Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1904-12-01
JUST PALS.


ance back. and said:
so you think it has been . great
SUGGEST"
why. OF course 1t has-don't you
think SOP" he answered with an inton'
alton CT surprise.
She lowered her eyelids until he
could only see fringe of dark lashes
along the pallor of her cheek. and said
slowly:
Eyes. I think Il has-for once pure
platonics have been tried and found
possible"
"You were always the doubter." he
said triumphartly 80 you admit that
you were wrong"
81 admit that In our case It has work.
ed all right. but still think that as
general rule It Is very dangerous ex
pertinent.
SWELL. you see was quite right,
and 1t is just year today since We
formed our contract-and for one
hope that this time five years will see
It stlll In existence"
She thoughtfully drew patterns on
the tablecloth with fork. and still
kept her eyes down.
give years is long time" she said.
"Dld II never occur to you that this
may get monotonous. or one or other
OF US might want to marry. and then
our respective husband or wife might
objects"
"Yes. but don't want to marry.
don't believe in II. as you know per-
iectly well. and you have always said
that you quite agreed with me-"
"Well. 1t 10 the natural fate, of all
mankind and womankind, too. and |
do not see any reason why you should
escape IT,
But what Is the use OF spelling tho
present by vague imaginations of what
may happen and probably never will?"
She made 10 reply, and he looked at
her down.bent head. wondering as he
so often dld-whether all women were
alike. and why they could never rest
content with things as they were with.
out puzzling and worrying over sorco
mythical future into which 1t was lm'
possible to see.
Personally. he was perfectly content
with the present and could not under.
stand why she was not equally so.
Few men probably would have been
surprised that he was-for over yeas
the girl sitting opposite him had been
his constant companion-and few
weeks passed without seeing them 10.
gether. either dining. lunching or
spending hong hours In Clarice Daven'
ants little drawing room. discussing
various subjects OF vital interest to
themselves. although Of very little mo.
ment to the outside world.
Although only rs. Miss Daveuanb
was entirely alone in the world. and
in spite OF Mrs. Grundy, she elected to
live a perfectly independent life, with.
out the assistance of the usual chaper.
Oh.
Naturally unconventional her lifS
had tended to make her more so. and
her contract, made a year ago with
Denis Miller, to be lust pals" and no
more and no less. as II they were men,
instead Of good-looking bachelor Of IS
and an extremely pretty woman. had
been carried out as thoroughly as sha
did everything she entered into.
AT first their somewhat erratlc ac.
tions had caused much gossip and
speculation among their mutual &C.
qualntances, but as time wore on peo.
pie we're content to let them alone.
finding that they seemed to be quite
obllvious to outside opinion. and they
had adhered rlgldly to the terms Of
their contract. Their dinner tonight
was held to celebrate its first anniyer.
sary.
Clarice looked sweet enough to have
tempted any man to lapse into love.
making. however platonic his lnten'
lions. as she leant back In her chair, .
little smile curylng her perfect lips.
Denis Miller. as he looked at her,
wondered for moment why she was
still without the golden crclet OF mat.
rimony round her slim finger. He knew
that more than one man had tried to
tempt her To forsakc her independent
life for that OF double harness." but
without success.
"Well." he said, breaking the silence
that had fallen between them. "whab
are yuu thinking of--still worrying
over tho iuture?"
She laughed and reused herself from
her reyeric.
Nothing at ALL" she said. IL was
Just dreaming In an aimless kind Of