Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 April 1909 — THE STOLEN KISS [ARTICLE]

THE STOLEN KISS

Esme Barton as she rode along on her trusty little cob paid no heed to the weather, so absorbed Was she in her own thoughts. Ralph Underwood was coming that night to ask her to be his wife, she felt sure, for his manner at the Pletchers’ dance the other evening had been unmistakable. r - ' What answer should she give him? Could she ever love a man she did not altogether trust? Ah, if only Jack could speak she knew what answer she would give if he ever asked the same question, but Jack never would now, though years ago he had shown in a hundred little ways that he loved her. But that was before his father died and Briarsmere was found to be mortgaged and all the affairs terribly involved. So now Jack was a poor man and had even undertaken work as Underwood’s agent to pay off the mortgage which Ralph held. Esme was rich and could do as she liked with the fortune she had inherited from her mother, but was powerless to help Jack because of that unwritten law that “a man is to woo, a woman to be wooed.” The rain poured down and at last awoke Esme to a sense of what was going on around her. The rain was coming down in torrents. and an ominous roll of thunder in the distance made Beauty tremble. It was a lonely part of the road. Only a little cabin, much out of repair, was in sight. She hastened toward it, not knowing if Mrs. O’Grady still occupied the place or whether she had already gone to live with her sister in Kerry. On trying to lift the latch Esme found it was locked, but discovered a shelter in the peat shed at the back. As she stood there caressing her horse to allay its fears she was startled to hear a key fitted into the lock of the door in front of the house. The boards of the mud covered walls were ill fitting and rotten, and Esme could distinctly hear two men talking as they entered and shook the water from their clothes. “A good thing we were so near the place,” said Underwood. “Yes,” answered a voice which made Esme blush in the semidarkness; “it is a bad storm, but it will soon be over. I am not sorry it has come now, as you will see that something must be done to the place before another tenant occupies it. It isn’t fit for a dog to live in, much less a human being.” “I shall do nothing. It’s no use spending money on property of this kind. These peasants are used to pigging it. Leave the place alone.” “That is, of course, your affair, Mr. Underwood,” said Jack> “In my posh

fion as agent it was my duty to point out to you what was needed, but I cannot make you do it. Only I tell you as man to man that the neglect of your tenants’ Interests is a disgrace to the neighborhood. I have worked as your agent in order to work off the mortgage which you hold on my property, but I suppose the foreclosure you threaten must come now, for I cannot work for yon any longer and have not money to redeem the estate.” “And pray why am I to lose your valuable services?” said Underwood. “You know that during my management your profits have nearly doubled, but when it comes to distilling liquors in underground distilleries and expecting me to be a party to the fraud I draw the line.” , ‘‘How dare you speak like this to me!” said Underwood, choking with rage. “You pauper, if I had not employed you you would have starved!" “You are exaggerating my poverty,” said Jack in a calm tone. “It is true by honest work I hoped to regain my property, but when you expect dishonest work you have come to the wrong man. “By, the way,” continued Jack, and Esme could hardly catch his words, for he was already in the road, “I have ordered back the pipes and stills.” “The dickens you have!” roared Underwood as he paced the miserable room. A quarter of an hour later Esme was in the cozy office of her friend and adviser, Mr. Rance. “It is a large sum of money to invest in landed property, Miss Esme.” “I know,” said the girl in her quids, bright way, “but what does that matter? I have ever so much more when that is spent. Besides, I happen to know the mortgage will be foreclosed if this money is not paid, and I have other reasons as well.” Beauty, trotting along in the twilight, was within a mile of her own warm stable when she suddenly swerved from a dark figure walking rapidly along in the shadow. Esme, who had been sitting loosely in the saddle, thinking over her afternoon’s work, W’as taken unawares and flung violently to the ground. Stooping over her, Jack—for it was he who had unwittingly frightened the cob—lifted her quickly in his arms. She was dazed and stunned, and as her head rested on ids shoulder he stooped and, pressing his lips to hers, stole the kiss that he never dared to hope would be his by right. “Esme.” he said after a pause, in which each read the other's heart, “I never dared to hope that you had given me your love, and I have no right to ask you to be my wife, for la a few Weeks I shall have no home. Briarsmere is no longer mine. I kissed you because I' could not help it as you lay in my arms and I thought you had fainted.” “Briarsmere is mine,” said Esme..

■railing," “and ft ft very meanfcOgjraCT Jack, only to want to kiss me Wtten II have fainted.”* »