Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-10-28
KATE'S
CONSCIENCE
II Troubled Her About Her
Engagement.
BY IzoLA FORESTER.
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81 think that you ought to tell VIII
lard before you marry him"
Kate did not even turn her head.
After listening to variations of the
same advice and opinion for half an
hour she felt more than annoyed. She
was frankly angry and perplexed.
eff you don't some one else will, and
that will only make any subsequent
explanation 30 unpleasant Men are
peculiar, anyway, and in an affair OF
this kind
"Imogene Wayne"-Kate's face flush
ed hotly--"I think you put 1t altogeth-
err too strongly"
"It is a serious matter" lmogene
bit Off the end of her embroidery linen
deliberately. "If 1t were my own af-
fair should consider 1t matter of
conscience. willard is the sort OF
man to take anything of that kind TO
heart. / know him we'll"
"I don't care bit whether he knows
or not" exclaimed Kate. 81 suppose
1 should have told him In the first
place, but he never asked me, and l
didn't consider 1t necessary, ] never
thought Bart would"
mo one did," interposed Imogene,
with serene significance. But the
fact remains that Bart has
HAS what? Am always In trou-
hle?"
Lazily, comfortably interested, the
voice sounded from the inner room
whose windows opened on the veran-
da. Kate stood, silent, indignant, her
chin appraised, her lashes downcast.
From the cool shadow of the curtained
window seat Bart Holman thought her
sweeter and dearer than ever. And
1t had been nearly two years ago.
Are you in there, Bart% Imogene
laughed. How long have you been
listening-long enough to agree with
me? Whatever made you come home
when everybody wanted you to stay in
JapanP
mot everybody. Il came by special
request"
"And went in the first place by spe'
cial request tOo?"
Kate flashed the single glance at her
cousin. She had not known how much
Imogene knew. She wondered If Bari
had told her Against her will she
looked at Bart. He was smiling al
her, and suddenly, vaguely, she rei'
more at ease. After all Bart was
good boy. He had come home the same
"a trifie browner, the lines about his
mouth a bit deeper, the look of his
eyes steadier. The two years in Japan
: had done him good
"When Is the wedding, Kitty?"
No one ever called her Kitty bu
Bart. It was such foolish, childish
name for a girl, she thought, for the
kind Of girl at least that she pridet
herself on being. She was not thu
duffy, childish type. She was tall ant
slender. with smooth, dark hair ant
eyes that changed like the sea witt
her mood.
1--WE are not even engaged yet" sh'
answered composedly. II can hardl,
say when the wedding will be-"
"Kate Is so cautious about matri
mony this time" Imogene said amused
". ''She has actually put poor Willard
ON probation If he Is good boy fol
three months and manages to fulfill hel
ideal In that time, then she will con
sent to an engagement"
"If l were a girl I'd put Willard OF
probation for life," Bart said cheer
fully. Zone would be perfectly safe
There would never be any danger o.
foreclosure"
"Three months Is long enough" sale
Kate. "a man who cannot stand
three months test is not worth waiting
a lifetime for"
"Don't be vindictive and catty
Kate" Imogene gathered up her mele'
of embroidery odds and ends. Every
body at Viewpoint knows about yot
and Bart, and when you twit hin
that way 1t is simply bad taste. Bart
why on earth didn't you have sense
enough to stay awayT
..No one sent me announcement CARDS
of the probation answered Bar
calmly. 81 like Viewpoint Willard and
are old college pals"
.'Were you really?s Imogene glanced
back over her shoulder to laugh again
Isn't it comical, though, the whole af
fart Well there is one thing sure
Bart-you won't be pals IL Hates con
science troubles her"
= They were alone several minutes be
fore the silence was broken. Then Bar
asked:
Does itT $50
.sTrouble meT Kate lifted her head
and the anxiety in her eyes startled
him. Eyes. It does. Bart. OF course
intend to marry willard. The proba
ton idea is. half of 1t. Imogene's non
sense. only asked him to give mi
three months to make up my mind"
81 didn't give you three minutes"
"And changed 1t in three weeks,
she retorted quickly. cit is better t
be sure. But"
But you haven't told Willard abou
met"
'Not yet" She hesitated and thel
added nervously. earnestly: "It ism
that he would mind. although I sup
pose he would too. know l SHOULD
mind IL he had done such a thing AM
bad not told me. But | thought b
knew. of course. until one day he tolt
me he didn't believe a girl ever love-
more than one man sincerely and abso