Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-07-15
strollgng in the same direction.


slight headache and felt disinclined
for the walk proposed by Helen and
eagerly welcomed by the others. 1t
was not that the headache was severe
enough to prevent enjoyment; she did
not feel quite right, and was just wee
bit irritable, without being able to ex-
plain why.
do intrude, Miss Nelson? oh, pray
do not disturb YOURSELF" CAS- she
sprang to her feet.) Eyes, please sit
down again-just as you were. That's
right! l want to ask your assistance,
Miss Nelson I'm afraid l told them
an awful flb; l said I should have to
go-I forgot where, but it was in the
direction exactly opposite to where
they thought of going. But it's seri-
GUS matter l have in hand"
He drew stool from a corner and
seated himself close to her. He looked
serious enough, but she had a suspic-
ion that he was laughing at her. A
peculiar pain shot through her, and
she asked herself why.
Miss Nelson, I'm a nervous man
where ladies are concerned. I'll speak
plainly to you, because you are-that
is, you have always been so superior
to the weaknesses of-of-Im afraid
I'm getting on badly, you know! I'm
in love, There, it is out! Don't laugh,
please; know you are superior to that
sort of thing-love, | mean. So that's
why I've come to you for help
Again that pain! Jennie felt that
she ought to smile, but that stupid
pain in the region of the heart took
away all inclination for mirth. She
actually felt inclined to cry!
what can l do for you, Mr.. Coyne?'
With a strong effort she forced an en-
couraging smile to her lips.
II want should like you to act as
my proxy I could say to you, Miss
Nelson, what I really don't think
could say to an ordinary girl" (There
was an emphasis on Ordinarily 81
mean this-knowing your opinions,
could speak freely to you, and | should
like to say just what l would say to
the girl I'm in love with, and then [
will ask you to repeat it, as well as
you can, or tell it in your own words,
to the girl of my choice. You know
I've been more attentive to you and
Miss Carron-I suppose | ought to say
Miss Carron and you-than any one
else. You must excuse my grammar
What's grammar-whats mathematics
or anything to man in love? Well,
I hope I've said enough to tell you my
secret. It's a case of your acting as
my proxy
Jennie ought to have laughed out
right at the ridiculous situation, but
she could not. That phrase about
mathematics being nothing to love
struck her as strangely true. Her fav-
orite study seemed hollow and unin-
viting. Was it that she had? She
would not complete the thought. She
bit her lip in order to repress a cry.
''You are trying not to laugh at me!
l know it, because you are biting your
lip. Please don't"
81 am not laughing, Mr.. Coyne.' . Her
voice seemed strange in her own ears.
Could he not see by her face that she
was not laughing? Why was he so
cruel? But no. 1t was better that
he should not read her thoughts; he
must think just the opposite of the
truth.
Il am glad of that" he exclaimed
earnestly. will you be my proxy?"
Certainly" 1t was all she could
manage to articllate. She felt her
face grow cold, and thanked heaven
that he was too much absorbed to no.
tice it, She was rightly punished.
Fate plays strange tricks, and she who
had laughed at love was to hear the
passionate speeches intended for an
other, when-they ought to be for her!
Poetic justice, with a vengeance!
II would tell her first of all that I
love her" he began slowly, his eyes
turned slightly from the face Of his
proxy and fixed on point in the fart1-
err corner. 'Love her! The words are
my feelings We have no word in our
language that will convey what I feel!'
His voice had been quiet, but his pas
sion was overcoming him.
II love you beyond the power OF
tongue to tell" 1t was passionate
outburst to the imaginary figure in the
corner. The man was letting himself
go in front of his proxy in the hope
that his fire would be infused into her
being-the being of believer in the
superiority of the fair sex. Would she
be able to convey the message to Helen
Carron in a manner that would do
credit to the passion of the man who
was speaking so passionately to her in
spirit?
81 love you and will devote my life
to making you happy. | will watch
over you to guard you from trouble,
and will tear away the thorns and lac
crate my own hands that you may have
the roses, only the roses! Life shall be
a xva IL opoono r0cpc. fo1. Won If NV love