Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1912-10-24
CHAPTER xxxvI.
A Duel for a Bracelet.

shadow a pool, the door where
through the girl with the bracelet
must pass on her way to breakfast.
She's taking forever with her
toilet" shifted Marjorie. Probably
trying to make a special impression
on you
She's wasting her time" said Nal
lory. But what If she brings her
mother along? No, l guess her moth
er is too fat to get there and back"
IF her mother comes" Marjorie
decided, I'm hold her while you take
the bracelet away from the-the-
from that creature. Quick, here she
comes now! Be brave!"
Mallory wore an aspect of arrant
cowardice: "Er-ah-I-I-"
You just grab her!" Marjorie ex-
planned. Then they relapsed into at
titudes of impatient attention. Kath-
leen foated in and, seeing Mallory,
she greeted him with radiant warmth:
Good morning!" and then, catching
sight of Marjorie, gave her a Good
morning!" coated with ice. She
fiounced past and Mallory sat inert,
till Marjorie gave him a ferocious
pinch, whereupon he leaped to his
feet:
"Oh, Miss-er-Miss Kathleen"
Kathleen whirled round with a most
hospitable smile. May / have a
word with your"
"Of course you can, you dear boy"
Marjorie WINGED at this and writhed
at what followed: "Shan't we take
breakfast together"
Mallory suffered: Tho, thank
you've had breakfast" ~ ~
Kathleen froze up again as she
snapped: With that-train-acquaint
ance, l suppose"
"Oh, no." Mallory amended, II mean
l haven't had breakfast"
But Kathleen scowled with a jeal-
ousy of her own: You seem to be
getting along famously for mere train
acquaintance"
"Oh, that's all we are, and hardly
that" Mallory FASTENED to say with
too much truth. "Sit down here
moment. won't your" sn
mo, no, haven't time" she said,
and sat down. Mamma will be wait
Ing for me. You haven't been In to
see her YETI"
mo. You see"
She cried all night"
For me?"
mo, for papa. He's such q good
traveler-and he had such a good
start. She really kept the whole car
awake"
TOO bad" Mallory condoled. per-
functorily, then with sudden eager
ness, and trial at indifference: II
see you have that bracelet STILL"
"Of course, you dear fellow. 1
wouldn't be parted from it for worlds"
Marjorie CRASHED her teeth, but
Kathleen could not hear that. She
gushed on: And now we have met
again! 1t looks like Fate, doesn't
it?"
1T certainly does" Mallory assent
ed, bitterly; then again, with zest:
Let me see that old bracelet, will
your"
He tried to lay hold of 1t, but Kath-
leen giggled coyly: Its just an ex-
cuse to hold my hand" She swung
her arm over the back OF the seat
coquettishly, and Marjorie made a
desperate mnge at it, but missed,
since Kathleen. finding that Mallory
did not pursue the fugitive hand,
brought it back at once and yielded
1t up:
"There-be careful. someone might
look"
Mallory took her by the wrist in
gingerly manner, ar 4 said, so that's
the bracelet? Take it off, won't you?'
"Never!-it's wished on" Kathleen
protested, sentimentally. Don't you
remember that evening in the moon
light?"
Mallory caught Marjorie's accusing
eye and lost his head. He made a
ferocious effort to snatch the bracelet
off. When this onset failed, he had
recourse to entreaty: "Just slip it
Off" Kathleen shook her head tantal-
izingly. Mallory urged more strenu-
ously: please let me see It,"
Kathleen shook her head with So
phistication: You'd never give it
back. You'd pass 1t along to that
train-acquaintance."
'How can you think such a thing?'
Mallory demurred, and once more
made his appeal: please, please, slip
it off,"
What on earth makes you so anx-
ious?" Kathleen demanded, with sud-
den suspicion. Mallory was stumped,
till an Inspiration came to him: I'D
like toto get you nicer one. That
one isn't good enough for YOU"
Here was an argument that Kath-
ieen could appreciate. "Oh. how sweet
Of you. Harry.as gurgieds and had