The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-12-07
A Chance Proposal,
By Frank Pratt.

Rags, gave vent to deep sigh of the
more sentimental type.
Miss Allardyce groaned in hooking
sympathy.
"Poor dear" said she, OTIS digestion!
1 might have known it. That enormous
supper you ate at the Herringtons' last
night was sufficient to disarrange the
astronomical organs Of an ostrich.
II don't think you ought to chaff me
under the circumstances, said Rags
aggrievedly.
Tin the name of all that's wonder
full, why not? l didn't annex three
separate quails, in addition to many
other unwholesome complications"
''Oh, please be quiet, Aimee! You
know I'm not talking about quails."
what are you talking about, then?
1t seems to be solemn subject"
you, of course"
Now, look here Rags" said Miss
Allardyce decisively II am quite
willing that you should talk about me
can't imagine nicer subject of con-
versation-only / do protest against
golemnity. I'm not solemn. l never
was; and hope 1 never shall be"
'I am awfully sorry" said Rags apol-
ogetically, II suppose / am rather--er--
dull to-day. The fact is I heard a
piece of news at the club just now
which upset me bit"
"You aren't cheerful certainly" Miss
Allardyce admitted. Whats the bad
news?" she added more sympathetical-
ly.
ooh, nothing-nothing at ALL 1t
wouldn't interest you. When / say bad
news, only mean bad from my point
of view. 1t probably wouldn't strike
you that way a bit"
Rags, you're too irritating You
arouse my curiosity, you look mysteri-
ously gloomy, and then you refuse to
tell me why. At least you can tell me
what it's about, surely?"
about you, of course. What else
would mean, it's about you"
about me? My dear Rags, tell me
all about it at once. 1 insist"
Mr.. Thornton shook his head.
mo USE" said he. II came here
to congratulate you"
ITO congratulate me?" queried Miss
Allardyce, puzzled. well, of course,
it's awfully nice of you, and / suppose,
ON the whole, am to be congratulated.
In my saner moments / realize that
am very lucky young woman"
Rags looked at her and flushed.
81 suppose you think me an awful
bad lot-a spendthrift, and all that
sort of thing?" he said dolefully
"Of course | do" assented Miss AL
lardyce cheerfully; you wouldn't be
half as nice otherwise. I like to inn
agine you as being capable of doing
anything idiotic without moments
remorse."
II amt half as black as I'm painted
pleaded Thornton. ?
''They say the same of an acquaint-
ance of yours, 1 believe" replied Miss
Allardyce vaguely.
please don't" said he gravely. Il
hate to hear your speaking as IL you
believed / was an out-and- out black
guard"
Miss Allardyce waved reproving
finger in the air, and laughed.
II will not have my illusions torn
from me. I choose to believe that
you're a sinner-quite nice sinner, of
course" she added hastily, land with
few redeeming virtues, but still a
sinner"
Thornton rose. There was a lump in
his throat which prevented him swal-
lowing with comfort. He wanted very
much to be furiously angry-but with
whom? Obviously to be angry with
Miss Allardyce would be both absurd
and unseemly. The one remedy, there
fore, was to take his departure.
Going already?" asked Miss Altar
dyce, a shade of disappointment in her
voice.
Yes" said Thornton gloomily. Il
I've got to meet man at the club
od-bye."
He held out his hand, and turned to
leave the room. In passing the little
table at which Miss Allardyce had been
sitting dispensing tea, he accidentally
dropped his gloves; and, as he stopped
to pick them up. letter slipped out of
the breast-pocket of his coat 1t was a
fat, heavy, bulky letter, obviously con-
tanning many sheets of paper, and 1t
fell with the address uppermost.
Thornton did not notice it at once,
but Miss Allardyce did She leant for
ward and picked 1t up
For mel" she exclaimed, glancing at
the address.
mo-"
Thornton's voice was harsh, and he
was white. to the lips
Il mean,' he added, less abruptly,
please give that back to me; 1t is not
intended for you.
but it is directed to me" said Miss
Allardyce.
Give it back to me, please" repeated
Thornton doggedly
Il shall do nothing of the sort! It's
directed to me; it has come into my
hands; 1t is my property to do what /
like with"
Then if you won't give it to me,
burn it--now."
Now Rags" said Miss Allardyce.
sinner or not, I always thought YOU
had some sense What would be the
point OF your writing me a long letter
and then asking me to t4al il up be-
fore ! read it2 II simply can't be done,
you know. Woman's curiosity is not
to be denied
Mss -NlGrdyce. under the circum-
stances must insist on your giving up
the letter. 1t is my property, not yours.
1t fell from my pocket by accident You
have no right to keep it,"
Miss Allardyce flushed little. she
was in the wrong and she knew It.
therefore she got angry.
Il shall do just as l pleased" she an
swered. You addressed the letter 10
me, so you obviously meant me TO read
it," And she broke the seal.
Thornton took a step forward.
Wait q minute. please he said ner-
vously. If you consider the letter to
be yours and won't do what II tell
you to, at least you might just for this
once do what l ask you. haven't
often asked you to do anything for me.
and it is just because l can't ask for
all that I want that ! ask you 70 do
this"