Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-03-05

color and his square jaws took on an
extra angle. An oath was smothered
at its birth.
I've found her, all right" he re-
turned, but, you see she doesn't know
anything about it yet. l came over to-
night to ask your advice about the
best way to break it to her; you see,
grille, I'm not used to this sort of
thing"
Come, tell me about her, John.
What is she like?" Peggy slipped from
the stiff-backed chair on to a foot,
stool. John dropped down beside her,
and with hands clasped around their
updrawn knees, they sat gazing into
the cayernous fireplace, much as they
had done in the childish days when
Peggy was an enchanted princess,
and John, a fairy prince in overalls,
slew the dragon-as represented by
the grinning unicorn forming the and
irons holding the fore stick in the
wide fireplace-and rescued the
princess from eternal captivity.
do I know her, John?" Peggy con.
iinued, as Johns eyes still chung to the
blazing logs; cant you even tell me
about her; you know we never had
any secrets from each other when
when"
yes, l know" the man came TO her
rescue as he noticed the crimson tide
sweeping up over her throat and
cheek, when we used to play at
housekeeping and you tied one OF
your mothers aprons on and became
Mrs. John Morton. Jolly old times,
weren't they, Peggy" Watching the
girl out of the corner of his eye he
was almost sure he saw her lip fiutter
before the cruel white teeth closed
down and held it fast.
We'll, you see we were kids then,
and telling things came natural. Do
you suppose Pete, for instance, would
find it an easy matter to describe the
girl of girls?"
Peggy shifted her position so as to
bring her face in shadow before an
swering.
You needn't tell me her name, you
know. or her little intimate ways
just describe her in general"
"a sort of outline sketch and leave
the filling in to the hearers magma
ton" Morton laughed.
We'll, since | came to you for ad-
vice guess I'll have to mention her
chief charms" He caught the stool
and twisted it around till Peggy faced
the fire again. The old-fashioned mir
ror, tilted from ceiling to mantel, re-
fected a very quiet Peggy with a very
serious face.
She's small and dainty and Iowa
ble-is that the way the story books
begin? | am rather clumsy when it
comes to describing a girl, so you'll
have to make allowances, Peg, but
she's just the dearest girl in creation
and her hair is-well-its a kind of
golden brown, and her eyes are a
tumble of colors-sometimes blue, and
then again they're brown or green, but
mostly they're gray. Mouth small,
teeth like pearls-hang it, Peggy, l
can't describe her, but | have a pic,
ture of her if you care to see it." He
tried to look in the girls face, but
she kept it turned away.
Il know it's that Scott girl. who
spent the summer with the Daytons-
the description fits to a T-but she's
a perfect little cat. l never cared for
her" Peggy's voice was very distant
and impersonal.
Guess again." Morton laughed, Il
never met Miss Scott"
Peggy reached for the white kit
ten curled up on the rug at her feet,
but Morton caught the hand and held
it close.
Suppose you look at the picture,
Peggy-you might recognize It,"
The girl sprang to her feet, but Nor
ton drew her down beside him and
held her close a moment-a struggling,
painting little fury-then placing one
hand under her chin, he tilted her
head back till her eyes met the eyes
in the mirror above the mantel.
DO you know the future Mrs. John
Morton?' he asked, with his lips close
to her crimson ear; lis she a cat?"
Peggy gazed at her own reflection a
moment, then turned in his arms till
she could hide her face on his breast.
How could you do it, John?" she
sobbed; lit wasn't like you"
I had to be sure about Pete, dar.
ling, and past occurrences of a similar
nature taught me wisdom. You've
kept me on the rack longer than | can
remember, Peggy. had to take you
by storm, dear"