Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-08-20

between him and me and said, Sir,
your daughter has consented to be-
come my wifep Oh, Dick, wasn't it
| funnyw
eyes," he said slowly. Sometimes
it seems funny to me and sometimes it
seems strangely tragic. That we were
such babies is the only saving fact.
Poor kidsw He sighed and turned his
eyes from the girls face. Il suppose
you're engaged now?" he said.
mo"
"How does that happen?"
| She shook her head "And you"
she said
Engaged? No, indeed. Inever saw
but one lovable girl in my life.'
Sand she wouldn't marry your
"She wouldn't. There will never be
another. lost track of her."
"But you didn't forget her?" the girl
asked softly.
IT never forgot her for a minute.
But it's too late to find her now. She
doesn't care for me anyway"
'Oh, Dick, don't say that. Any girl
ought to care for you. Just the fact
that you stay true to one woman
should be enough. Don't give up and
spoil it."
"Will you give me recommended
tion?" he asked, smiling. "Say that
none of my relatives were hanged or
something like that?"
II could say much better things. It
is beautiful that you want to find her.
| like it, Dick. And I think the girl
will like it,
Roberts looked deep into her eyes,
but he saw no self consciousness. He
| forgot what he had read many times,
that women are clever actresses.
"Your advice may be good" he said
after few moments Of silence. "But
what would you have said yourself,
Peggy, If had hunted you up and had
told you about caring for you? The
| girl is very much like you. What would
you have said?'
"Oh, that's silly, Dick" she said
quickly. you know you wouldn't
She looked past Roberts and frowned
uneasily. Its going to rain," she MUIR
INJURED, "and Pm cold"
"Oh, suppose So" Dick said gloom
lily. "She'd say that too. That's why
didn't hunt her up
"But it's going to rain. There, I felt
drop, Dick"
Roberts rose quickly and looked to-
ward the fort
by Jove, it is, Peggy. didn't no
tice those clouds. Here comes the
wind. Well have to stand under those
trees till it blows over. I'm mighty
sorry that / didn't notice it." He
slipped off his coat and wrapped it
about the girls shoulders.
"Oh, don't, Dick" she protested.
"Please. You know girls don't take
cold as easily as men. They're used
to exposure"
| They ran to a clump of trees and
Roberts made the girl kneel by a low
stone wall that ran at the side Of the
road.
"Dick, 1 don't want you to stand
there in the rain. Please take your
coat
He smiled down at her. "What a
foolish little girl it isl he said 'But
I'll kneel beside you if you think it's
SAFE"
She raised her questioning eyes to
his. 81 wish you would" she said.
81 don't like to have you take such
terrible risk, and just to protect me,
when l can keep dry in this corner as
we'll as not
Roberts dropped to his knees and
leaned against the WALL
Peggy" he said, lust to protect
you 1 would give my life. Didn't you
know that, dear?" There was tender
ness in his tone and conviction. He
spoke rot passionately, but truly.
Peggy locked her hands tightly to-
gether and her lips Quivered. 1t seemed
long time before she could raise her
eyes. Then she met the earnest, ques-
tioning gaze of the man.
you may" she said simply. "Dick,
you may"
The rain had ceased and the clouds
east when Peggy and Captain Roberts
entered the reservation and were met
by the jovial colonel.
"Well," he said heartily, peggy,
I've had a searching party out for you,
but I just heard that you two were
coming up the river road This looks
bad, bad. Why, we began to think
you and the captain, here, had eloped."
Peggy flushed and glanced at the
younger man. Then she smiled at the
colonel.
1--WE did," she said demurely, ''six
years ago."