Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1900-01-31
HIS BUSY DAY.
81 WAS my busy day.
A pile of correspo1

ing to a mans ambition as Pixies
Peak or the Eiffel Tower burdened my
desk and there was a kink In my tenn
per which | had calculated would re-
qulre a dinner at Martins, tete-atete
with Marguerite, to effectually straight
en- out. Martins chef makes a certain
pate that puts man at peace with all
the world, while Marguerite Is at once
soothing and stimulating, like cham
payne.
At this point my reflections were in
terrupted by Forsythe, the best fellow
In the world, but with an unlucky habit
of turning up at the wrong moment.
l didn't give him the glad hand exact
ly for which l was sorry enough after
ward, but he was too preoccupied to
notice.
'Oh, I've something to say to you,
Austin" he said after few prelimi-
naries, with the effect of having just
remembered something.
"All right" l replied, taking my feet
off chair to shove 1t toward him, 'but
make 1t twenty words if you can. I'm
in a rush to-day"
Il can do it quick enough" ne went
on, with an uneasy laugh. 81 just want
to ask you il you've any intentions of
a matrimonial sort, you know, toward
Marguerite
The devil you dor' exclaimed. at
strikes me that's my business"
Perhaps it is" he said, with an air
of wishing to do me every justice, ''per-
haps 1t is, but it's mine, too
Indeed | remarked, feeling that l
was unanswerable.
You see, AUSTIN" cried Forsythe,
when you introduced billiard and me
to Marguerite we both thought you
were a trifie gone In that direction. and
when | found | thought such lot Of
her | couldn't live without her | felt
that / had no right TO ask for her until
l found out whether you wanted her
yourself"
"Deuced good of YOU" commented,
stiff1y seeing he had paused for re-
ply.
at only seemed fair to give you the
first chance" he finished, looking at
me in hurt sort of way that made
me ashamed of myself.
You're all right. old boy" FASTENED
to say. Forgive me- you took me by
surprise. But since you ask me / don't
mind saying | never had a thought Of
marrying Marguerite" (which was true
enough. and I'd never thought OF any
one else marrying her eitherl.
I'm mighty glad of that" cried For
sythe, joyfully.
mo doubt | said, trifle dryly; but
he FASTENED on: Pm going to take
her TO picture exhibit this morning.
and thought I'd like to ask her then,
II you assured me the field was clear.
hope have your good wishes, Aus
tim
Certainly" | said Go ahead and
try for her, and good luck go with you,
old man."
The painful memory OF the grip he
gave my hand on leaving still fingered
with me when billiard dropped in an
hour later. l gave billiard the other
hand.
"Hullo.' he cried. BUSY, Austiu?"
Rather | returned, shortly. Dill
lards only occupation in life is spend
ing an income of forty thousand year,
and it's hard to be glad to see man
like that when you've got your own
nose down on the grindstone
Just a word in your ear and I'm
through, he announced IT'S about
Marguerite, you know
'Margueritew | exclaimed. "then
you've heard"
Heard what he cried. "Are you
engaged to herY'
"Certainly not answered. with EN-
phasis; what made you think that?"
''Oh. l thought you rather fancied
her and I'm tremendously glad TO hear
you don't care about her" u wasn't
aware that I'd said that. but let it
pass) "She and her aunt are going To
take lunch with Forsythe and me to-
day, aud thought might getla chance