The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-04-17


Don't you think so, Luella?'
I'm not a judge" Luella answered
in an icy tone If the carriage had not
been going so fast she would have
opened the door and stepped out
Archie broke in with his drawing
note.
Its easy enough to see that they are
good friends. | should say it would
make good match
Luella was enraged at them BOTH
Mrs Penrose, whatever her reason for
saying what she did, saw that she could
not safely go on.
There's Cousin Julius. believe Cor
don can get help there, if he could only
bring Il case against Randall in Cham
bers' court julius doesn't fear man or
devil. 1t is worth considering"
The carriage drew up at the Penrose
mansion. Luella lived three blocks
farther down the avenue.
I'm see Miss Marsh home" said
Archie. Mrs. Penrose hesitated mo-
ment as the carriage waited.
Every WELL" she said. and with nod
to Lucia she TeIr the carriage, and
Luella and Archie went on
Luella did not say word to Archie,
but stared straight out of the window.
When the house was reached, she said
mechanically. "Will you come in?''
Thank you, l will be glad to- Archie
replied with alacrity.
When they were in the drawing
room, he gathered up courage to say,
Miss Marsh, will you give me few
minutes toto make few remarks?'
He did not mean to say that at all.
For the first time in his life he was as
near being in love as it was possible
for him to be, and in so far as the ex-
perience was new to him he was emo
bled by it. Between the two unusual
events in his life he presented curl
Gus combination of bashfulness and
effrontery He had chosen the time for
telling Luella of his feelings with sin
gular misfortune to himself. He sup.
posed she was smarting from a quar-
rel of some kind with Gordon. His
shallow reason led him to believe that
! AC1 lCCilOSS Nould OC SOolhCu ny TIC
devotion of another sutton, and so he
blindly went on, gaining confidence as
Luella sat perfectly still, her hands in
her lap, apparently listening to him.
Miss Marsh~Luella-iti Is no secret
to you, am sure, that 1 have long
than was usual for him-"but my de-
votiOn will surely count in my favor.
Will you-will you entertain the
thought Of me as a-a-suitor? Will
you permit me, Luella, to have some
hope of some time winning your affec.
tons? l love you truly" He spoke in
sincere manner. for he felt what he
said. Don't say no to me. Think il
over. Give me some hope, Luella"-
He was astonished to see her slowly
rise and without even looking at him.
without so much as gesture of any
kind, walk out of the room, leaving
him sitting there on the edge Of his
chair, with his hands clasped in an
appealing manner.
He sat back in the chair and waited
At the end of five minutes of blank
silence he rose and went out into the
hall.
please tell Miss Marsh I will call
again. he said, with CHASTITY smile
to the footman who was lounging
there.
He went out and walked as fast as
he was ever known to go to his aunts
She was in the library and received
him good naturally.
well, young man, what did you
think She stopped as she saw the
expression on his face.
you promised not to get in my way
with Miss Marsh! But all your talk in
the carriage was arranged to set her
against me. 1 see it! You reused her
jealousy by talking about Miss An
drews and all that
what are you saying? You are alb
solutely unintelligible. Say what you
mean" Mrs. Penrosa exclaimed with
disdain..
II am saying what I meanr' Archie
rage, but it was the rage of a disap-
pointed child rather than the anger of
grownup man.
"Oh. l see. You have been talking to
Luella. Young man, you couldn't have
picked out more inappropriate oc-
casion. Why, couldn't you see, man,
that she was feeling terribly over
something that happened between her
and Gordon while they were in the
Hbrary?"
"And you aggravated it by all you
said afterward," Archie walled. Mrs.
Penrose smiled sweetly.
$50 you actually proposed this after
noon. Archie. Tell me about it. What
did she say? How did she receive your
remarks?''
"She didn't say anything. She in
suited me by leaving the ROOM"
"But it was kind of her to leave, you
the room. Archie. You must have felt
the need Of something pretty bad"
-Non're a.fool." said Archie. and. he