Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-02-14


happen here just as you and L dropped
in
That is Barton, sure enough" an
swered her companion, Tom Moford.
And as sure as live, he's preparing
to propose to another girl"
Miss Waringford blushed crimson.
why, why, what do you mean?''
o., said Moford, lightly, Il see he's
looking through Dun's and Brad
streets financial reports, and suppose
he wants to see whether his prospec-
tive father-in-law is in the hundred
thousand-dollar class or not"
Why" said Miss Waringford.
angrily, what detestable thing to
say of ones best friend"
Mr.. Moford moved around little I'M
comfortably in his chair. go. can't
you see when I'm joking? You take
everything so seriously"
Wei, said the girl, little notified.
i might have known YOU were Joking.
Still it isn't quite right even to say
such thing in fun. SO now let's 90 m
and speak to him. Why, he's gone"
Moford talked little while longer
until he was quite certain he heard
Barton's voice saying: Down" at the
elevator shaft, and then he and Miss
Waringford walked into the Office
where Barton had been looking at the
books. They still lay open on the
table, and as she passed through the
room Miss Waringford could not helm
but see as she glanced at them thai
they were open to WAR"
g hn h.,
could not get the incident out of her
mind. She repeatedly told herself that
MI Moford was merely joking about
MT. Barton, but at the same time
she mad to acknowledge to herself that
she was considerably ann Dyed over the
incident. She had read any number eff
Jokes in the funny columns of the
newspapers about young men seeking
10 read their intended father-in-law
title clear in Bradstreet's on Dun's be-
lore proposing to the girl, and it had
always seemed to her that if any man
ala such thing he must be a sordid.
mean spirited creature. The thing
troubled her all the more because of
the fact that she was conscious that
MI. Barton was more to her than any,
BODY else she had ever known. She
had felt that her feeling was recip-
rocated, and lately she had felt GER
tain that Mr.. Barton had been ON the
verge several times of saying the words
that she was only waiting to hear.
And now she tried to dismiss the whole
matter from her mind.
But she was still thinking of it when
she came down into the parlor that
evening to meet Mr.. Barton. They
chatted for awhile on a variety of sub
Jects, and then Mr.. Barton suddenly
turned to her.
Miss Waringford," he said, "I can't
hide my real feelings for you any long
er. i love you. l love you as much as
a man can love woman. I-I--well.
that S all there is to it, except-except,
that L want to ask you, do you love
me, will you be my wife?'
Miss Naringford sat staring ahead.
MIR. Moford's words were wildly run
ming through her head There is Bar
ton, and as sure as live he is prepar-
ing to propose to another girl. He is
looking TO see whether his prospective
lather-in-law is in the hunured-th thou
sand-dollar class or not" About to
propose TO another girl And now ne
was proposing. Therefore she was the
other girl. And he had been looking
at the page with ''War" at the ton. Was
he looking for Warmgfcrd Before she
had meant TO say it she had said: IL
suppose my father is rated Al, Mr..
Baritone"
II don't Know what you mean," Mr..
Barton answered, slowly.
Il thank you for the great honor
you have done me, Mr.. Barton" she
said, Il am very sorry, though, that
you have said what you have, for /
am compelled to say no."
Mr.. Barton sat quite still. Then
the nervousness and agitation he had
displayed when ne had asked her to be
his wife disappeared. He was quite
calm now, and he spoke like lawyer
examining refractory witness.
You say no May l ask Won to
which you said no, My question as to
whether you loved me or whether YOU
would be my wife"
ITO BOTH" she answered.
They both sat in silence Then Mr..
Barton spoke again. He still had his
lawyer pose. Only, this time, instead
of examining witness, he was making
a speech to the jury.
Miss Waringford, suppose that &C
cording to all the precepts of the stage |
and the ethics of all novels, this is the
place where 1 should take my hat and
coat, and, after asking you to forget
what have said, to bid you good night
and go out of the door and out of your
life"
Miss WaringfOrd choked back sob. |
but she did not reply. In the same !
even tone of voice Barton went on:
"But | am not going to dpanything
of the kind. l love you. Relieve that
you love me, or have loved me at least,
and that something which possibly
could be explained away has occurred |
to cause you to want to dismiss me.
Do you remember when we were read |
ing Lucille together that your opin-
L. r.