Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-05-14

COMPOUNDED long while the bang this
time, isn't it? Wonder if it ever
misses fire.
How would you care for fat such
as this?"
I must have looked puzzled, for he
vent on hurriedly:
No, don't mean the fiat you mean,
so you need not look severe; / mean
one room, and all that sort OF thing
he finished vaguely.
Why" began nervouslv. Il
should think it would be rather-nice.
but
"Crampedm he interposed quickly.
Yes, l knew you would say that"
I said I supposed he was only chat
fing and did not mean anything.
20, dear, no; it's only my way! But
it is curious-that what's 'er name
must certainly have missed fire.
You know the man said we were
not on any account to stir until after
the explosion"
20, just as you like. I'm all right
only l thought-Maud and Fred, you
know-but no doubt they will be wait
ing too. Though, I suppose, they
would say they were only one, and it
is we who were the two"
Does he think 1 am trying to keep
him here on purpose?" I wondered.
You quite understand" ex-
planned, 1T is not that l want to
stop"
80, l quite understand, and could
hardly expect that" he assented pleas
antly
But you know We cannot possibly
go until after-after-"
NO, daresay you are right. 1t
would be rather awkward, [ daresay.
to go out and find ourselves the center
of a small eruption. What a Stating
we should get!'
30, there it is-confound it," we ex-
claimed together, as a tremendous ex-
plosion announced the possibility of
our release, and forthwith We stepped
on to the terrace outside.
You seem awfully delighted to get
out said George, rather pointedly,
and l supposed he meant it for sar-
casm; but [ could not resent it. or say
was not.
'One can breathe more freely, now
that the-the explosion has come off,
was all could say.
Just then came Maud.
ooh, there you are! Where on earth.
or under it, have you been?" And
seeing our confusion, she was misled
into adding: eve began to think you
must have run off with her'-this.
with would-be archness, was to George.
But this was too much
mo, by Jove; l wish | hadl Fact is,
Maud, I'm an awful fool! To think
Of wasting such a chance! We've been
shut up there two blessed hours, and
told you I'd something very particular
to ask Edith"
Well" she replied, looking dub
iously at me-
1T isn't well; 1 haven't been able to
say a word. You will just have to ask
her for me, and that's a fact. When
W. u ) " COlIIC " IIIC punt, Sn6
either brushes me or freezes me; and
I've been talking the most awful drivel
you ever heard
Then why didn't you come out?"
eve were waiting for the explosion,
don't you know, and II couldn't ex-
plode."
WhereupOn Maud burst out laugh
ing, and l could not for my life think
why.
But for me, there would have been
no explosion. When the last whistle
sounded the men finished work for the
day. They all went home. We thought
you must have gone too, at first; while
as to finding you-well, it would have
taken weeks. But I guessed how you
were occupied"-here George groaned
aloud-"so by way of rousing you | got
the foreman to make another bang,
just as | shall have to
She looked wickedly at George, then
ran away.
And at that he exploded, and out it
came with a rush. How he had been
dying for days to ask me-just what |
had been dying for days to hear-only
would not have had him know it for
the world.