His heart sank; he
felt as though ke had received II blow
from AL invisible hand Engaged! en-
gaged.-kitty l nean, Miss Dunstals-
engaged?"
Yes. A good match for him. too.
Kitty has money, he has not; but if she
loves him, that is the great thing. You
did not know, then? Engaged, oh yes"
Poor Gilbert. it was q blow to him.
He did not wait for Kitty. With more
haste than was perhaps in accordance
With 2%oliteness. he hade Miss Selby
good night, and walked moodily down
the Parade in the depths of melancholy.
He felt hardly against the girl at
first. Was h playing with him. was
she as innocent as she looked; did she
take pleasure in taInpering With mems
affections? No, she could not mean to
delude him. Perhaps it was hts own
fault; he should have taken it as It Was
%lneant--a chance acauaintanceship, alla
nothing more. 1t was done nov He
allowed himself to TALL in love, and il
WAS not GaSy To climb ONf.
He walked to his hotel. ana sat down
to write to Kitty.
My Dear Miss Dunstan," he wrote,
\ AM the unhappy recipient of q piece
OF news this evening chat seems al
once to ave altered fhe whole course
the knowledge OF your engagement.
For your sake. my dear girl. ! cannot
feel sorry. and from the bottom of
my heart l wish YOU every happiness.
1t is, perhaps, wrong of me- under the
circumstances, to say that during The
YOU have become more and moro to
me, and I feel it very sorely that we
must end our friendship.
Il say we must end il, not thar l
blalnc you. but you seem no" 10 have
become so much IA part of my life
not meet again. AS our ivcs must
now lie In different ways, your presence
would only make me long for that
which see now can never be.
Forgive me If l pain you in ANY
way by this letter. I shall remember
piest Of my life, and l can never for
get you. With every wish for your
future happiness. believe me. yours
sincerely. GIIBl5RT SOMERS."
Kitty was angry with her aunt 70;
telling Gilbert about her engagement.
but. on the receipt OF his letter. she
sew where she had mad the mistake,
thought. in her careless way. tina;
there was Il possibility OF Gilbert fall-
ing In owe with her; she only felt the
pleasure of his company: she had not
near to be unkind. Now she saw
; what she la done and shed bitter
little comedy had come a tragedy that
she had never dreamed OF. With trelnb-
ling hand and In true penirencc sne
wrote back:
MY Dear Mr.. somers: 1 hardly
Know how to write an answer TO your
letter. I did not know what l was do
ing; 1 should not ave spoken. j lii
tie foresaw this. You ask me for my
forgiveness. 1t is I hat should ash
yours. My aunt was right In a way
and in q way I did not think OF. Their
is only ono thing beg Of you-do not
think that 1 tried to trife with you
I never thought you would care for me
beyond a seaside acquaintance.
see I have much to learn, but VII,
should I a to learn my lesson 81
your expense? Why should you suite,
that 1 might be taught? In you have
nothing to, forgive. In me you have
everything. Try and forget ne. LIE
me go out OF your life; nd. Oh, for.
give me II you can. Thank you fo7
your wishes for my happiness. A
present 1t seems in the distance. Good
by. Yours sincerely and re%pentant,
KITTY DUESTAN.r
Another letter passed between them
and then it seemed az though they ha,
passed out Of each other's lives TO.
good.
Gilbert returned TO town, bu, hi
spirit for the time appeared crushed
liz took no interest In anything. i
was the first time ne had been in love
and 1t took too great a hold upon hin
to be thrown off at once.
He had no business to go back 10. t,
take him out OF himself. which wa
bad; and he kept to his own society un,
brooded over his trouble. which wa
worse.
He was for a time, IN his own esti
nation. the most miserable man ii
london. He was getting owe the wors
and was beginning to mix with hi