The daily Alaskan., 1904-07-11
HIS TWENTY HORSE
 POWER PROPOSAL
IcOpyright. 1906, by T. c. McClure,l

perChed on the Neranua rall. BeIore , her, half reclining in steamer chair, was a somber faced young man.
 The long windows of the dining room were wide open, and the couple in their shaded corner could hear the la bored music of the volunteer orchestra, the shudlIng of feet and the deep voice of Judge Davis calling off the figures in the Virginia reel.
 "If l had suspected your intention l should have stayed in and danced, ' she said petulantly.
 The young man made no response.
 You said you wanted to smoke" she went on.
 "Tm smoking" he asserted, and to verify the statement he blew a cloud of smoke from the cigarette. Don't be angry, Lou" he entreated. Up to now I've been behaving beautiful ly."
 "Oh, indeedr' she remarked. "Per- haps you've forgotten you've proposed three times before this week"
 He leaned forward in the chair His face was very grave. He was a good looking young man, clean shaven and very reSOlute of manner. Just now as he faced her his square jaw was shut in determined fashion, and the lines about his mouth showed he was very much in earnest.
 This Is the 4th of the month, he said slowly. 'I shall offer myself to you every remaining day"
 Philip" she said, If I give you chance to propose between now and the 1st of the month I'll accept you
 Great ScOttr' he cried. "Nou don't mean you won't even see me, Lou|
 Your deductions are very intelli- gent" she laughed.
 He was standing before her now. He drew himself up, and his shoulders went back
 "Very we'll" he said. T shall buy the ring tomorrow"
 "I don't believe there's any need Of haste" she said And then with a hur- ried good night" she slipped into the house and left him there alone in the moonlight. at once strangely downcast and strangely hopeful,
 He was still standing there when Judge Davis stepped through one of the open windows on to the veranda.
 Judge" said Morton suddenly, with your consent I'm going to marry Lou ise."
 "The devil you are" said the judge Then he soberly took Morton by the hand. Phil, hope you are. Has Lou consented at last?'
 Morton laughed. q don't believe she considers the chase as nearly finished as l do" he confessed.
 The next day the game began in ear nest. Morton was not disappointed when three calls at the Davis villa brought only the information that Miss Davis was "Out" He walked for hours in the grove behind the house, but she did not venture there, nor did she come to the pOstOtIiCe for the evening mail. Then for a weeks time he tried vainly to reach her by strategy, but numerous bylbes to the Davis servants and sundry en1eavors on MOrtou's part to conceal himself under the veranda, in the summer house-any place where be might hope to see her-wcre all fruitless of the desired result Two weeks went past, and, although the ring nestled in his coat pocket he had found no chance to speak word to Louise He began to be a bit uneasy.
 Late one afternoon at the beginning of the third week Morton sat discOn- solately on the top rider of the fence that skirted the old turnpike. He had been sitting there since noon vainly trying to formulate some scheme which would bring him triumphantly into the presence of Louise Davis long enough for him to utter the words on the end of his tongue
 Down the road came a cloud of dust, and presently Louise herself, quite alone, wheeled past in an automobile. The next afternoon at the same time Morton from the raspberry shrubs be- side the road saw her again speed by. A third and a fourth afternoon he waited patiently among the prickly raspberry bushes, and when that fourth afternoon she went past his hiding place Morton rushed to the tele- graph office and sent the following;
 Travers-send down the twenty horse power auto. MORION'
 Three evenings later, just at sunset Louise Davis sped an automobile along the cool, pine shaded stretches of the turnpike. Presently a mighty cough ing and pumping behind her caused her to turn her head. There, rapidly overhaullng her, was a huge red tour ing car, and in the touring car, a grim smile on his face. sat Philip Morton.
 She turned her eyes ahead and gave her automobile full speed, but it was no match for the heavy touring car, which overlook her with ease. She looked back angrily, and by the mo- ton of his lips she could see Morton was shouting. Then he took from the seat beside him a huge megaphone, and through this he shouted proposal which could have been heard In the next county.
 The automobile ahead of him slack ened, then stopped. Morton brought bis own machine to a standstill, jump. ed out and ran forward.
 You've won, I suppose" she said looking away from him.
 He took her hand, and a moment later the ring was slipped on.
 q knew I'd need it." he laughed.
 She turned her head and looked into