The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-11-15
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bu FRANCIS PERRY ELLIOTT
- ILLUSTRATIONS 81 EH/WAlzes
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with yet a note OF triumph could
not altogether hide. And then re-
morseful for her amazed expression.
explained frankly: Got IL from your
father this morning, don't you know
during our long talk about you in the
library"
VII
Then she swallowed and her face
! fell perfectly blank. BY Jove. could
have kicked myself for jolly ass for
breaking IL TO her so raw. OF course.
she would know that II her father
talked OF her. II would be nothing Tor
me TO hear that was true or kind
nothing she could wish might be said
to the man she loved.
! fastened TO reassure her:
But don't believe a dashed word
| or anything he said about you"-I
spoke hotly-"and | don't care a jolly
hang for what the others said. either
SO there you are"
"Oh. you dont?" Could tell how I
had touched her by her expression,
ing at me the queerest way. And
would you mind telling me who the
others are?"
eyed her gloomily, sympathetical-
ly. As If she didn't know already,
"Well-oh. dash 1t. my mind has
been filled with-er-Just anything"
! began cautiously.
Il know,'-she murmured II as n
10 herself-"one can see that" And
she bit her lip.
I'm the first place. you know and
there ! pulled up. No. dash II,
wasn't going 10 say jolly word about
poor Jack-ro. sir. But then. about
the other one-well. she was just a
treacherous snake in the what's-its-
name. and she ought 10 be exposed.
BY Jove. she should be.
It's the trump. you know" said
Indignantly
"The-the WHAT"
Her pretty teeth flashed like the
ksyboards OF tiny organ-you could
even hear little gurgly. musical
culver somewhere behind. And then
| remembered that. OF course. she
wouldn't know whom l meant.
oh. your guest, you know-your
friend from school," | went on, try
ing TO tread cautiously and yet feel
ing myself growing red "Oh. see
here now. don't like to say things.
but-er-"
"Oh. 60 on" she trilled, her sweet
face shining w!stful.
Well. I mean this-er-Miss Kirk.
land; came out with us this morning,
don't you know. think Of her as the
frump-little idea-er-nickname OF
mine. you know. she's so awful" And
screwed my glass with a chuckle.
For an instant thought she
wouldn't catch II. she stared at me so
blankly. Then the joke OF 1.-THE
Jolly aptness, so to speak-got her
full and square, and she just lifted a
scream. hugging her knee and rock.
Ing back and forth. her face sufYused.
her laughter pealing like a chime OF
bells.
And | Just rocked. too. keeping her
company. Really. | don't think ever
laughed so much since some chap
plunked down on the hard crown OF
my new tile last winter. Al least
wanted to laugh-in church, you
know, and IT'S so awful how you feel
there when something-oh, you know!
And II you could have seen that poor
fellows face!
BY Jove, how glad | was for her
Jolly, sense of humor that could see
the point OF things so quickly. and
think them clever. Always had so
dashed little patience with stupid PEG.
pie, don't YOU know. And just here
another little thing came TO me and |
le' her have IL:
Oh, say!"--l leaned nearer,
cAucRa.g-"your father pretends TO
th,lL her a most beautiful and win.
ming girl-fancy!" And my face
stretched itself In such a Jolly grin
that could hardly hold my glass.
She bent toward me, smiling ador.
ably. You mean this-er-'Miss
Kirkland?'"
nodded chortlingly.
She peered at me through her long
what-you-call- 'ems-oh. such way!
But you don't think SO, do YOU
How sweetly. how fetchingly she said
It,
"Me?" gasped. BY Jove. In my
horror. lost my grip upon my jolly
grammar. "Oh. say now! I think
the frump-this Miss Kirkland, you
knows fright-regular freak. dash
It. told the Judge so!"
"You-you-"
"Of course!" And ! shrugged dis
gustedly. making the ugliest grimacc
I possibly could. why. dash II, II
were a woman and had a face like
hers. I never would have left China,
or England-or wherever her jolly
home was-no, sir"
She caught her breath with a little
gasp-then she was on again! This
time she rested her arms upon the
rail behind and buried her head in
them, her lovely shoulders juggling up
and down, her sobbing laughter send
ing her OF at last into spell OF cough
Ing.