The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1904-03-24

asked q,.ietly. Doesn't 1t occur to
you that perhaps he night need ii little
ncouragcmcnt-tl4at perhaps he might
be tritie conscious tooT'
For moment there was silence be
tween them. The point of view was
utterly new +, Miss Farrar, and she
was obviously impressed by 1t.
II never thought of that" she nd
mitted slowly. Il thought that sort
of thing was SO in a mans line-his
METER" She laughed bit ruefully.
A squirrel darted swiftly across the
grass and, turning it's head jauntily to
one side, fixed a bright, inquiring eye
upon them. Then, with a saucy wave
of it's tail, it scurried away.
II have it, said Mowbray, 81 have
it! Learn from the squirrel! Light.
ness, aiiiness, coquettishness! Don't
you see what mean" And he looked
at her teasingly. m
But she was not to be diverted. "I
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. heard her say that she had
had nineteen proposals. Miss Far
rar's voice was touched with awe
Then u skeptical thought seized her
"Still-she's from the south!' she add
ed, and her tone implied that an allow
ance should be made for the fact.
Mowbray bit his lip. :.s SEE
'aThen there's her sister-just an erdi
narily nice gfrl-follows with fifteen
Marion Pierce owns up to a dozen, and
Beth Garrett-dear. homely Beth-ac
knowledges six! l asked her because
1 specially wanted to find out. Per
haps you can imagine how queer II
makes me feel" a.s'o: { Ii =
what do you say upon such. occa.
sions?" demanded Mowbray, watching
the squirrel that was again eying them
from a distance ..... ,,-,.-...
There was a palpable pause before
Miss Farrar replied. But at last hel
neutrality-suspicious. prevailed.
Sometimes shake my head and
look rather shocked. Then they th!nh
that disapprove of such conversations
think I'm noble you knowi At Other
times l laugh and say, I have never
had onev in tone which implies just
the reverse"
She finished this confession and look
ed at Mowbray out Of the corner Of hel
eyes in a way that drove the last yes
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?
II think l shall propose to YOU" he
remarked deliberately. ~
For second she looked surprised
and then her eyes danced. i,
LET it be in your best STYLE. she
pleaded. Remember, it's my first. and
fear it may be myslast toov' ,..
He leaned toward her and looked
straight into her eyes. ......,..-<
1T will be your last, undoubtedlyv
His voice was low and tense. For 9
long moment he looked at her--looked
in way that first made her small ears
which wavered and fell.
II love you, DEAR" he said simply
land l think you know the rest. Tel
me that you do" sd.
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. = - ->z ;. +,
"But asked your she moaned when
at last she recovered something of her
wonted. serenity. II positively asked
your .,-... ..-,.. -.....,...s..,
''You encouraged me-" he corrected,
"and that's what they usually do only
your method was brutally direct
It was when she began to flush again
that he added, 81 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, gave up
in disgust and sellrried away. -