Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-06-23

he determined, if an occasion arose
for a serious talk, to have the matter
settled. How he would manage it he
did not dare to decide; chance, he
thought, would have to be his guide.
Mrs. Fairburn's drawing room was
packed on the night of the dinner.
So much so that poor Mason's heart
sank. If Vera did come his opportun-
ity for tete-a-tete with her appeared
small. She was popular person, and
he knew she would be dragged eff to
entertain some of the lions of the
evening.
The Fairburns' house luckily boast
ed one of the finest gardens in Sus-
sex, and if he could persuade his idol
to go for stroll in that garden he
meant to do so.
At dinner Vera sat directly opposite
him, and he inwardly blessed his host
ess for not crowding the table with
flowers, ferns, or ornaments, which
would have hidden her charming, clear
cut features from him. When looking
at her a calm always came over him,
that he could not explain. Even when
absent from her, he generally pictured
her as limpid spring from which
pSGce was always flowing. Nothing
on eartk, he imagined, could ever ruff
1e her.
The dinner passed OF perfectly. All
seemed thoroughly pleased with them
selves and the world in general.
1t was an hour later, and he was
sitting by Vera's side in the drawing
roen. They were enjoying an Animal
ed discussion on some topic of public
interest, and no chance had so far
presented itself. At last, in pure des-
peration, Arthur blurted out. during
slight fall in the tide of argument:
This room is terribly close; shall we
finish our little controversy in the gar
DEM"
Vera was nothing loath.
1t was a lovely night; the sky was
a mass of twinkling stars, and the
moon gave light that one could
easily read by. Such a moment seemed
specially ordained for love-making
love whispered in the trees and echoed
in the bushes. And yet these two still
continued to disagree, as if such ro-
mantle evenings were intended for the
battledore and shutt1ecock of social
commonplaces.
They had by now wandered to an ar
Dor, and without either of them draw
ing attention to it, they entered and
sat down in the two deck chairs it
boosted. Vera tried to continue the
subject at issue, but Arthur remained
silent. In this wise the conversation
stopped, and each became absorbed,
for the first time, in the beauty and
the stiffness of the night. Presently
with startling abruptness, the silence
was broken upon.
Vera said Arthur. turning toward
her. would you care to marry me?''
1t was not, by long way. the first
time she had received a similar re-
quest, for she had been vainly courted
by the richest and highest in the coun-
try. So vainly. indeed. that people
were even beginning to hint of the
shelf when speaking of her. But
whether it was the suddenness of the
request or the personality of him who
made it, for the minute her confusion
was obvious, though luckily for her
the friendly moon did not light up this
little arbor. Calming herself imme-
diately, and looking quickly up at her
companion. Vera queried: why do
you ask? You don't think I'm in love
with you, do you?"
mo. in fact I'm sure you are not"
Then that settles the question
without further trouble" said Vera.
carefully rearranging her shawl and
establishing herself in a more COM
Portable position, as If some knotty
problem had just been solved.