Evening journal., 1905-02-25
CONTRARY
TO PRECEDENT
Icopyright. i0o4 BY T. c. Mcclure

uehueui nedFSlBnleu ana bndDDlly dress
ed; he should have talked in a slow,
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 abseptmind-
ed.
The men Of science whom Miss Gov
srly 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 a rail,
whc infallibly iost 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 delightedly.
"Pve fooled the world into thinking
am biologist, but between you and
me I don't mind ccnfessing I'm an
overgrown boy,' be whispered to her
as she went In to dinner on his arm.
It was a dinner that Stoughton long
remembered-the 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 wilt kept the table
I'm a genial uproar, but when the men
were left to the decanters and the
cigars he fell into a brown study. idly
twirling spirit glass between his
thumb and finger and smiling quietly
20 himself as he recalled Miss Gov
erlys 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 strolIed aheld 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 endeavoring tS
kill time with the latest novels and Ions
neglected correspondence.
Stoughton sought the library, wher'
a big log sputtered cheerfully on th'
hearth He drew a chair before th'
fire and, picking up a book at random
began to read.
There was a sound Of light footsteps
on the polished floor, and a quiet voice
said mockingly:
"At last you yield to precedent AL
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 inquiringlJ
as he laid the book down.
''The other men Of science" she ex
planned.
"Did they read bound volumes o.
German funny papers?" he laughed.
Don't tell me" she said in shocked
tones. you are reading the Fliegend'
Blatter?"
Caught red handed" he confessed.
"You seem to have no respect 70
precedent" she pouted.
"You told me the other gentlemen o
science who came were fat and bald
headed and vague as to ideas. Tell me
have l grieved you very much In no
following the precedent in thes
thingsg'
mot tremendously" she laughed.
Look here" he said suddenly. "Dil
any Of those scientific fossils propos
to your"
"Goodnessl What an absurd ques
tionF' said she
did they2" he persisted.
"Certainly notl"
"Well, you see. my-er-chief desir
is not to follow their established precc
dent" he remarked pointedly.
The girl flushed; the professor cam
step nearer. The girl retreated; tn
professor advanced sturdily. In a col
ner he caught her and held her fast.
Contrary to precedent" said h
evenly, II shall ask you to marry me-"
There was a long silence. Then Mis-
Coverly lifted to Stoughton a pair o
eyes twinkling wickedly.
= And contrary TO precedent shal
say she began and paused.
what will you sayI" he begged.
''Now-now, If it's contrary to precC
dent. can't you imagine what sha
say?" she asked archly.
Mrs. Brenton came into the room Jus
then.
"We need Miss Coverly for a fou
hand at bridge" she said. Now, hoy
long, Professor Stoughton, do you il