Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-02-02

81 have something Of the grestest
Importance to say to you.
Did he Imagine It or did she nestle
closer 70 him He must have been mis-.
taken. and TO chow that he was quite
sure he eiged away from her as much
as the somewhat narrow confines of the
sleigh would allow.
"what do You wish to say. Mr.. Phil
lipsf"
"Mister" Phillips. All, then she was
offended. To he sure she had always
called him that, but efter his last re-
mark 1t must have an added signih-
canoe.
"I-er-do you like sleigh ridineT"
"Why, Of course. or else l wouldn't
have come.
Did che mean that as a slap at himi
Was IL only for the ride and not for his
company that she had conner Oh, he
could never make an avowal Of love
after that He knew his place. This
beautiful girl was not for a faint heart
ed caitiff like himself
''Nun-nun-no. to be sure not. l.
~er-thought that was why you came
Mildred turned her gazellelike eyes
upon him I'm afraid | dent under
stand you.
That settled il. If che didn't under
stand him when he talked Of nothing
i'm particular. he must he very blind in
his u~tterance. and he could never trust
his tongue TO carry such n heavy freight
ms a declaration Of love. No. there was
nothing to do but postpone it. After
all. her house was the best place for it.
The horse sped IN past mantled
meadows and through pine woods full
of filtered moonlight. and Mildred
drank In the beauty Of the scenes and
wished that IL were decorOus for wom-
en- to propose
The night WIS ravishiDg. the sleigh
bells jingled h~armoniously. the horse
swept ON with steady. rhythmic stride.
and under the influence of sweet sur
round ugs Mildred at last said pointed
ly. SIS it so that more people get en-
gnged in winter thgn in summerr' She
blushed as che spoke. 1t WAS unmaiden-
~. but he was such a dear gump. Now
be would declare himself. But she did
not know the capabilities for self re-
preston of her two year admirer
He said to himself what a slip,
what a delightful slipl If | were I'M
principled. | would take advantage Of
it and propose, but | would bitterly re.
preach myself forever, whatever her an
ever was. So he said. ia rs matter Of
fact tone as be could master. when his
heart was beating his ribs like a fright
] anaI n-rr.lfnfr al r,olI- -,rfe Her-o
offhand. but I'll look it up for you"
do Write a letter to the newspa.
per.
Her tones were az musical as ever,
but Littlewood thought he detected a
sarcastic ring in them, and he thanked
his stars that he had not yielded to his
natural desire to propose at such an
inauspicious time.
"What was that important thing
you wanted to sayf' asked Miss Far
rington after several minutes of 81
lence. save for the hoofs and the run
ners and the bells.
"Oh. it wasn't CT any importancel
mean it will keep-l-cr-I was think
ing Of something else"
~ think you have gone far enough,
said she in%nocently. looking over her
shoulder in the direction OF home. May
be the return would loosen his obdurate
, tongue
His heart stopped beating and lay. a
leaden thing. in his breast Had he,
then. gone too farY What had he said d:
Oh. why had he come ont with this
lovely being, the mere sight of whom
/ was enough to make any one cast all re
t straint to the winds and declare in
! thundero1s tones that he loved herr
IL think that we'd better 10 back.
he said, and turned 20 quickly that he
nearly upset the sleigh Your mother
will be anxious.
2 Yes. when ore is accountable TO
ones mother, one has to remember time
| suppose ii is different when one is &C
countable to "a
Father :" said Littlewood. asininely
4, "No. that wasn't the word want
r ed"
"A-a-aunt2"
Could Mildred lovo him If he gave
many more such proofs of being an alb
ject idiotr
"No-husband is what ] want
L%ittlewood's brain swan. He had
been tempted once too often This naive
. girl had in%nocently played into his
hands. and now the Rubicon must be
Q crossed. even If its angry waters en-
I quilted him
pardon me, Miss -er-Mildred''-
he did not say Widowed this time-"ii
= | twist your words into another mean
ing. but if yOu-er-did-er-want q
husband-do you think would dor"
g A head nestled on his shoulder. a lit
Z tie hand was in his. and when he pass.
ed the Harrington mansion neither be
nor she knew il. Charles Battell Loo
mis- in tho Chicago Record.