The Press., 1915-02-17

| VI nave a lIHn. | SIaiI tell fnOtne
 that 1 will marry Olaf If he will conn
 for my decision when the clock strike
 12 on New Years day if he does no
 then arrive for my answer 1 will mar " the man who makes the first cal
 after l2 o'clock. Mother k gettin,
 worn out with trying to get me t, marry the man of her choice and will
 gladly consent to this condition since all she has to do is to send him wOrt to make hls call exactly at l2." | ''rhen it Is all settledy'
 "l wish you tn delay Olaf"
 "l see"
 | Hut l wish certain person to b, the next man to call" | "Who would have believed, Katrina that one with such mild blue eyes ant hair like the flax in the rope wall would be capable of scheme: Whom | do you wish to call first after the noor hourY"
 "rhere is Peter De Witt"
 "Oh. He is your ehoicer He will attempt to call immediately
 after i2, but ! wish you to delay hin too"
 But l do not understand why"- ''Then there Is Hans kieft" ''So it is he you will marry?" "He must not come either" Not he. either! Are you to leave your choice to chancer After you have put these men in a way to be late in calling. come and stand by the door till the clock strikes twelve Then come in. and you will see the man 1 will marry" "Oh. Katrina. You are going to let him in at the back door,"
 Never mind what l am going to do, but act as tell you. and l warn you that if you let Olaf or Peter or Hans come here before F o'clock you will regret it."
 But how about William Van Schoon- hoven? He has been one of your favor ites."
 "Never mind about William Van Schoonhoven. will take care of him myself"
 At last the secret is out. William is the man of your choice"
 said this very despondently, be- cause. to tell the truth. could not bear to think of my cousin marrying any one except myself, and l. being too poor to marry her. must see her wed ded to this William Van Schoonhoven, whom. now l came to think of it. l hated more than all the others.
 
 It is New Years night. This day has been an eyentful one. 1 arose early. for l had much to do. l must keep three men from calling on Katrina until after the noon hour. Yesterday l saw each one excepting Olaf. to see whom did not accord with the plan l had laid, telling Peter and Hans that Katrina had agreed to please her mother by being betrothed to Olaf Van Vrankin provided he called the next day at 12 to ask her to marry him: that I was commissioned by my cousin to delay him and that Katrina would marry the man who would make the first call after 12 noon. l also told each of these two men was to arrange that he should be the first man to call after 12.
 These lovers were as radiant as was downcast. and each agreed to be guid ed by me. I told Peter to meet me on the shore under the guns of the battery at 10 o'clock in the morning, and Hans was to meet me at the tavern facing Bowling Green at II. When l met Peter put him aboard sloOp. telling him 1t was necessary that he should keep away till near F o'clock. But told the skipper to keep him out till l. and would pay him for the job.
 Hans met at the tavern. and we sat down together to glass of schnapps. While he was not looking dropped a powder into his glass, and he was soon asleep. Telling the land lord to put him to bed and 1 would pay the reckoning. went off to find Olaf. He was sitting on fence. watching the clock. the hands of which stood at half past II. Telling him that l had message for him from my aunt. l persuaded him to follow me. At ten minutes to II I stood with him on the edge of one of the slips of the East river. He was much troubled lest he be late for the appointment, but did not dare to leave me. believing that some change in. the conditions of the betrothal had come and my aunt had sent me to inform him of them. beat about the bush without saying anything definite till l knew that there was barely time for him to keep the appointment, then pushed him off into the water.
 had done all this for my cousin. because in an evil hour l had promis- cd her. and now that it was done l had a mind to go home. But l had not yet done all that l agreed to do. was to go to the house immediately after 12 o'clock. I did not wish to do so, for 1t would only be to witness the happiness of William van Schoon- hoven. After a little hesitation turn ed my steps to my aunt's and arrived soon after noon.
 I found Katrina and her mother in the best room. When my aunt saw me she looked very terrible
 ''St. Nicholas be with you." said. ''on this fine New Years day"
 my "ithOut tCpiys uouASCu Out of the room. Katrina's face was un- intelligible.
 Where is your betrothed?" asked.
 You have done as you promised" she replied.
 "Yes. l have: but l do not see the successful suitor. Where is heY'
 She turned me to a mirror in which saw myself. and Katrina looking over my shoulder. There was no smile on her face, no spark in her eye. She was the same Dutch girl she has always been.
 We'll" said. what does it mean?"
 Notwithstanding my ability to dis cern hidden things. l did not under stand till Katrina placed her lips so near mine that nature told me what