Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-03-23

"visitors," said |. 81 didn't know
Mrs. Trowbridge was expecting"-
Then | broke off. with little gasp.
"Oh. Sally. It's
"The duke and Katherinew she CUR.
gled.
All my blood raced up to my head
as II | were going to have n sunstroae
Mrs. Trowbrldge and the girls were
busy In the kitchen making peach jam
80 when the wretched old chaise drew
up close to the veranda Sally and
were alone to receive it.
II my sense Of humor hadn't beell
trampled upon by various emotions
which were all jumping about at the
same time. should have had hard
work not to laugh when Stan and Mrs
Ess Kay scrambled out from under
the numbering old hood, which was like
great coal scuttle turned over their
heads. Their hair was gray with dust
their faces purple with heat. and evi'
dently they were both In towering tenn
pers.
Stan looked at Inc the way he did
once when I was small and spoiled his
favorite cricket bat by digging NJ
worms with it-as II he could have
shaken ME we'll and boxed my ears
and would II weren't girl AS for
Mrs. Ess Kay, she smiled, but hel
smile meant worse things than STAINS
frown.
"Hello. dear boy!" | chirped nerve GUS
ly. How do you do. Mrs. Stuyvesant
Knox?"
Sally murmured something, too. and
Stan had the grace to claw Off his hat
showing how damp his poor hair was
on his crimson forehead. but he didn't
even pretend to smile.
"a nice dance you've led us!' said
he by Jove, | wouldn't have thought
1t Of you, Betty"
"Maybe you don't understand yet,
said |. "Wait till I've explained, and
I'm sure you won't be cross. because
you always were dear"
"Its no good wheedling." he gr''
bled. 'I'm not going to walt for any
thing. We've come to take you home
and the quicker you pack up and gel
ready the better"
"What do you mean by homer In
quired.
ITO Mrs. Stuyvesant-Knox's house ir
New York, where she says she'll be
good enough to put us up till the nex1
decent ship sails for England"
T'm not going back to Mrs. Stuy
vesant- -Knox's." said l. "She knows
why It's impossible"
"Rot." said Stan. ''She's jolly kind
to have you after the way you've
acted. Anybody'd think you were
eight instead of eighteen. You deserve
to be put on bread and water for max
Ing me come 5000 miles to fetch you
home"
II didn't ask you to come" said l.
"and you needn't have bothered. Is
Vic engaged YETI"
"Yes, she is: the day before started
What's that got to do with it?'
"A good deal. according to her."
replied "T'm engaged too"
"The dickens you are" exclaimed
Stan, getting redder than ever. whil'
Mrs. Ess Kay gave little start ant
glared at Sally.
My blood was up now, and I didn'
care what I said. The sooner Star
knew everything just as it was th'
better.
"Yes, the dickens am" echoed
defiantly, "and l don't intend to b'
treated like naughty child BY an!
one. I've done nothing wrong or un
derhand. We've only been engaged
since yesterday. though we both fell l;
love at first sight on shlpboard. ant
we've written to mother and you thi
very morning"
Engaged to a man you met on ship
hoard" repeated Stan. looking 6abber
gasted and turning from me to Mn
Ess Kay.
"Tom Doremusw she gasped. aye
no, that's impossible. Hes In New
port But there was no one else.
was particularly careful"
II am engaged to marry Mr.. Jane
Brett" I said. HE is"-,
"There was no such man on tn
ship" she broke in sharply.
Then suddenly she almost jumped.
"Good gracious" she exclaimed. "Of
duke, this is too awful. ! remembe
there was person In the steerage. Blu
this Is madness. II can't be-
aua did crosa in the gteerdge,"