Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-03-04
do l-i-love you, BERTHE"

he said huskily, holding the hands
tighter than ever. II said was happy
before, but I've never been absolutely
SO until this minute. Why, Dollie. You
remember we were interrupted last
night and you've never let me kiss you.
It's Yes isn't it, dearY' leaning
very close.
why, BERTHE Temple, l should say
not! OF all the mean, deceiving ad-
vantage taking tricks She paused
GREATNESS, her voice quivering wrath
fully.
But BERTHE chung desperately to her
hands. 'Dollie, don't spoil it air. in
beseeching whisper. Wen never
hear the last of it"
She sank back weakly
"Oh! Lifts so very new. Won
know. I'm not accustomed to it yet.
1ou-you are not angry with me,
d-dear?"
Angry with you? Never as long as
r.
of course l didn't mean that. But
anyway you mustn't surprise me so
violently. 1t might make me l-l-Iike
you less. No, l guess To better not LET
you tonight, just for punishment. No
well! If you're going to feel so heart
broken, Just one very tiny one right
here, indicating the tip of a rosy ear.
The elaborate performance was hard
ly concluded when a small, agitated
voice came very close to Mr.. Temples
own auditory member.
BERTHE! I'm positive l smell fresh
cigar smoke! Do you suppose any one
is listening round the corner? L shall
simply die"
The answer came from an unexpect-
ed quarter. Out of the dusk of the low
music room window stepped the youth
ful, immaculate figure of Miss Doro-
thy's brother Bob
Hello, you twor' he greeted genialIy.
but with carefully modulated voice. "I
didn't mean to listen more than a min
ute, but it was too good a chance to
learn how. / knew you'd not mind so
much. being all in the family. But. Sc
riously, old man, I'm no end gladi
Rather have you for a brother than any
FELLOW L know-though l had a suspf-
c1on that Dot made a practice of refus-
ing you about once week And here's
my most brotherly kiss for the maiden
NOT on the ear, eitherv And Bob
beamed gleefully on one and then the
ether. man who had risen to accent
MS felicitations with quiet dignity and
a girl who stood with both hands press
ed to palpitating breast.
This will just about sign your re-
lease on the Simpkins' question. won't
II, Bertie?" continued the garrulous
Bob. by the bye, that cheerful skele-
ton came tiptoeing into the music room
just before you two obscured nv OUT
look and left with obvious reluctance
on discovering me. suppose it's regis
tered to my discredit. but I hadn't the
moral courage to resign the window
seat in her favor"
Dorothy's hands suddenly covered her
race, but not in time to quench n little
gasping sound that was not more than
half laughter
berue took one step to her side and
Threw protecting arm across the bent
shoulders Under that shelter q fut-
tering little heart was proclaiming:
she did come! 1t was the truth and
not joke to make me wretchedl
could never have married a man who
would lie to me!'
dot must be weeping to think how
cut up old lady Sjmpkins will be- ven
tured Bob, "and nervous, L suppose. at
being interrupted so suddenly. Never
mind, little girl. I'll go right away and
never tell soul. Only she might
show brother her new ring-or is IL all
so very new that the ring hasn't ar-
rived yet?'
So new that the ring WINS about to
be produced when you appeared" re-
Piled Berthe In very deep voice. tax
ing Doiiie's left hand and Slipping some
thing very quickly on to her finger.
"Oh!' she cried, with a quaver of de-
light; then she sat down very abruptly.
leaning forward to let the moonlight
sparkle on the beautiful stone.
For once in his life Rob showed suf-
fcient discretion TO steal noiselessly
away.
She sat very still, absently turning
the circlet this way and that, watching
the flash of changing colors; then, with
n shaky little sigh, she slipped it off
and held it toward him. Its very
lovely, BERTHE. 1 guess the girl you.
Il
on for few minutes. Aren't YOU go
ing to tell me who she is, BERTHE?
We've been pretty good friends, you
know"
Straight and tall he stood before her.
Yes, Dollie, / am going to tell YOU
who she is" he answered slowly, then
dropped on one knee and slipped the
ring back on the finger from which
she had removed it. "She is you, you,
you," he whispered, "and no one else
in the wide world. May it stay there,
my Dollie?'
BERTHE" and her eyes grew luminous
with wonder, "do you mean that you
still care after have refused you-oh,
1 don't like to think how many times?
But I never knew how nice you could
be-"
you never gave me the chance" he
answered happily, 80 1 had to try
strategy"