The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-06

by. John pointed the bird out to his COM
panon.
"Alicia, do you remember that wood
pecker's nest I found in Bakers woods
when you were ten and I was twelve or
50? And how I took you out to see the
eggs?"
Yes, and you had to bore a hole in
the truyk and drag a ladder half mile
for me to climb up on, too
''And l had to carry you thru the long
grass-you were always so MORALLY afraid
of snakes" She shuddered.
II am now, too. I hate snakes. But I
haven't seen birds nest for ages"
/ Il found one yesterday. Shall we go
and see it? It's not quarter Of a mile
away-a little beyond the old fence"
| They rose and walked together into the
/ sweet silence of the woods, John with his
face set and serious and Alicia with a
deep shadow in her usually laughing
eyes They came to the edge of little
clearing, and the girl stopped nervousty.
| She hesitated and lifted her dainty skirts
feartully.
"The grass is Deep she said II know
In foolish, but I'd die if"
POOH" he sad II guess there are no
snakes and he stepped yard or two
ahead, nearly knee deep in the lush tan
gle and kicked about vigorously, and
whether by order Of fate or in answer to
the prayer of righteous man, tiny
striped snake slid out and slipped swiftly
away again. Alicia screamed. John
laughed joyously, inwardy blessed the
hitherto unappreciated and ubiquitous
garter" and gathering his boyhood
sweetheart into his arms, carried her bod
lily, faint protest and all, across the inter-
verlng tangle of grass to the old fence.
Once there he stood her on the top one of
| the five rails with her back against the
big old oak close behind it.
. There" he said, stepping back and
surveying her with satisfaction.
''Wl1ere?" she asked.
where's what?'
your woodpecker's nest Her ewes
shone and her cheeks glowed with a faint
flush of embarrassment. He took Off his
cap and laughed up at her.
The nest? In your mind-and mine
Surely you know that birds don't built
J their nests in September" he Knocked
} with the soft light falling full on hi.
) fair hair and serious eyes. But I car
! tell you where you are all right. You
f are"
ION the fence" she submitted saucily
Yes, on the fence, where you've beer
: too many years on a certain subject. 70,
are also at my mercy"
She laughed, but he was serious.
3 Alicia he said sternly, 81 came her
1 for the express purpose of taking my wifi
j back home with me. You are going t
Y marry me. The only thing for you to sa
< Is when you will do so.''
s He folded his arms and waited Alici
gasped in establishment. So he did car
. after all! A quick nov" almost leape
4 from her heart to her lips but her oil
i perversity grlpped her again. She woul
: do as she chose. She chose to be flip
:, pant.
: II don't like snakes she observed
g "nor people of one idea"
: He did not reply, SO she stuck out tn
v. dainty toe of her left shoe from beneat
r her fluffy skirts and looked at it wit
|. care Then she reached up for a branc
d of the tree. and balanced herself airil
on her perch.
q ''I like it up here she observed.
a I'm glad. You may have chance
enjoy yourself there for some time.''
!, What do you mean?"
! Precisely what say. Answer the ques
1t ton asked you moment ago. At
you should begin to realize that coquei
>. ting is no longer becoming"
John Lane, you know very well the
. I am only
~ Only two years younger than 1, and
III was II last month. When will you MARI
me?"
n 'sYou have asked me that same que:
le ton, believe. nine times now" she r,
marked politely.
o, Eight he corrected, with spirit, ''onl
id eight. This time doesn't count. I al
Id not asking you now; am telling yo
It that you are going to and give you
last chance to say just when Will yo
!. kindly name tIe-hour? Our train goe
"a at 1857. 1t is 4:30 now
:. II hate your old Colorado"
: You will like it in time TIL give yo
just two minutes more to give me prop
=. answer. Then shall marry YOU
W leave you for the last time, Alicia" Il
60 drew out his watch. The seconds tickle
nd themselves away Her eyes took In II
fine, manly figure and the earnest fac
1T Why not take him, and-now?
or Time. he said. quietly. Her old 81
ar stinacy lay heavily on the now JoI