The Wrangell sentinel., 1916-11-09
A Previous
 
 Engagement
What Happened When the
 Time Came to Keep It.
BY HARRIET LUMMIS SMITH.


 misjudged Cornelia. Ever since the invitation had come for Billy Ran dolph's yachting party on the 1lth Cornelia had been so full of kindly suggestions, so magnanimously in- different to the fact that she herself was not invited, that Betty's tender conscience was pricked by many a compunction.
 q always thought that she'd take revenge on me when I was invit- ed and she wasn't," reflected Bet ty. "It shows how easy it is to get suspicious and misjudge people. But, oh, dear, l never was suspi- cious till l came to live at Uncle Chester's."
 After continued self approach and many excellent resolves it cer- tainly was distressing to oyerhear snatches of a conversation suggest ing that Corr ,a's kindness was not altogether disintercsted.
 With cheeks afame Betty march !. cd into the next room, and Cornelia stopped in the middle of sentence, while Aunt Emily looked coldly an- aoycd.
 EWho is it that is coming to din- ner Wednesday," demanded Betty, who believed in short cuts and di- rect methods.
 Cornelia did not reply. Aunt Emily indulged in an impressive pause before she answered, It is a friend of Alan's."
 Il thought l heard you say MT. Burnham, and 1 wondered if it could be the Walter Burnham who was such friend of Ernest's in col lege. I'd give anything to meet him.'
 Aunt Emily and Cornelia ex- changed glances. 'FUnfortunately you have an engagement" the older woman reminded her.
 "Oh, I'll break it! Walter Burn ham was my brothers dearest friend, and I'd give mp dozen yachting parties before I'd miss the chance of seeing him."
 Corneiia's mamma turned majes- tically to Betty.
 1In this world, my dear Betty, we are not expected to do exactly as We please. I have brought Cor nelia up to believe that an engage ment is promise and therefore sacred"
 "But I could explain it to Billy Randolph, and he's so good na tured"-
 "We will not discuss the matter further, Betty. It is not question of Nr. Randolph's good nature, but of your own good breeding. l shall expect you to keep your engage ment, as Cornelia would do in your place."
 Betty looked across at the mirror on the other side of the room and surprised a malicious smile on the face of Cornclia. It had all been planned beforehand. That was what the smile acknowledged.
 Betty walked out of the room, afraid to trust herself to speak. Her old suspicion that her cousin feared the comparison of her more mature charms with those of pink and white eighteen had become a certainty.
 Under other circumstances Betty would have laughed over the dis covery with half pitying, half amused wonder. But this was Wal ter Burnham, her faraway brothers college friend, about whom she had woven romantic fancies when her skirts came just below her knees.
 And now he was to take dinner at her home, and she would be on Billy Randolph's yacht, listening to Billy's tiresome stories. Open re- bellion against Aunt Emily was out of the question. But the extremity of defiance may be the opportunity of diplomacy.
 The corner druggist had a call from Betty that afternoon. 'I want something for a cold" she mur- mured sweetly as she leaned toward him with pretty air of appealing confidence.
 The druggist was beginning to expatiate on the virtues of well known remedy when she checked him. "You don't understand. l don't want to cure a cold want to get one."
 The man stared, began to laugh and ended by looking interested as he caught the faintest glint of a twinkle in the blue eyes turned ap- pealingly upon him.
 "Ah, l see," he said, with mock gravity. ""You want to sneeze and