The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-10-15
Tanning
A ShreW
With an Interruption That
Srousht a Climax.
By Martha McCulloch-Williams


shrew, She had merely been born i'm
perious and had grown up absolute
monarch of an adoring family.
Until she was rising eleven Douglas
Norton had been also of her subjects,
Fate whiSked him away then 10 inherit
an uncle's fortune and go racing about
the world, thereby giving Kitty her
first realizing sense that things could
happen otherwise than according to her
will.
The process WAS unpleasant. By
curious mental alchemy Kitty uncon-
sciouSly stored the unpleasantneSs as IA
Crudge against the absent Douglas
SO when he came home ten years
later and fell openly and instantly
victim to her charms she was in two
minds rs to what to do with him, and
she yielded in favor of the mind that
advised her to do something unpleas-
ant.
He was dear fellow. suiting her ex-
actly in some of her moods In others
but in those others nobody suited her.
least Of all herself. Those other moods
would probably have made her send
Douglas about his business If he had
not had the lucky misfortune to have
the Ackroyds for friends.
The Ackroyds. whom Kitty loathed.
gave up days and nights to warning
Douglas against her. The warnings
were not wholly disinterested. Though
the two Miss Ackroyds were quite old
enough to be his mother, there was
Lena Shotwel, their niece. over in Kit
tredge town. for whose establishment
they were most anxious.
Given the facts, the temperaments
and the situation. the resulting engage
ment follows logically. Kitty excused
herself to her conscience for it with
the special pleading that 1t would cha.
grin the Ackroyds and that if she final
ly broke the engagement the making
of 1t would save Douglas from worse.
OF course she would not think of
marrying him for years. Meantime she
would revel in the Ackroyd discomfi-
ture. Then her people were so happy
over the prospect That really meant
a lot to her.
Dimly at the bottom of a very warm
heart she felt that. on the whole. she
had not made them as happy as she
might have done.
So altogether she was not Ill content
with the estate in life wherein she
now found herself until Douglas OBJ
stinately insisted upon her naming the
day
60 away! The role of impatient
lover does not fit you in the least"
she said to him with the most fetch
ing pout. You know you'd be dread
fully upset if agreed to anything so
insane. We can be married when we
are too old to care for tearing about.
When you are thirty-five I shall be
thirty-two. That will be quite time
enough to do the Darby and Joan act.
Until then-well, We shall stay as we
are"
We will not" Douglas asserted,
seizing both her hands. Understand,
I'm going to be a married man before
the year is out
Il dare say you can get Lena Shot
well-or somebody like her-all on a
sudden this way Kitty Interrupted,
trying to pull away her hands.
Douglas held them tight. I'm going
to marry you-nobody else" he said.
Make up your mind to the fact, lady
kin, and give up gracefully while there
is time"
"Of all impertinence" Kitty flashed
out at him. Let 60 my hands so |
can take off your rubbishy ring
won't marry you-now. never nor next
day. won't even speak to you ever
again if you hold me a second longer"
What a peaceful home we shall
have" Douglas murmurel, letting 60
her hands. but catching her :; his
arms He pressed her close and went
on, with his lips against her pink ear
Little darling | ought to want you
to be sensible, but the fact isl don't
1t is ever SO much more thrilling to
take you thus in spite Of yourself.
You have never even let me kiss your
hand. No matter when we married
this would have to come some time
You know you need mastering but I'm
too generous to ask you to admit it.
Come along. | want you to hear me
tell daddy all about it. Mother Clyde
has already agreed with me that the
wedding had better be on your birth
day"
Then Kitty forgot herself her years.
her grOwnUp estate She screamed.
He did not pay any attention. She
became SO angry that she tried to claw
his cheek. but none Of her efforts or
shrieks availed.
He lifted her as If she were only
Eve years old and carried her into the
sitting room, where her father rose in
alright Mrs. Clyde, pallid, but more
composed, stood beside him, her hand
laid detainingly upon his shoulder.
1T is hard to bear, mighty hard"
she whispered. We've ought to bear
it for the child. Spelling her so Is our
work. But for heavens sake keep
still. Her whole future depends on 1t.
Douglas is the man Of men for her,
and she will throw him over II she
has the least chance"