Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-09-20

not altogether hide. And then re-
morsefuI for her amazed expression, /
explained frankly: Got 1t 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
have kicked myself for jolly ass for
breaking 1t to her so raw! OF course.
she would know that If her father
talked OF her, it 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 l don't believe a dashed word
OF anything he said about you"-l
spoke hotly-"and don't care jolly
hang for what the others said. either
so there you are!"
'Oh, you don't?" 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?"
l 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.
Il know."-she murmured 1t as II
she bit her lip.
I'm the first place. you know"-and
there I pulled up. No, dash 1t. /
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!
TITS the trump, you know" said
Indignantly.
"The-the what?p
Her pretty teeth flashed like the
keyboards of a tiny organ-you could
even hear a little gurgly, musical
quiver somewhere behind. And then
l 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. go on!" she trilled. her sweet
face shining wistful.
We'll, 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
l screwed my glass with a chuckle.
For an instant l 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 suffused,
her laughter pealing like a chime OF
bells.
And | tust 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 I
wanted to laugh-in church, you
know, and it's SO awful how you feel
there when something-oh, you know
And If you could have seen that poor
fellows face!
BY Jove.s 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 peo-
Pile. don't you know. And Just here
another little thing came to me and /
let her have it:
"Oh, say!"-I 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 l 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-' such a way,
But you don't think so, do your"
How sweetly, how fetchingly she said
II.
"Me?" l gasped. BY Jove. in my
horror. lost my grip upon my jolly
grammar. "Oh, l say now! l think
the frump-this Miss kirkland, you
KNOWS fright-regular freak, dash
it, | told the judge SOL
"You-you-"
"Of course!" And l shrugged dis
gustedly, making the ugliest grimace
/ possibly could. Why, dash 1t. II /
were a woman and had face like
hers, l never would have left China.
or England-or wherever her Jolly
home was-no, sir!"
Sba caught her breath with n iittIa
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 juggling up
and down. her sobbing laughter send