Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-02

I1otl@tt f-te< alflt@rx affI WrnId&ot
upon tins stsfas. * s4d sundry unpless-
ant Suspicious. manly due 20 . fains
reminiscsnce cf sensthsng unaccount-
able IA that sudden Shipping away Of The
boat from under him.
Bat q moments reflection convinced
him thai II was absurd 20 suppose thar
any one should wish Co be nd Of his So
eiety, and even II the 1aost improbable
event be felt sure that not even so young
= lady a. Miss Aston would resort 10
such al undignissd. childish and alto
gethsr improper. method. The disap-
pearsnce OF these d.sagreeable suspicious
was Of course aided By the sincerest re-
greet and sympathy. expressed in voice
which would nave made the fortune OF
an orator or an actress.
'.Of course that ends our rowing"
said Alice decidedly 'Mr Beall can
20 70 the house with you, and win row
ont and find Constance and Mr.. Alexan-
der"
But Dunn. now thoroughly appeased
and not over anxious for unsympaIhetic
male companionship in his rather alb
surd condition, demurred >phaticaily.
How the conclusion was reached he
never exactly understood. but somehow
after considerable argument and protes-
tation he found himself damply on his
way toward the house, while Miss Al
ston and Mr.. Beall had departed On what
seemed to him an utterly useless search
for the remaining members of the party.
The two rowed on IN silence until the
sound NJ Mr.. Dunn's creaking steps had
died away, hen Beal broke the silence
by al Intellectual offer to change his seat
TO the stern.
This seat is far enough aft to balance
the boat" said Alice. with unconscious
technicality. "And you may upset her
moving about. We don't want any more
accidents. am sorry Mr.. Dunn fell
over" she added, after slight panse.
II she smiled her face was turned away
from Beall and he could not see its ex-
preston. II like him very much," she
continued.
80 do l." said Beall. with bitter.
youthful irony. IL like his high ideals,
ard his modest truthfulness, and his
c1lture-dont your
HE Is my guest" responded Alice
coldly.
Beall might have replied that, consid-
ering the recent occurrence, her ideas Of
hospitality were extremely recent and a
trihe suspicious. But having no abso-
lutte proof Of the cause Of that happy
accident he refrained, and simply asked:
He has another claim to your consider
alton, hasn't he"
Alice disdained equivocation. ~ sup
pose" she said, ''you mean to ask
, whether the report of my engagement to
him is true"
Beall briefly assented.
"And by what rightT she asked.
II had the right once" he said sadly.
Suppose we do not talk about what
you once had" said Alice. "You didn't
seem TO care much about it then"
This startling perversion of the facts
bewildered Beall too much for any at
tempt at defense. lie could only ask
once moro for An answer to his question.
"And if told you," said Alice. 81
cuppose you would do as You did on a
similar occasion once before-threaten
to do something desperate. and then not
do it. And should be so disappointed. !"
Beall took this rather aggravating re-
! mark rather good naturally. mo; I've
learned something since them" he said.
81 wished to know about this simply be-
cause if you are not engaged to Mr..
Dunn have an important piece of news
to tell you"
II suppose You viii pardon my saying
that ! don't take as much interest as
most persons in important pieces Of
news" said Alice. But it is due to Mr..
! Dunn for me to tell you that the report
isn't true"
"Then." replied Beall, II can tell you
my news. But if you don't mind
would rather not teKi to the back of
] your head" So saying he calmly took
possession Of half Of the rowing seat.
"What wished to tell you" he contin-
ned, sis that | ara going to be married
In few months"
Alice started. "You arei And to
| whom
"That's just the difficulty" he said
coutenplativeiy. ''I've arranged every
thing else satisfactorily. My business
affairs are all right--right enough for
me to marry seven or eight girls if the
law permitted. I've thought Of every
! thing else. l haven't spoken to the diff
ferent people, but I suppose there will
be no trouble. The only problem is, as
you suggest, about the bride. So Icams
over mainly to ask you to occupy that
position"
Alice turned suddenly. "Mr. Beall,"
she said, 'this is most unpleasant form
| CT joke
as isn't joke at all, !" he answered
plscidly. "You laughed at my vehe-
menoe and romance about such things
once before, so l thought would try a
style you would like. But. on my honor,
I never was moro in earnest in my
life
Alice drew the blade Of her oar slowly
| through the water for a moment. There
was every reason in the world why she
| should refuse q proposal made in this
cool. confident and irritating manner.
/ 50. being a woman, she answered finally,
"welI. suppose it would be pity to
break up sll your arrangements
| As Bsall sat late that night in Mr..
Alexandsr's room enjoying TO the ut
most the bitter end of long black
cigar, ne said charftsbr. Now there's
Dunn dout think he's such . bad sort
/ of fellow after all.