Gilpin observer., 1912-09-26
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0%Me DUBIES
By FRANCIS PERRY ELLIOTT
= ILLUSTRATIONS % NA/WAAzes
BIS ME62HL CQN04/y/

with yet note OF triumph could
not altogether hide. And then re.
morseful for her amazed expression, /
explained frankly: Got it from your
father this morning, don't you know,
during our long talk about you in the
library"
"Wh--
Then she swallowed and her face
fell perfectly blank. BY Jove, l could
nave kicked myself for a jolly ass for
breaking 1t to her SO raw! or course
she would know that II her father
talked OF her, 1t would be nothing for
me to hear that was true or kind
nothing she could wish might be said
to the man she loved.
l hastened to reassure her:
But don't believe a dashed word
OF anything he said about you"-l
spoke hoty-"and 1 don't care q jolly
hang for what the others said, either
80 there you are!"
oh, you dont| Could tell how I
had touched her by her expression,
don't You know; and she fell to look
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!"
l began cautiously.
know, she murmured 1t as II
to herself-"one can see that!" And
she bit her lip.
In the first place, you know"-and
there | pulled up. No, dash it, 1
wasn't going to say a jolly word about
poor Jack-no, sir! But then, about
the other one-well, she was Just a
treacherous snake in the what's-its
name, and she ought to be exposed.
BY Jove, she should be.
IT'S the trump, you know" said
Indignantly.
"The-the what?"
Her pretty teeth flashed like the
keyboards Of tiny organ-you could
even hear little gurgly. musical
culver somewhere behind. And then
1 remembered that. of course. she
wouldn't know whom l meant
oh, your guest, you know-your
friend from school," l 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, go on!" she trilled, her sweet
face shining wistful.
Well, l mean this-er-Miss Kirk
land. 1,-ttL
don't you know. | think of her as the
frump-little idea-er-nickname OF
mine, you know, she's so awful" And
l screwed my glass with a chuckle.
For an instant thought she
wouldn't catch it, 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 sufrused
her laughter pealing like a chime OF
bells.
And l just rocked. too, keeping her
company. Really. don't think l ever
laughed SO much since some chap
plunked down on the hard crown OF
my new tile last winter At 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 Sc
dashed little patience with stupid peo
pie. don't you know. And just here
another little thing came to me and
let her have 1t:
"oh, say!"-l leaned nearer
chuckling-"your father pretends to
think 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 Ions
hat-you-call-' -'ems-oh, such way!
But you don't think SO, do your
How sweetiy. how fetchingly she said
It,
"Me?" l gasped. BY Jove, in my
horror, lost my grip upon my jolly
grammar. "Oh, say now! think
the frump-this Miss Kirkland, you
knows a fright-regular freak. dash
1t! | told the judge sol"
"You-you-"
"Of course!" And shrugged dis.
gustedly. making the ugliest grimace
| possibly could. why. dash It. II
were woman and had face like
hers, | never would have left China
or England-or wherever her Jolly
home was-no. sir!"
She caught her breath with little
gasp-then she was Off again! This
time she rested her arms upon the
rail behind and buried her head in
them, her lovely shoulders jiggling up