The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-10-02

N~As~~N N
Altogether" Y
"Oh, really" said Mr.. Cowles in mild
surprise. Perhaps, then, | misunderstood'
your previous sentiments3" ~ u
"No, you didn't" said Kitty. "I've just
come to myself I've been perfectly horridl
and beastly lately, and Billy has stood it,
like an angel. 1t would serve me good andI
right if he never spoke to me again. And,
I've been horrid to Major Dillon, too, andl
to Mrs. Tindale, and suppose they'll never
forgive me for it. They're both awfully
nice, and hope they'll get married and live
happily ever after. nnn1
Z Mr.. Cowles smiled retrospectively. ~
"Your sainted mother used to have these
spells OF remorse and regeneration, my dear
child" he said sentimentally. "Our little
reconciliations were some Of the pleasanteSt
incidents Of my life. ~
y Major Dillon, red-faced and uncomfort-
able in high collar and wonderfully small
wasted coat, paused near them. Now if
young Wyeth were coming here as mill
tary man, he said, harping on his favorite
string, he would probably be more pune
tual; but as a civilian, you see, he takes c
license of the needless times we are living in
Kitty astonished him by smiling sweetly. (,
Mr. Wyeth is such a busy man, Major"
she explained. He has many responsible
ties we know nothing Of / shall be de-
lighted if he is able to get here at all.
Halbertstone was standing near and he
smiled mysteriously. I'm almost certain
he'll come y'know," he said. Il happen to
know he had no end of lot of rot to attend
to to-day, but I've his word he Il be here"
Suddenly door opened at the end Of Z
long passage leading to the parlor,. and a
man came in.
Good God!" cried Major Dillon vi
The newcomer wore jingling saber anda
uniform fairly overlaid with gold braid and
the festooned cords and aiguillettes of
staff officer.
A servant stepped within the door and
announced: Colonel Wyeth'
Instantly the silence was broken by ea-
carnations of wonder, pleasure and con-
sternation.
"Why, by George, the young beggar out
ranks mel" cried the Major with note Of
bitterness
The only person in the room who
seemed to know all about it was the
Duke, and he was delighted as any hostess
who runs off telling coup at one of her
dinners.
So they went in to the table presently;
and inasmuch as Billy was the only Guards
man present with the rank of Colonel, he
followed General Talbot in the little pro-
cession with new and radiant Kitty upon
his arm.
After long period of embarrassed silence
Kitty pinched her champion S arm furtively
You might tell me how it all hsppened,'
she said softly. u didn't know sergeant
major could get to be colonel over night.
Wyeth smiled almost regretfully II
suppose, he said, "that with dads money
and political influence sergeant-maior
could get to be almost anything in a few
minutes
You came like regular Lohengrin,'
said Kitty happily. 81 was just too utterly
miserable, Billy. | had just been thinking
what dandy time the old Borgias had
poisoning the people they hated. Why
didn't you come in boat drawn by
swami"
Swans are deucedly expensive, and
they're not city broke, SO / chose a taxi
cab laughed the young colonel.
But you haven't told me how it hap
pened. What kind of a Colonel are YOU.
anyway"
"Oh, it really wasn't as sudden as it
seems" said Wyeth. II have been con-
sidering it for some time. Then father
recommended it and told me to 90 and order
a bunch OF uniforms and he'd see that the
commission was ready as soon as they were.
SO now IN on the Brigade Staff with the
rank OF Lieutenant Colonel, and nothing to
do but wear these things and ride horse
in parades. But I'm not going to answer
too many questions now lust remember
what happened to Elsa when she got too
curious about Lobengrin' family and busi-
ness affairs. You've got to be mighty care
iul and polite to one of my rank or III
just call my faithful taxi and sail away.
and never come back any more"
i've been bad child, said Kitty be-
witchingly, "and I'm going to be good now
for ever and ever, to you and Major Dillon
and Mrs Hndale and Micnis Ryder and
everybody"
And are you going to promise to marry
me right away'" asked the Colonel simply.
Kttys eyes were wandering absorbediy
over his shoulder knots and other emhellish-
ments. Billy" she exclaimed irrelevantly.
you're the most beautifullest thing ever
saw"
And then they both laughed and looKed
around, and everybody at the table was
listening and Laughing at them with
friendly sympathy.
s