Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-10-05
=,
---- Dovenport.'
10. | don't believe | do"

No, l don't believe I do
You don't believe you do?" repeated
Will Davenport slowly. Helen. don't
you know?''
I'm bothered an I'm worried an
I'm troubled every day" she quoted
Saucily. It's really wearing on my
nerves or would if I had any, which
very much doubt, or 1 should long
ago have become a blighted being
Billy, why do you tease me SOP
Tease you?'' he answered. sadly
Is it teasing you, I wonder, to tell
you that I love you with my whole
heart and want you for my wife? Is
it teasing you to ask you if you at
least love me?"
why, of course not, if you would
ask it and then like a reasonable be
ing let the matter rest. But you say
it so many times it gets monotonous,
Billy"
And your final answer, Them he
asked, sis, No 1 don't believe 1 dog "
why, yes. If you choose to consid-
err it final. And I'm sure I hope you
do"
Then he said. rising suddenly, Il
shall do as Uncle Carter wants me to.
Go to India for him!''
The little figure in the low hammock
where it had been idly swinging, sat
straight UP and regarded with round,
wideopen eyes the taM young man
who stood before her in the moonlight
which showed a very positive and de-
termined expression on the handsome
face.
You will?" she said at length
What for, Billy"
What for?" he said, impatiently
DO you suppose I can stay here and
see you married to any one else?
Harvey Thomas, for instance?"
Helen Wilson laughed softly. low
ringing laugh, and lay back in the
hammock, clasping her hands above
her head
what boy you aren' she said.
"As if you didn't know very well that
[ don't intend to marry anyone. My
nilsson in life is to be an old maid
and bake caraway cookies and seed
cakes and have an eight-day clock and
wear a cap and spectacles-hOw long
before you will go to India?"
Till next week. he said, briefly.
ITO be gone--how lOng?".
II don't know; a year, possibly two
years. I can't tell. l shall run over
to Boston Thursday night and come
back Saturday. Then I will probably
leave Monday"
'I'l1 hate to have you go dreadfully,
awfuEy!'' she said, smothering a little
yawn It'll be no end of a bore, as
you say, not to have anyone to go
fishing with this summer and bait my
hooks. Don't go, Billy"
yes, that's all you care" he answer
ed, moodily. only say the word and
I'll stay
Don't be unreasonable and silly,
William. simply because you know
how. What word?"
He rose abruptly Good night" he
said, shortly. II suppose I may come
to say good bye Sunday?"
ooh, yesr' she said, readily, unless
go to Aunt Polly's Saturday. I prob
ably won't though. Good night
Funny boyr' she thought fondIy as
she watched him striding down the
walk. How does he suppose I'm ever
going to love him, I wonder? I like
don't believe I do
VIII Davenport was head clerk in
a large wholesale house in Boston, with
fair prospects Of becoming Junior part
ner before long. He was comfortably
we'll off, the world would say, but
Caesar was ambitious aud when Har-
vey Thomas had come to the little vii
lage where Helen was spending the
summer with an aunt, she had found
that at no very distant date she could,
if she chose, satisfy her ambition to
certain degree.
For Harvey Thomas was a rising
young barrister, whose wealthy parents
lived in Boston and who had come
down to v to look up q former client
whose presence was necessary in a
forthcoming trial.
And besides I like Harvey immense
ly," Helen would always end those
arguments with herself, a statement
which she seemed to think was an over
whelming piece of evidence in his IA
vOr.
SO tonight when the moon set and
threw the shadow of the vines athwart
the figure in the hammock, it found her
with her mind fully made up. Billy
she never would marry; Harvey
Thomas sometime she would
Thursday brought the young lawyer
down from the city, and a long ride
in the afternoon and a twilight walk
through the sweet-scented fields only
her conviction. Friday
about noon after wondering istlessly
why VIII did not appear, she remem-
bered that he had gone to Boston.
ITO be gone until tomorrow night"
she told herself, disconsolately Moth
ing to do all day and tomorrow. II
wish he wouldn't go to India"
ANY news?" inquired a voice at her
elbow.
News? No." she answered, pettishly
Anything but a small cousin who is
V correspondent. Nothing ever hap
pens here, anyway"
"Wel, you see," explained that in
twirling his notebook. II
only have four items for the Transcript |
and thatn never do. I've got to get |
at least a dozen more by six O'Clock. !
Can't you break your arm or do any
thing, ever?" he inquired in an ag-