The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-02-07
hospitable smile MAY have q
9b

III course you Cdu, you ueoi wy
Marjorie WINGED at this and writhed
at what followed: "Shan't we take
breakfast together?
Mallory suffered: "I-l-no, thank
you've had breakfast"
Kathleen froze up again as she
snapped: with acknowledgements
ance. suppose"
"Oh, no." Mallory amended. Il mean
| haven't had breakfast"
But Kathleen scowled with a 1eai-
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 a
moment. won't your"
mo. no. l 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 a 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: Il
see you have that bracelet still"
"Of course. you dear fellow.
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: tits just an ex-
cuse to hold my hand" She swung
her arm over the back of the seat
coquettishly. and Marjorie made a
desperate lunge at 1t, but missed,
since Kathleen, finding that Mallory
did not pursue the fugitive hand.
brought. it back at once and yielded
1t up:
"There-7-be careful, someone might
look"
Mallory took her by the wrist in q
gingerly manner, and said, $50 that's
the bracelet? Take 1t of. 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 1t
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 1t
back. You'd pass it along to that
train-acquaintance."
How can you think such 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 a nicer one. That
one isn't good enough for you"
Here was an argument that Kath-
leen could appreciate. "Oh, how sweet
of you, Harry" she gurgled and had
the bracelet down to her knuckles,
when sudden instinct checked her:
When you bring the other, you can
have this"
She pushed the circlet back, and
Mallorys hopes sank at the gesture.
He grew frantic at being eternally
frustrated in his plans. He caught
Kathleen's arm and, while his words
pleaded. his hands tugged: Please
please let me take it-for the measure
you know!"
Kathleen read the determination in
his fierce eyes, and she struggled fu-
riously: why, Rchard-Chauncey!
-er-Billy! I'm amazed at you! Let
go or III scream!"
She rose and, twisting her arm
from his grasp, confronted him with
bewildered anger. Mallory cast to.
ward Marjorie look of surrender
and despair Marjorie laid her hand
on her throat and in pantomime sug
gested that Mallory should throttle
Kathleen. as he had promised.
But Mallory was incapable of fur
Their violence: and when Kathleen
with all her coquetry. bent down and
murmured: "You are a very naughty
boy, but come to breakfast and well
talk 1t over" he was SO added that
he answered: Thanks. but | never
eat breakfast"
CHAPTER xxxvli.
| nn,na Rn4Lnng