Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-23

better than nothing at all"' SO they
| talked about old friends and new,
| about the little Iowa town, where they
had gone together to school of the college
days later, of music and politics, of every
thing but of the times he had said that
he loved her and had asked her to he h s
wife, and of the parting close at hand.
The wind stirred the forest at their backs,
and headed woodpecker tapped indus
triously at d dead trunk near by. John
pointed the bird out to his companion.
alicia, do you remember that wood
pecker's nest 1 found in Bakers woods
when you We're ten and l was twelve or so?
And how | took you ont to see the eggs"
YES and you had to bore a hole in the
trunk and drag ladder half a mile for
! me to climb up on, too"
And l had to carry you through the
long grass-you were always so mortally
afraid of snakes" She shuddered.
81 now too. l hate snakes. But l
haven't seen a BIRDS nest for ages"
II found one yesterday. Shall we go and
see it? It's not a quarter of a mile away
little beyond the old fence"
They rose and walked together into the
sweet silence of the woods. John with his
face set and serious and Alicia with deep
| shadow in her usually laughing eyes They
came to the edge of a little clearing, and
the girl stopped nervously She hesitated,
and lifted her dainty skirts fearfully.
The grass is deep" she said. Il know
I'm foolish. but I'd die if"
Pooh" he said. Il guess there are no
a
ahead, nearly knee-deep in the lush tangle,
and kicked about vigorously, and whether
by order of fate or in answer to the prayer
of a righteous man, a tiny striped snake
slid out and slipped swiftly away again.
Alicia screa med3 John laughed joyously,
inwardly blessed the hitherto unappreciated
and ubiquitous garter and gathering his
boyhood sweetheart into his arms carried
her bodily faint protest and ALL across the
Intervening tangle of grass to the old fence
Once there he stood her on the top one of
the five rails with her back against the big
old oak close behind 1t.
There" he said. stepping back and sur
veying her with satisfaction.
Where she asked.
where's what?'
"Your woodpecker's nest" Her eyes
shone and her cheeks glowed with a faint
flush of embarrassment. He took off his
cap and laughed up at her.
THE nest? In your mind-and mine!
Surely you know that birds don't build
their nests in September. he Knocked with
the soft light falling full on her fair hair,
and serious eyes. But can tell you where
you are all right. You are
ION the fence" she submitted sauciy.
Eyes, on the fence, where you've been too
many years on certain subject. You are
also at my mercy.
'Alicia" he said sternly, II came here for
the express purpose of taking my wife back
home with me. You are going TO marry
me. The only thing for you to say Is Wheh
you will do So
He folded his arms and waited. Alicia
pasped in astonishment. So he did care
after all! A quick now almost leaped
from her heart to her lips, but her old per-
versity gripped her again. She would do
as she chose. She chose to be fippant.
IT don't like snakes" she observed, nor
people of one idea
He did not reply. so she stuck out the
dainty toe Of her left shoe from beneath
her fluffy skirts and looked at 1t with care
Then she reached up for a branch of the
tree, and balanced herself airily on her
perch.
II like it up here" she observed.
I'm glad. YOU may have chance to en-
Joy yourself there for some time"
what do you mean?'
'.Precisely what / say. Answer the ques-
ton 1 asked you a moment ago. At twenty
five YOU should begin to realize that coquet-
ting Is no longer becoming.
John Lane, you know very well that
am only"
"Only two years younger than |, and l
was twenty-seven last month. When Will
..you have asked me that same question.
I believe nine times now" she remarked
Eight" he corrected with spirit, "only
eight This time doesn't count. / am not
asking YOU now am telling you that you
are going to and giving you last chance
To saw lust when. VIII you kindly name
the-hour? Our train goes at 1881 1t is
4:30 now.
Il hate your old Colorado"
You will like 1t in time. I'll give you
Just two minutes more to give me proper