Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-02-22
DAILY SHORT STORY
CONTRARY TO PRECEDENT.

deliberate tone; he should have paid
heavy compliments TO the young wom-
en-, and at all times and in all places he
should have been absurdly absentmind-
ed.
The men ofGscience WHOM Miss Gov
erly had met heretofore at the Bren-
tons country place had always been
very much of this description-staid
servants who sat a horse with as much
grace as they would have ridden Il rail.
who infalIibIy lost themselves when
ever they went shooting and who spent
much of their time reading before the
library fire tones whose very titles
were depressing in their profundity.
The fact that StoughtOn held the
chair of biology at one of the big west
ern universities seemed irreconcilable
with his youthful face and his almost
boyish enthusiasm over the horses and
the shooting.
When he was presented to Miss Gov
erly just before dinner on the day of
his arrival, that self possessed young
woman frankly told him that he had
upset all her preconceived ideas of
him.
Stoughton laughed Delightfully."-.
I've fooled the world into thinking
l am Il biologist, but between you and
me L don't mind confessing I'm an
overgrown boy" he whispered TO her
as she went in to dinner on his arm.
1t was u dinner that Stoughton long
remembered mellow candlelight,
the gay banter, but most of all the
quiet, gray eyed girl beside him, whose
few words were always to the point
and whose smile was something a god
from high Olympus might well sue for.
All through the dinner Stoughton,
under the spell of that smile, was at
his best. His timely repartee and his
brilliant flashes of wit kept the table
in genial uprOar, but when the men
were left to the decanters and the
cigars he fell into a brown study, idly
twirling a spirit glass between his
thumb and finger and smiling quietly
to himself as he recalled Miss Gov
erly's white throat and the pretty poise
of her head.
Stoughton managed to be much with
Miss Coverly during his stay at the
Brentons' They rode together in the
crisp autumn mornings; together they
beat the neighboring coverts for grouse
and partridge; they strOlled afield in
the gorgeous twilights.
Stoughton, who had never before
given the matter much thought, dis
covered he was possessed of a heart,
and the alternate flashes of hope and
despair this discovery brought about
gave him ample opportunity for stud
les in antitheseS.
At the end of the second week there
came a day of gray, monotonous rain.
In the billiard room the men were striv-
ing To amuse themselves with much
smoke and an occasional bit of brilliant
play. The women were endeavorinS to
kill time with the latest novels and long
neglected correspondence.
StOughtOn sought the library, where
"a big log sputtered cheerfully on the
hearth He drew a chair before the
fire and. picking mp book at random.
began to read.
There was Il sound of light footsteps
on the polished floor, and a quiet voice
said mOckingly:
At last you yield to precedent All
the others read ponderous books be-
fore the fire"
Stoughton turned. Miss Coverly stood
at the other end of the fireplace regard
ing him gravely.
The othersT' he said inquiringly
as he laid the book down.
The other men of science" she eX-
planned.
Did they read bound volumes of
German funny papers?" he laughed.
Don't tell me-" she said in shocked
tones. you are reading the Fliegende
Blatter?"
Caught red handed" he confessed.
You seem to have no respect for
precedent" she pouted.
You told me the other gentlemen Of
science who came were fat and bald
headed and vague as 10 ideas. Tell me,
have l grieved you very much in not
following the precedent in these
thingsT
Not tremendously" she laughed
Look here" he said suddenly. Did
any OF those scientific fossils propose
to you:'
Goodness, What an absurd ques-
ton said she.
Did they?" he persisted.
Certainly not
We'll, YOU see. my-er-chief desire
is not 10 follow their established precc-
dent he remarked pointedly.
The girl flushed: the professor came
n step nearer. The girl retreated; the
professor advanced sturduy. In a cor
ner he caught her and held her fast
Contrary 10 precedent" said he
evenly. Il shall ask you TO marry me-"
There was n long silence. Then Miss
Coverly lifted 10 Stoughton a pair OF
eyes twinkling wickedly.
And contrary TO precedent I shall
say she began and paused.
What will you say?' he begged.
'Now-nOw. If it's contrary to prece-
dent. can't Won imagine what I shall
say" she asked archly
- ~.