Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-03-12

full half hour went by md she was still
puttering about the room, busting this
and rearranging that
A knock on tie door startled her from
her absorption. Before she could answer
the door pushed onpen from without.
There stood Christopher, the Armenian.
who did chores and waited Oh table.
The sight OF Miss Warren rather dis
concerted him. He Vas not familiar yet
with the English language. and his vocab-
ulary possessed few verbs.
!, "Gentleman!" he exclaimed, with a
backward gesture into the hall. Then,
with Il forward gesture, Room"
Delight, pcering beyond him into the
shadows, perceived the individual whom
he had Indicated.
IF the room Is not quite ready" began
the new arrival In Deep musical voice.
II Will not disturb YOU"
Delight was regarding him in consterna
ton, all at once intensely aware of her
apron and dust cap.
The man who darkened, or rather
frightened, the doorway, was so SUI
premely unlike the one she had pictured
that the shock of seeing him drove her
wits from her for the moment.
Come right in,' she said hurriedly. II
Il was just helping Miss Chickering with
the room-it Is almost ready-indeed-
quite ready"
She felt sure his gaze took in the SCOT
spot on her chin. the dust upon her heat
| ed forehead. To think that his first I'M
preston of her should be such.
| And first impressions are always last
ling" she murmured mlserably as mo-
mcnt later she hurried down the hall to
her own room. What handsome eyes he
had, and what direct, flashing glance
II suppose" she reflected, facing the
mirror, that all the bachelor maids IN
L .f.i,, Fx.v, hi uf ny1na
| Well, for one shall waste neither time
nor effort on him. I shan't even try to
correct that unfortunate first impression.
| He'll see that / don't care. ! shall wear
the simplest, plaincst thing possess Tor
dinner and be studiously Indifferent If ne
If he glances my way"
| The simplest plainest thing" turned
out to be an exceedingly becoming waist
of helotrope. In her hair she wore
| jaunty bow of black velvet.
Perhaps If Hollingsworth had not been
placed directly opposite her at table 1t
4 would have been easier to preserve the
studied Indifference which she mad
planned. But under the circumstances
we'll, she could not snub aim when he
talked SO entertainingly. And then that
| direct, flashing glance of Missile could
not easily avoid 1t, sitting opposite
The various bachelor maids looked on
with growing comprehension from day to
day. The fact that Hollingswortn was
prolonging his stay interminably could not
but cause comment. One week had length
ened into three and yet he had not gone.
And 1t came about one day that he
plainly told Delight the reason.
II shall not CO." he said, unless you
accompany me as my wife. Haven't you
guessed it, dear-from the first?"
Not from the very first" she replied
archly. You couldn't have loved me
then
but I did;" he Insisted. On the
spot That was just 1.-THE cap ant
apron and all. 1 made up my mind Ions
ago that the woman who could win m,
love attired in plain working dress woule
be the one should ask to marry me. Ant
you are that woman-my hearts De
light"
Sometimes 1t is just as well that frs
Impressions are lasting.