Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1898-02-23

"Who said it, | asked, hoarsely.
Dolly engaged-and to that-cad-with
my name.
"Oh. everybody says so. and then
she looked at me with such an unpleas-
! ant smile That's your name. too,
/ isn't it?''
Yes, | believe it is said, brilliant
~, moving away from her.
Dolly engaged | couldn't grasp the
full significance of K: the thought left
me dazed and bewildered. This very
night should decide it, | would go to
| her and ask if there were any truth IN
| it. Just then she came toward me as
| II she were goi"g TO take ME OUT, but
something in my face must have stop
ped her.
What Is the matter? she asked,
| turning a little white.
Dolly" | said, sternly, will you give
me the first two dances after supper"
''Of course, If you want them; but
won't you dance now?" | never saw
Dolly so meek before.
NO" | answered, almost roughly,
mot now" She left me with strange
look on her sweet face.
| 1t seemed centuries until supper; l
tried to think of what should say to
her, but my mind was in such cha
otto state that | decided to depend on
the inspiration OF the moment.
At last supper was over, and l found
| her, tucked her arm in mine, and
| marching off to a quiet nook, put her
| in the only seat and stood accuslngly
| before her.
Dolly" l began, ''look at me!' This
she did, little timidly, | thought. and
l almost forgot what l was going to
say in the joy of looking at her.
my darling" l went on, Il have
loved you so long, so well, and hoped
that in the course Of years you might
come to care"-she dropped her eyes;
| Just then l remembered that horrible
gossip-"but tonight, Dolly, l heard
something that turned my heart to
| stone"
"What was 1T" she asked.
"That you were engaged To-
"Who?" breathlessly.
Morton" l gasped; that wretched,
caddish--"
"Stopr she said, with dignity.
Tell me-you shall" grasped her
wrists. Is it SOP
| If 1t had been any woman in the
world but Dolly / should have said she
| was embarrassed. She actually blush
ed.
NO" she said, slowly; sit is not so;
| but" Her hands went up and COW
cred her face. Heaven! suppose she
should cry.
| "But WHAT" I insisted, cruelty;
you're not engaged to him, but you're
| in love with him?' She took her hands
away, and her face was very red; if it
| had not been such a serious moment
should have said she had been laugh
ing.
Mr.. Morton has-never-asked me to
| be his-wife; If he does-I shall"
was beside myself.
"And If he does?' / Kissed.
81 shall say yes'-very softly. A ter
rible silence ensued; the earth was
sinking beneath my feet.
you love this Mr.. Morton?' l asked,
sharply.
And then the very queerest thing in
the world happened. Dolly's face
whitened a little as she rose and put
out her hand.
Eyes, you old goose" she said, 81
love this Mr.. Morton"
1t didn't take me long to gather
Dolly into my arms. The next five
minutes are not to appear In this mar
| rative.
Dolly" said l, blissfully, "did you
ever know such a stupid old fool as
ann"
Never in all my lfe," said the sweet
est Of girls, her voice coming from the
vicinity of my coat collar
"And do you suppose that woman
meant me when she told me that gos-
sip, my darling?'
"Of course she-dld," said the voice,
"and I'm glad she said 1t; don't be-
lieye you'd ever have asked otherwise"
My answer would not look well on
paper.
DO you know, Dick, that you never
have asked me before?
And when l came to think of it
never had.-"The Folks at Home"