Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-09-14
Reconsidered Decision !.
By Nellie Cravey Gilmore. :
THERE was no doubt in Dorothy s
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fFrom the Home Magazine. Washington. Reprinted by
Special Permission-)

THERE was no doubt in Dorothy's
mind that she had made a wise de-
cision. That is, according to a Pc
cuniary view of the thing and the smil-
ing approval of host of poor relations
whose proclivities for advice, hereto
fore, were in i'll proportion to the size
of their purse.
And though inwardly rebellious, the
idea of sacrificing herself on the altar
of Mammon seemed to her as interest
ing as it was odd. But money could do
anything!. All the pinching little econ
omies that they had been compelled to
practice for years would vanish like
snow under MONDAY sun, and some
sense of independence be established.
But there is no getting over the bitter
fact that other thoughts, and, perhaps,
other hopes, had been crushed into the
background.
''All that is past and gone, though
Dorothy told herself with a stanch
sense of propriety, land 1 mustn't al
low myself to think too much about it"
She passed her hand, little YEARLY,
through the brown hair that waved
back from her face, and leaned one ell
bow meditatively on the window sill,
thinking of the future she had laid out
for herself, and living over, in a hun
bred ways, the past.
Then she thought of Harry, and look
ing gloomily for an instant at the dia-
mond that sparkled on her finger, drew
it off, slowly, and with a sigh laid it on
her lap. No, it had not been an en-
gagement, exactly-but-
There was all the difference in the
world now. Had he not, only the night
before, after all that had passed be-
tween them, entirely ignored her and
carried Adelaide Hunt, a bright, dash
ing brunette, to the swelIe-t hop of the
season, while she remained at home
That was all. But it was enough. So
that when Col. Eggerton, as usual,
called around, and, as usual, proposed,
she promised, incorporation, final an
swer on the morrow.
So that answered. acceptance-was
written and signed with a scrawl, and
laid on the library table to be posted.
In one Gay everything had been
changed. 1t did not seem possible, yet
as she sat by the low vine-screened win
doE, soft wind lazily lifting the loose
hair on her forehead, each event rose
up in 1urid distinctness before her
mind.
Then a brilliant red famed over the
girls face, and faded off suddenly, as a
tall, athletic young man came quickly
up the walk. AS Harry cambridge
stepped on the low veranda, she left her
seat by the window. and gave him he1
hand with a friendliness that ill-be-
tokened any inward agitation.
The shining regard that broke over
at Oh of hrn
soft color to her cheeks. She smiled-s
little uneasily-and drew her hand out
OF his.
''Will you sit out here?" she said. eft
is cool, and pleasant"
He bowed a smiling assent and sanl
into the empty chair next to hers.
You did not expect me?" h,
quesied, studying the girls face critic
ally.s She was pretty-very pretty.
o tall, slim girl, with regular features
and expressive gray eyes.
81 knew you were here, and I came,
he went on. MAY 1 tell you why?
want to ask you-to tell you how mucl
/ love you, and to ask you to marry me
if you will
Dorothy flushed and turned away,
sort of desolation sweeping over her a
his words.
II would rather you would not-no
say such things,r she returned, nerv
ously, moving away from him.
''But l must" he continued, hal
smiling and trying to look into her face
1T is my first opportunity to ask yor
/ did not feel that had right to be
fore. But now, am in fair positio
to-
He paused for one moment to glanc
at her face, now turned to him, hall
frightened, and with an earnestness a
most paahetic.
You must not, you must not, in
Decd" she choked back a little dry sol
ct has all been a mistake-a wretche
mistake she went on brokenly, he
face pale with suppressed feeling.
She was staring past him, vacantly
at the wide green garden, now bri
liant with a thousand perfumed bio:
SONS, while, with hands cold and tren
bling, she took the ring from her Ia
and reaching toward him suddenly lai
the glistening thing on his knee.
He looked at her in dazed sor. {
way. the happy light dying out OF h
face as his fingers closed mechanical
over the trinket.
why Dorothy-what's the matter
Won't you keep il? ?"
A look of keen disappointmer
crossed his features as he looked at he
81 would rather not" she returne,
her voice tremulous in spite of hersel
''You. see"-twisting the end of b,
SASH am going to marry some OF
else, and"
Dorothy"
He had risen and was leanir