The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-25
For a Listener.

| =
| promised to bring in anything. 1t was
just because she frightened the Office so
he wanted 10 see her.
The night editor came in at and Miles
put on his hat and hurried uptown. He
stuffed the Last Edition" into his pock-
ct and swung along Broadway with his
shoulders well back, breathing in the
ozone with half sigh and half content
The sigh was al the certainty of the
inevitable boarding house diner and the
content was having it betered by the
presence of Anita Austin. As he reached
Fourteenth street a figure just ahead Of
him detached itself from the motley
crowd going to and fro and he FASTENED
his steps with evident pleasure.
He was quite up to her now and took
off his hat.
oh she said How glad am to see
you" A little rose flush came to her
| cheeks and she drew her hand from the
tiny muff and gave it to him.
Miles had always liked Lance shep-
pard and felt that she liked him.
Il was just going to send you mes
sage she said, as they walked along to-
gether.
rs it forbidden me to take it?" he
| asked 1t must be for some theater par
| ty or social function, he thought, and
| then he wondered, man-like, If Anita
Austin would miss him.
81 want to talk to you about friend
of mine,'' she said, with some embarrass-
| ment.
with the greatest pleasure" Miles an
swered. He thought grimly that this
meant another hopeless manuscript TO
read or a position to secure for an mex
| perienced applicant. Lance was a phi
| lanthropist to her finger tips. Ell was
entirely taken off his guard when she
said, looking up at him seriously, with
| out bit Of a smile:
Il want you to help me do something
for her.
| We'll" as she hesitated.
| II want you to propose to me-"
Propose to you?" he repeated, blank
! ly.
A deep flush came to her cheeks and
| crept to her forehead. Miss Sheppard
| had fully considered Whist 1t would mean
| TO marry "a struggling journalist, but she
| felt that Jack Miles was not like other
| men and she had frankly confessed TO
herself that she loved him. and but for
her wealth felt that he would long ago
have told her of his love. She under
| stood his pride and hcnored him all the
more for il
She smiled and went on. Yes, I really
do The girl 1 am trying to help out
| never heard man propose, and she
can't make it come right"
My dear Miss Sheppard, you'll have to
make the situation clearer. What can't
she make come right?"
THE proposal-in her story"
OH said Miles. 1t struck him as
new idea.
80 1 promised that I would get man
to propose to me, and let her listen behind
behind the curtain, you know
But this is preposterous," the exclaim-
ed. mo man could propose to girl
icfA he
hind q curtain"
Lance made little despairing gesture.
But it must be done. If you knew how
hopelessly she had worked over her story!
Three times she has written the propo-
sal scene and when [ came-when l saw
her this afternoon she had given up. She
had buried her face in her arms. l did
not know how to help her, so 1 told her
that he might-and that she should sit
behind the portiere and listen. And she
said she wouldn't and all that-but l
showed her that if she wanted to sue
coed in her writing she must do some
things that one doesn't do ordinarily. On,
l talked an hour"
And your part? When 1 propose to
you do you accept me, or reject me?"
lit really doesn't matter" she said,
does it?'
''No-nO," he said, reluctantly. But if
you reject me you won't need to explain
TO her afterward that it was make be-
lieve."
Poor fellow" unused Lance to herself,
lis it that he can't bear the idea of be-
ing accepted in jest?''
We'll" said Miles, as he hailed a cab
for her. III try it. Miss Sheppard, but
you could have chosen a better man for
this sort of thing among your dancing
friends. I'll call this evening, then, at 9
o'clock: but feel very nervous"
I'm sure" said she, that everything
will come cut beautifully And she
nodded from the cab window with a
happy face.
Her name was constantly in
Miles thought. 1t repeated itself must
cally to him, although il could hardly !
have been considered possible for him to
propose to Lance Sheppard with a girl |
listening behind the curtain.
And yet-what if he dared make this !
mock proposal into real one! What if |
he dared snatch this golden prize from /
all othersi
A butler in knee breeches showed him /
into the drawing-room. Anita Austin was |
there reading a book. She was often |
there, but Miles hurried in now with an |
eager exclamation. He was glad in his |
heart to see her. and then he felt that he |
was indeed saved from a most absurd |
situation.
Il didn't know you were here
You came to see Lance? She will be |
down in a minute. She has just gone up
stairs There was slight stiffness in
the girls manner. 1t reacted on him and |
yet he had never seen her look prettier
than tonight
Il came to tell her-well, 1 made her a
promise, and
"Ah, Don't let me interrupt YOU I'm
going in a minute, as soon as Lance
comes down. She looked away from
him.
"Anita?" He laid his hand on the ann
OF her chair She drew away from him.
ANITA, I am going away" She dew in
her breath quickly and he saw the color
die out and leave her pale.
"Away?" sch said ustlessly, not look
ing at him.
Yes, the Big Daily's' wanting to send
me-to the Transvaal- Are you sorry"
That you have such a "hance?" she
laughed uneasily.
Not that am going. Must I go7~
ITO become an Uitlander or 4 British
subject?" She smiled YEARLY and il en-
coura ged MIN.
Anita" He brought his face neal. ard
laid his hand over hers, won't y01 Try
to love me little, dear? Don't yoI ur-
deTstand. darling
Sse tried to draw her hand away, but
he held Il close. cant you love r1a a
little, desr?" he almost whisps-eI
She was afraid 10 look up and let him
read her eyes But he took her fr0aa.rd
face in his free hand and turned i so
that she could read his plainly do You
want me 10 say, VIII you marry ne. as
they do II 5ooks2''
She nodded and looked straight into his
happy eyes.
And you will say 'yesT