The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-07-13

''GreaI Scout. exclaimed. IN stage
whisper, the rosy advantages of my
plan suddenly fading in the cold light
of reality.
There, l told you sol" cried Margery,
ungenerously, sitting up abruptly so
that her hair fell about her in great,
shining, coppery shower.
"Sh-shut up" whispered, reaching
out with an agitated stockinged toe for
the bedroom slipper l had carelessly
kicked off moment before.
Again the knock came, this time more
imperative.
what in heavens name shall we
| do?" gasped Margery.
Keep still, you chump!" said, soto
voce, too nervous to pick my words.
Then the door handle turned and we
heard Ned's voice saying: There's
nobody home. Let's come in and wait
| for them"
"All right" was the reply, in Jacks
bass tones. "Maybe it's not the proper
thing, but we might as well risk it," and
we heard the door close as our visitors
| entered and touk possession of our
apartment.
1t was too ridiculous. I'd have had
to laugh if our lives had been at stake,
and in spite of the imminent danger of
discovery in this notifying plight
stuffed all of a sofa pillow that would
GO into my mouth and shook till my
sides ached.
1t was the expression on Margery's
face that recalled me to myself at last.
CHANGING to glance up from behind
corner of the cushion 1 was trying to
swallow, l caught her listening with
strained attention to something that
| was being said on the other side of the
screen, with every bit of color gone out
of her face and a look in her eyes I'd
| never seen there before.
EYES," Jack was saying, eff they
don't hurry III have to go without say
ing good-by. My train leaves at seven,
| and I've lots to do"
Ned lighted his pipe before lie re-
piled. Dear Ned, l believe he would
| smoke in Heaven if Peter didn't take the
precaution to search him before he let
| him in.
81 guess it'll surprise them some," he
remarked at last. Especially when
| they hear you're never coming back"
l nuged Margery violently at this, but
she didn't look at me-the minX-and
| then Jack went on dolefully:
son. they won't care very much, I'm
afraid
"Of course they will" protested Ned,
pulling away. And L will anyway.
Must you go, old boy?'
"Well, it's this way, Ned. AS long as
| l hoped that Margery might care for
me l wouldn't give in to my uncle's
proposition that 1 should marry his
ward, Miss Wilson, and become his heir,
| but now that I'm satisfied / have no
| chance with the girl l love, L might as
well marry the other one and please the
old man, | suppose. I'll be miserable
| anyway And Jack heaved such sigh
| that the big paper screen waved about
| till it threatened to come down about
our heads.
l gave Mortified look at Margery, but
| her hair had fallen over her face, and
could only see one little hand clinched
| fiercely as if she had pain somewhere.
| i reached dumbly over and tried to take
| the little hand, but she shook me off,
and so I fell to listening again.
"Well, it's not so bad as it might be-"
Ned was saving, encouraginoly. 81
hear Miss Wilson is beauty
"She is" said Jack, with enthusiasm.
"And then think of the money, my
| boy Most any fellow would envy you"
81 suppose So" said Jack, drearily,
''But must go. Times up. Will you
say good-by to the girls for me, Ned?
! Tell Margery-"
Here Jack choked and l was so busy
| catching a large, warm tear that was
| chasing toward the end of my nose that
/ forgot to look at Margery, when to
| my amazement a little figure in a gray
| bath robe, with a cloud of coppery hair
flying after it, bounded right over me,
| and as the screen toppled over with a
| crash heard Margerys voice cry:
"Oh, no. Jack, you mustn't go. II
| love you, jack
l had confused vision of Jack seiz-
| ing the little figure in his arms, and
| then / started to rum don't look so
pretty with my hair wet as Margery
does. But somehow when / got to the
| door / met Ned, and as | looked up
wrathfully something L saw in his eye
| made me stop short.
Ned Tucker" 1. exclaimed, you
| knew we were there all the time"
"Well," he said, not a whit ashamed,
| eff you will leave the ventilating shaft
, open"
You wretch" / cried, and then some
| thing else struck me. and the uncle"
| / gasped, land the beautiful Miss Will
SON.
Are about as real" said Master Ned,
''as civil service reform. Chicago
| Herald.
One Womnn's Wisdom,
He had proposed to the idol of his