Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-07-28
2anion swallowed bis mirth and pre-
pared to face the situation with her.

There was Il faint suspicion of a
blush on Miss Farrar's smooth cheeks,
but her glance met Mowbray's with its
usual answering honesty.
Men have told me that they loved
me several Of them! But that's not
proposal. you know, any more than
it's a purchase when l say that adore
string of pearls at Tiffany'sw
'A-a-hp'
The ejaculation was full of enlighten-
ment Mowbray was beginning at last
to understand things that had always
/ puzzled him, as his next question
showed.
Would it be impertinent to ask how
you have received these declarations
why, | just listened! You see, it's
embarrassing. It makes one feel so
terribly conscious"
what about the man?' Mowbray
asked quietly. Doesn't it occur to
you that perhaps he might need a little
encourage ment-that perhaps he might
be trifie conscious too r.
For a moment there was silence be-
tween them. The point of view was
| utterly new to Miss Farrar, and she
was obviously impressed by it.
Il never thought of that" she adj
mitted slowly Il thought that sort
of thing was SO in mans line-his
METER" She laughed a bit ruefully.
A squirrel darted swiftly across the
grass and, turning its head jauntily to
one side, fixed a bright, inquiring eye
upon them. Then, with a saucy wave
of its tail, it scurried away.
Il have it, said MowbFay, 81 have
it! Learn from the squirrel! Light
ness, airiness, coquettis. ness! Don't
you see what l mean?" And he looked
at her teasingly.
But she was not to be diverted. q
am serious" she assured him. There's
always a reason for everything, and
there must be a reason for this. There's
Alice Nixon. She's not so awfully
pretty. I heard her say that she had
had nineteen proposals. Miss Far
rar's voice was touched with ave-
Then skepticaI thought seized her
"Still-she's from the southt' she add
ed, and her tone implied that an allow
ance should be made for the fact.
Mowbray bit his lip.
''Then there's her sister-just an ortli-
narily nice girl-followss with fifteen
Marion Pierce owns up to dozen, and
Beth Garrett-dear. homely Beth-ac-
knowledges six! l asked her because
l specially wanted to find out. Per
haps you can imagine how queer it
makes me feel"
what do you say upon such occa-
sions?" demanded Mowbray, watching
the squirrel that was again eying them
from distance
There was a palpable pause before
Miss Farrar replied. But at last her
straightforwardness prevailed.
Sometimes I shake my head and
look rather shocked. Then they think
that disapprove of such conversations
think I'm noble, you know! AT other
! times | laugh and say, 4 have never
had one" in tone which implies just
the reverse"
j She finished this confession and look
"a ed at Mowbray out of the corner of her
eyes in a way that drove the last yes
= tige of fear out of his mind This naive
woman, the person whose dignity and
GOODNESS he had stood aloof from in
absolute embarrassment for so long!
He could have laughed at the absurdity
of it. Why had she never shown him
her real self before?
Il think l shall propose to you," he
remarked deliberately
For Il second she looked surprised,
and then her eyes danced.
LET it be in your best STYLE she
pleaded. Remember, it's my first, and
il fear it may be my last too.'
He leaned toward her and looked
straight into her eyes.
"It will be your last, undoubtedly!'
His voice was low and tense. For a
long moment he looked at her-looked
in way that first made her small ears
burn and then troubled her clear gaze,
which wavered and fell.
81 love you, DEAR" he said simply,
"and / think you know the rest. Tell
me that you do"
Her cheeks were hot and her lips
trembled A strong hand reached out
and took hers in a masterful way, and
she suddenly knew that something
which she had never even dreamed
was true.
"But asked you'll" she moaned when
at last she recovered something of her
wonted serenity. II positively asked
your
'sYou encouraged me-" he corrected,
"and that's what they usually do, only
your method was brutally direct
1t was when she began to flush again
that he added, Il shall always have
something to tease you about, dearest"
And the squirrel, which had been
watching them in the lingering hope
that they might possibly have brought
him nuts, like sensible people, gaYe up
in disgust and seurried away.