Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1888-09-20
wooers, and Harry Petrie became alb

wooers, and Harry Petrie became abb
surdly jealous.
On the last evening of George Ham
ilton's visit he found me, as l anticl-
pated he would, at q favorite haunt by
the river side. His manner was
strangely grave, and l found some dif-
ficulty in leading him into converse
ton, for the few remarks l at first ad-
dressed to him he answered in mono
syllables. But soon he conquered this
retraint of speech, and then-and
then
1t was a Frenchman who said that
ga clever man may love like maniac,
but never like a fool" George Ham,
ilton made love like neither. He was
cool and sclf-possessed and rational as
he asked me to be his wife, but there
was that genuine ring of sincerity IN
his voice which made it all the more
painful to me to reject his proposal.
eff l dare dream, Helen, that time
might reverse this verdict! 1t is said
that wOman's No is not always ire
vocable, and, trust me, 1 could wait IN
patience if only you left me one thread
of hope to cling to-"
81 can not cheat you with deluslve
hopes, Mr.. Hamilton. A wOman's love
never was and never shall be her own
to bestow: if it were there might be
less unhappy marriages. But her
heart goes from her keeping before she
knows it."
Il think understand you. You al
ready love another"
1T is a strange confession for girl
to make. win not you think so? But
you have guessed right. l love, long
have loved, another" And moment
later mother came to summon US to
supper.
That night Harry Petrie called and
found me in the sitting room. He
looked mOrose and miserable, poor
boy, and his voice betrayed his irrita-
ton in the first words he spoke.
..'Tain't often one has a chance OF
finding you alone, Helen. In fact,
expected to find you tete-a-tete with
that other fellow
THAT other fellow! You mean Mr..
Hamilton, / presume, Harry"
'.Yes, l mean Mr.. Hamilton, l don't
know what encouragement you've
given him, but any idiot could see he's
half in love with you"
Half in love with me. Only half!
and yet he has asked me to be his
wife. Doubtless he thinks the other
half would come after the honeymoon"
l murmured, sweetly.
l shall not try to describe Harry
Petrie's face as he heard my words,
and in very pity for the boy fastened
to assure him that my answer had been
a refusal. / am sure that he, the hand
soonest of my adorers, never felt so
happy as he did that moment, and as
for myself, when alone, | found my
self repeating, 1.-Two proposals within
two hours. 1t amt every girl that
can beat the record, as Jim would
say"
met my guardian at the orchard
gate the following evening as he re-
turned from the farm.
81 was on my was to meet yOu," l
said, .'for want to talk with YOU"
"Well, what is it?" he asked, CURLY,
as he paused at the gate on which his
hand was resting.
'.As my guardian I wished to ask
you when shall be legally of age"
LAS if you didn't know that! But l
think / guess your reason for asking.
Now let us understand each other. If
/ am your guardian l am not necessar-
lily your tyrant. You can marry to-
morrow if it SO please you without let
or hindrance from me"
.'Can |. indeed? Perhaps you have
also chosen a husband for me-
'Would that not be loves labor
lost since you have already made the
choice yourself. Hamilton told me
last night that you declined to marry
him, and you supplemented that re-
fusal with the uncalled-fOr confession
that you already loved another"
.'And what if l did?''
''Oh, nothing; but most girls would
know how to make even persistent
lover take his congo without revealing
her own secret. You wish to marry
Harry Petrie, and you have my con-
sent, if that is what you're after"
He asked me to marry him last
night, and
.'And did not say you You have my
CONSENT"
Nobody asked for your CONSENT" I
answered holly. "You wouldn't let
one finish the sentence; but, of course,
you're anxious to get rid of me-"
''Child, you are unjust to me. You
do not know what a dreary place this
old home will be when you are gone
from it forever. But the parting
should come some day, and now, al
though have sometimes found you a
self-willed child, I'm willing to give
Harry Petrie certificate to your good
character"
Thank you, but it won't be neces-
sary. l mean to stay in this dear old
home until-until you marry"
''And Harry Petrie:?"
I've refused him"
'.After your confession that you
loved him."