Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1915-05-07
ACase Of Tit
For Tat
How Dan Cupid Strengthened
Out the TangIe.
ey CLARA n. HOLMES.

expectantly.
''Hildar' he calculated joyfully.
STOPPING to kiss the slender young lady
who approached him with extended
hand.
Her naughty withdra wal and very
Indignant look surprised him. and her
critical glance made him painfully
aware OF his forty three years and bis
dusty and very ordinary dress.
But when Ben clasped hands with
Uildas mother be forgot the bitter
ting Of disappointment She was un-
changed. Her face wore the same con-
tented look. and the welcome he re-
ceived might have been q leaf torn
from the book Of past happenings.
Even the hot biscuit at supper time
had the well remembered relish Of for
mer days. And the thoughtful manner
Of saying. "Now 90 and take your
smoke. Ben. ! know you are wanting
Il badly" seemed like the picking up
Of the raveled threads from tho tan
gied skein Of time.
Somewhat Of Hilda's aloofness wore
Oh after the nrst few days-whenever
she could forget the humiliation Of be-.
Ing kissed in public.
THE very idea! Any one would
know be was from the west!' she con.
eluded wrathfully when telling It to
her mother. ~.
Mrs. Stevens laughed heartily. "Ars
people % different. Id the west7 had
supposed that they were merely ener-
getic persons who needed elbow ROOM"
"Oh. You can langht but just look at
his clothesy" ..r. .n.ta!,.. q.
"Yes; clothing does make difference
In the flavor Of a kiss" ,.,,.,....,
whether It does or not. am not go.
ing out there to live; with d man old
enough to be my fathef;" was the an
cry reply. '.fs |''H'~ is
''TelI him, so;nnot me-. You knew
where he lived and his age; didn't you.
when you gave him your promise?"
As the days went by Hilda's dislike
seemed to increase She would. fire.
Quently go out and let her mother en-
terrain Ben for whole afternoon
without the courtesy Of an apology.
Ben did not appear to be annoyed in
the least. Instead he chatted merriiy
with Mrs. Stevens and easily fell into
the old time habit Of calling her Lot.
tie. Occasionally he would regard
Hilda SO teasingly that she would grow
FESTIVE under his gaze and fly out of
the room. storming to her mother: II
hate him: hate him.
The wedding day drew near. Ben
had been out, Of. town one afternoon.
and. being delayed by. business. It was
late when he returned.
do you know where Hilda is?'' he
questioned Of her mother.
why. yes" she replied. "She said
that she was going OVER, to her cousin
Nettie's." ..f -. ml
"Oh. she. did. did she?" answered
Ben so NnizTiGally that Mrs: Stevens
said neryopslly, ~: Whit y.lv y wrongy
There's nothing wrong" he replied
with light laugh aha Settled himself
for smoke HIS ilfiiEh Vas too light
to be reassuring 3Alpa' Sttsveffs drum
med on the table :restlessiy.- -.
Its all right. Lottie" Re Ensured
her. laying his hand over her fingers
tn still their yest ,not ernent. After
a moment pe tenia rsAhd s'::,How home
like you make every place. LOttie! l
have been thinking ,of the s;hil !e,aa. day.
and-it makes me homesinks 81 wish
you and, L were there" %'s'.F'-F q
1T would be nice. I'd like to see the
mountains. When you and Hilda have
been married a year or sssSssiill visit
You. perhaps" ~
He regarded her witSsssTt.ked eyes
for minute. Then he asked with
seeming irrelevaflce. Do you know
Charlie Dupont?"
"Why. yes. Why do you ask that?"
']ust curiosity. suppose. with an
other laugh.
ben. what is the trouble between
you and Hilda?" in tone of exaspera
ton. "She isnt:happy. and you are
tormenting. DO not believe she will.
be at all happy out there. She hates
the west" Mrs. Stevens demonstrated.
"She'd hate any place with me. I'm
the difficult problem. LOttie." replied
Ben calmly.
You two are laying up an album
dance of unhappness for yourselves
was the grave reply.
Don't you fret over us little chill
dren. Lottie." said he. "Sit down here
and let me talk to you." he said. point
ing to chair beside his own.
For fully an hour they conversed in
low tones. he persuading. she half re-
monstrating. occasionally both laugh
ing. until at last she said in tone Of
yielding. II suppose 1t is all right. but
It does look ridiculous for
"Sh-sh! Here comes Hilda." eau
toned he.
Ben was smoking very contentedly
when she entered. AS neither made
remark Of any kind. she seemed to feel
the urgent need of an explanation Of
something within her own mind and
commenced in the most voluble man.
ner Ibid you think | was going to
STAY all nirht. mOtherp We had snch
Q lot Of things to talk about, Nettie
and r.
who" interrupted Ben. The tone
was so derisive that Hilda cried out
angrily:
Perhaps you do not believe me!
You are always laughing at me, and
think it's awful mean of YOU
Ben smoked placidy and made no
reply. which angered Hida all the
more She looked toward her mother
as If craving support. but as she ap-
peared absorbed in her occupation the
enraged girl founced out of the room.
slamming the door vigorously.
1t lacked only week to the date set