The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-08-11
APPLE
BIOS S Q M S
By MARGARET RICHARDS
Copyright, 1905, by R. B. Mcclure

outstretched hands and shining eyes.
II am so glad for YOU" she said i'm.
pulsively, giving him her lands. Don't
try to pretend you are not proud OF
yourself, for of course you are. We
bought every one of the evening papers
and pored over them until 1. for one
am positively overcome with awe
when 1 consider that rising young
architect, Richard G. Doane.'" And
she swept him a low courtesy. "And
fame sat lightly ON his BROW" she
quoted teasingly.
"But she isn't sitting there yet" he
laughed, retaining the slender fingers
and holding them tightly in his own
This is only the beginning. There's
plenty of hard work ahea&"
you are sure to succeed" she inter
rupted softly.
II can only hope So" he returned.
81 have worked hard for it and l feel
that 1t is In line with my other work.
Yes" he went on thoughtfully, Il think
we shall succeed"
"And then?" she asked.
His face was very bright and eager,
and she found, to her CONSERVATION,
that the color flooded her cheeks as her
eyes met his. Embarrassed, she picked
up a spray of apple blossoms lying on
the table. She walked over to the
fireplace, drawing the pink and white
petals nervously through her fingers.
arm resting on the mantel.
81 wonder" he said IN q voice he
tried in vain to steady, "if l dare to I'M
fold the rest of my aspirations
"Why not?" she replied, trying to
speak easily. "You know l care very
much for whatever concerns YOU" I'm
der the circumstances this was about
as unfortunate q remark as she could
we'll have made.
Reassured, he came closer. Like all
we'll regulated aspirations" he said,
with embarrassed hesitancy, they are
inspired by one governing idea He
broke off abruptly and, with a quick
step toward her, took her hands in
his. His embarrassment had gone and
his eyes were very tender. Surely
you know, Catherine, sweetheart" he
whispered unsteadily; surely you
know"
For a moment her heart seemed to
stop, then with all her strength of will
she pushed him from her. mo, no,
Richard, I cannot" she whispered bro
kenly. II have promised. I cannot"
promised what, sweetheart?" he
asked, puzzled by this sudden change.
you know, we have seen great
deal of Mr.. Claiming lately" she went
on unsteadily. "He Is often here and
is always sending us thlngs-books,
game, flowers. Every day something
comes either for mother or me. Usual
ly for mother, though-sO 1 never
dreamed-he is. so much older
To-day, she went on, a mournful
little catch in her voice, ''hls man
brought those" She nodded toward a
curiously wrought bowl on the table,
where, massed in sweet profusion. a
wealth of apple blossoms overhowed,
pink and white and fragrant with faint
perfume "And this" She walked to
the desk, and, picking up note, held
It out to him.
Mechanically he took it. Dearest Of
all women" it began-and he read 1t
to the end.
His face went suddenly white.
Catherine, surely you will not mar
ry this MANI" he demanded hoarsely.
She covered her face with her hands.
81 have promised" she moaned.
promised! He doesn't even ask for
your answer until tomorrow night"
II have promised mother" she ex-
planned, with gentle dignity. "There
are business reasons 1 cannot explain
He was very kind three years ago
when father died, We owe 1t to him
to do anything we can"
ut is absurd! Quixottc! The man
is three times your age" he returned
hotly. Then his voice changed and he
took the slender hands In his. Sure
ly you will not do this thing-let me
talk to your mother" he pleaded
gently.
Mother must not know" she said
Had you seen the distress In moth
er's face you would know 1 must do
It," she continued Don't you under
standT she ended plaintively.
mo, l don't" he. answered grimfy,
"but I do understand that John Chan
ming Is worth couple Of millions.
Women are all alike" he went on, with
sudden bitterness. TITS never what a
man is, but what he has that tips the
scale. Love cannot compete with
Bradstreet I've been the usual kind
of fool, I suppose" he ended, with q
hitter little laugh.
II he had taken her In his arms,
then and there, II would have ended
differently, but he was very young and
very proud and very unhappy and
thought 1t was manly thing not to,
show how much he cared. Or &fasho'
had let him see that he was Oearer
than any other man. mllions or no
millions, he would not have gone, but
she, too, was young and proud.
So, hurt and angry, he had gone, and
she stood Where he had left her. She
wantedsbim to go, Of course, but 1t was
hard to- have him leave like that. She
meant to be very brave and cheerful;
she Kept her heartache TO herself; her
mother or her husband here a littlc
wave Of self pity shook herr show
never know. She sank into a. chair .
leaned her soft, bare arms on the "a
The bright, fair head dropped -
until 1t rested against them, anC