The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-10-12


"7here shon't be any rtuap' he burst out.
"Why, john" exclaimed I, ''you don't
mean to tell me you're serious? Is it
anything more than Irritation? You
wouldn't = you wouldn't marry her,
would your"
"For fellow who sets up to be clever
you're the blindest bat / ever came
across" returned John scornfully. "Mar-
ryher? IfIknew that marrying her would
cost me my life "a hours later, I'd marry
her this minute-if she'd have mev'
Nonsense" said l, parting my hair.
"You don't care for women!"
"What business have you to know or
say what / care for? You think don't
feel because I don't chatterI' Johns
handsome Saxon face was flushed, and
his blue eyes were wide open and indig-
nant. His innocence is really pathetic.
eff you are in earnest, of course that
alters the case" said gravely. "You
couldn't expect me to know until you
told me. Perhaps Sinfire doesn't know
ether"
"Oh, yes, she knows" replied he, with
groan.
"Well, modesty is a virtue, but you
needn't carry it so far as to imagine that
if you want her you can't have her for
the asking"
"It isn't modesty; it's common sense!
What is there in me she should care for?
feel no better than the groom in the
how to talk, and don't know what sort
of things she's interested in"
said, However much of paragon
she may be, she is like other women in
being supremely interested in a certain
subject, and that happens to be one in
which you are just now especially pro-
ficient."
"What is it?'
"Why, love, to be sure! And love is
what you must talk to hef. You can do
it, and you can't do it too much! Blurt
it right out. Never mind the words it
comes in! 1t will get to her just the
same. And sooner or later it will 60 hard,
but she will talk back to you!"
But John shook his head and sighed.
"I might talk love to her if ! wasn't in
love with her." he replied after mo-
ment. "But as it is can't get my mouth
open; can only act like an ass. And
that isn't all. feel as if there were some
secret between her and me, something
that she is keeping from me, mean. I
haven't an idea what it can be, but
whatever it is believe it's the cause why
she doesn't want me to propose to her."
Naturally was impressed by this con-
firmation Of my own notion. But I
didn't want to say anything about that
to John. / laughed and asked him
whether there was an unknown rival in
the case.
He took it very seriously-in fact, alto
gether too much so for his health. He
jumped up from the window seat in
which he was sitting, and the vein down
the center Of his forehead swelled, and
his lips became whitish and twitched.
|. "There shan't be any rival!" he burst
out. "I'd kill himI., And he caught up
the Indian, club as if he were going to
illustrate his purpose by Draining me.
But it was not that was in danger.
Poor John suddenly gasped and looked
very strange and staggered back to the
window seat. knew at Gace what allied
him, and this time I succeeded in pre-
venting him from actually losing con-
sciousness. The draft gave him sent
the blood through his veins again with
jump, and the dull stare left his
eyes. 1t was not such bad attack as
the first one. After minute or two he
sat upright and looked at me curiously.
"What doesit mean, Frank" he asked.
"What is the matter with me?"
Something wrong with the circula-
ton, that's all. You smoke too much
probably. You must take more care of
yourself"
II felt as if were going to die"
so do seasick people, but they live all
the same. How long has this sort of
thing been going on? Was that the first
the other day."
"Yes; at least-I don't know. Of
course it's nothing serious. was born
to live to hundred. I'm as hard as nails,
But it's extremely unpleasant while it
lasts. Tobacco, is it? Well, l can knock
off pipe or two without much trouble.
But what did you mean about rival,
Frank? I'm not an unreasonable fellow,
am /? But there isn't room for rival
in this business, you know. He OF I
would have to-
my dear fellow, I know nothing about
any rival. 1t was you that suggested
the idea to me, and didn't suppose you
were any more in earnest than / was"
II want you to understand that Pm
in earnest right through" said John,
standing up and lowering his thick
brown eyebrows and speaking in his
domineering tone.
Imade no reply, but went on with my
dressing. The breakfast bell rang as
reached the last button of my waistcoat.
"Look bere, Frank" said John, turn.
ing upon ps at the door as we were go
ing out, you're my brother, and want
you to help me. There are two reasons
why you can talk TO her better than
can. You've got brains and a tongue In
your head. and you're not in love with
her. You can find out whether she carel