Kitty's Conquest

time on no hurried visit, but with the deliberate intention of accepting the cordial invitation of the judge and Harrod to spend a month

age about Amory: "He has entirely recovered; that is to say, he is as strong and active as ever; but still-I don't know how to express it exactly-he is not the same man he was before that night. You know that the wound in his shoulder was a very slight one, and that his injuries were mainly shocks and bruises received by being thrown and dragged by his wounded horse. When he was well enough to drive about, the major used to bring him here frequently; and I really thought that he and Kitty were going to b

of business, yet no spinster aunt could have taken more interest in the affair than mys

e, and the fond, proud light in his dark eyes as he looked down at the graceful form leaning so trustfully upon his arm, was a sight that made me envious. Presently Kitty came down; but not the Kitty of old. Ah! little girl, what is it that has made those soft eyes so heavy, so sad? What has taken all the color from those round, velvety cheeks? What has become of the ringing, light-hearted laugh that came bubbling up from hear

ice, when we were not speaking of Amory, she rallied for a moment and made an effort. She had taken a chair near the window, and was more than half the time gazing dreamily out towards the road. At last Vinton said he must get back t

ng down the steps; then there was another slight detention,-cause, unknown; time, three minutes and a half,-and finally the clatter of hoofs as the

heart to say one word on the subject of the major's unaccountable display of unmilitary tardiness, though he looked vastly as th

of steel attached to the rowels in such a way as to cause a jingling with every movement. I had gone out on the piazza to meet him, and he quickened his pace and waved his cap with a cheery "How are you, Mr. Brandon?" t

that Pauline had described. He changed color and started every time a footstep was heard in the hall; greeted Pauline warmly when she came down, and seemed to be more himself when ta

ame. If I were Kitty I wouldn't come down to see you at all, Mr. Frank Amory, for you've not

is own, with eyes that are raised to his but for one brief second and then seek any other object but the young soldier before her, with a nervous, fluttering reply to his "Good-morning, Miss Carrington; I hope you're well?" and finally, as she subsides into an arm-chair by the window, with an air of mingled relief and apprehension that puzzles me inexpressibly. Amory, meantime, has resumed his seat (on his fora

til some minutes after, that young lady makes her exit. Then Mars turns upon me, utterly absorbed in the same horse, and with distracting volubility tells me the same rigmarole he told Pauline, every word of which I had heard. The

inute." And as Mr. Brandon obligingly rises to comply with her r

nd see us. Good-by, Miss Carrington; sorry I have to hurry." And out he goes; clatters down the steps and back to his horse; thro

linching the window-sill; two great big tears just starting from each eye and trickling slowly, heavily down her cheeks; her dainty form quivering with emotion. Little by little I am beginning to suspect the t

ant me at all. It was

ardly addressed one word to her through the entire repast, though he gabbled unceasingly to every one else. Just as soon as we could finish our cigars after dinner, and an adjournment was moved to t

, Vinton amused, and K

resolved, before closing his eyes for a good, old-fashioned sleep, that he might as well be hange