The Winslow mail., 1911-01-14


| jected.) .)-'I'Il break the truth to her"
But Dallas was not enthusiastic.
Anne wouldn't do at ALL" he de-
clared. Shed be talking about the
kids before she knew it, and patting
me on the head" He said it COM
placently; Anne firts, but they are
really devoted.
"One of the Mercer girls?" / sug-
gested, but Jimmy raised a Mortified
hand.
You don't know Aunt Selma" he
protested. Il couldn't offer Leila in
the gown she's got on, unless she
wore a shawl and Betty is too fair"
Anne came in just then, and the
whole story had to be told again to
her. She was ecstatic. She said it
was good enough for play, and that
of course she would be Mrs. Jimmy
for that length of time.
you know" she finished, "if 1t
were not for Dal, l would be Mrs
Jimmy for any length of time have
been devoted to you for years, Bile
ken"
But Dallas refused peremptorily
I'm not jealous" he explained,
Strengthening and throwing out his
chest, "but-well, you don't look the
part. Anne. You're-you are grow
ing matronly, not but what you suit
me all right. And then I'd forget and
call you NANNY which would re-
quire explanation. 1 think it's up to
you, Kit
Il shall do nothing of the sort!" l
snapped Its ridiculousl"
Il dare you!" said Dallas.
/ refused. ! stood like rock while
the storm surged around me and beat
| over me. / must say for Jim that he
was merely pathetic. He said that
my happiness was first; that he would
not give me an uncomfortable minute
for anything on earth; and that Bella
had been perfectly right to leave him,
because he was sinking ship, and de-
| served to be turned out penniless into
the world After which mixed figure,
he poured himself something to drink,
and his hands were shaking.
Dial and Anne stood on each side of
him and patted him on the shoulders,
and glared across at me. l felt that
if was a rock, Jim's ship had struck
on me and was sinking, as he said, be-
cause of me. l began to crumble.
"What-what time does she leave?"
l asked, wavering.
Ten: nine; Kit, are you going to
do it?'
moi" 1 gave a last clutch at my
resolution People who do that kind
of thing always get into trouble. She
might miss her train. She's almost
certain to miss her train"
You're temporizing," Dallas said
sternly. I'VE won't let her miss her
train; you can be sure of that"
"Jim," Anne broke in suddenly,
hasn't she a picture Of Bella. There's
not the faintest resemblance between
Bella and Kit"
Jim became downcast again. 81
sent her a miniature of Bella couple
of years ago." he said despondently.
Did it myself"
But Dal said he remembered the
miniature, and it looked more like me
than Bella, anyhow. So we were just
where we started And down inside
of me had premonition that / was
going to do just what they wanted me
to do, and get into all sorts Of trouble,
and not be thanked for it after all.
Which was entirely correct. And then
Leila Mercer came and banged at the
door and said that dinner had been
announced ages ago and that every
body was famishing. With the hurry
and stress, and poor Jim's distracted
| face, ! weakened.
Il feel like cross between an idiot
and a criminal I said shortly, "and
don't know particularly why every
the sacrifice. But if you will prom
ise to get her off early to her train,
and If you will stand by me and not
leave me alone with her, II might
try it."
"Of course, we'll stand by you!" they
said in chorus. 1--WE won't let you
stick!" And Dal said, You're the
right sort of girl, Kit. And after it's
all over, you'll realize that it's the
biggest kind of lark. Think how you
are saving the old lady's feelings!
When you are an elderly person your
self, Kit, you will appreciate what
you are doing tonight"
Yes, they said they would stand by
me, and that 1 was a heroine and the
only person there clever enough to
act the part, and that they wouldn't
let me stick! l am not bitter now, but
that is what they promised. Oh,
am not defending myself; 1 suppose
deserved everything that happened
But they told me that she would be
there only between trains, and that
she was deaf, and that 1 had an op-
portunity to save fellow-being from
ruin. So in the end l capitulated.
When they opened the door into the
living room, Max Reed had arrived
and was helping to hide a decanter
and glasses, and somebody said a cab
was at the door.