The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1900-03-10

your hcad?"
But you are treating me so differ
entity from the way you usually do.
So
81 have always treated you politely,
haven't ~
"Oh. pshaw. don't mean that.
Now | insist on knowing" he began
pcttiShly. but she interrupted him with
some aSpcrity.
Insist. Mr.. George. never knew
that YOU had any right to insist on
anything with me-"
Il don't mean that" he tried to eN-
plain. and in the meantime he was los
ing his temper rapidly ut finding his
plans 50 upset. but you seem so queer
tonight
"Thanks for the compliment, Mr.
George
The iteration of "AIr. George" eXaS-
pcratcd him completely. and h" tried
to say something. failed and then start
ed toward the door. intending to leave
the house Hut ut that moment Mrs.
Page entered the room ana wished him
the compliments OF the season.
1t would not do to let her see that he
was angry. So he chIttCd with her for
Il few minutes and gradually recover
ed his self control In the meantime
Alma had tim" to reflect that she had
rather ovordnnC her dccorOUS conduct
and was anxious to make up friends.
To see him angry was something new.
and il gNvc her very UNPLEASANT feel
ing about the hear; She didn't like 10
think of losing his friendship. Like a
true woman, she promptly decided to
let the new leaf she had turned over
rustic back to its place and begin again
with the old one. When her mother
left the room, she ran up TO Harold
and, looking up into his eyes with the
sweetest pcnitcnCc, pleaded:
Don't let us quarrel, Harold | ad-
nit | didn't treat you nicely. Won't
you let me sing you the new song |
have learncdE'
Going to the piano, she played her
own accompaniment and sang the lat
est popular song, one that gave her an
opportunity to look ut him roguishly
and flash her beautiful eyes to adj
vantage. He was partly Modified and
more in loTc than ever before she
reached the last verse Her sudden
changes from dignity to frivolity be-
wildcrcd him. but still she was hcaut-
full in ali her moods.
Some, she said extending her
hand to him. 1--WE are friends again.
aren't We? But you must confess YOU
We're not exactly the same as usual to
riOus."
She did not withdraw her hand from
his lingering clasp, for. like the i'm
pulSivc creature she was. she ovcrdid
her reconciliation as she had her re-
form.
"Ycs. was NOR" serious than usu-
al" he said. still holding her hand
'but that was because had made up
my mind to turn over Il new leaf"
"And it was because | had turned
over a new leaf that l was''- Then
she stopped ana blushcd furiously. 1t
would never do to tell him her reso-
luton, and she withdrew her hand, and
bushes became her as much as smiles
"Oh, what was your resolution" she
asked gayly, trying to cover her con-
fusion.
81 had made up my mind to discov-
emo. | have made up my mind-I
love you. Alma! Will you be my
wife,"
81 didn't expect this she whispered
ooh, you must give me time to thinllw
"Thcn you do not love mew he said
blankly.
81 don't know. l always liked you
and want to be friends. And to stop
flirting with you was my good resolu-
tion.'
81 want you to stop flirting with
me-" he said eagerly. 81 want you to
be in earnest"
ooh, it is all so suddenw she pro-
tested. "Let us not turn over new
leaves, but go back with the old ones
just as we were for awhile"
'No" he said doggcdly. Il have
turned over Il new leaf, and over it
stays. | want you to be my wife and
not simply jolly friend"
This speech was in every way char
acteristic of him. and as she looked at
him she felt very weak and foolish in
the presence of his firmness and
strength. She wanted very much to
cry and knew that was foolish, too, but
every second she felt herself yielding
to his dominant will, and when he
suddenly clasped her in his arms she
made no resistance.
After that what trouble they had
with their new leaves! Now that he
claimed a proprietary interest in her.
Harold simply couldn't help meeting
Alma's frivolity with frivolity and I'M
bending cumhrOuslv in RESPONSE to her