Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-12-27

her. Remember you wrote her about
Georgina two years back at least"
Fretty said, smiling sweetly, with the
falntest touch of malice "As to my
liking her, what does that matterT I
have nothing to do with her, only with
YOU
"You are quite resolved-to take
me, | meanF' Langley asked, his eyes
dowucast.
Fretty looked pensive. 1t seems
one must do ones duty, however dis
agreeable" she said, with little sigh.
Langley erected himself. in that
case, suppose you kiss your crown Of
martyrdom," he said, putting his face
close to her lips.
Fretty sprang back as far as their
clasped hands permitted and said, with
dancing eyes: Next year will be quite
time enough for that. You see, / am
going away in the fall to be finished at
the Winslow school Mother insists
, upon 1t, and I myself think it best. /
shall come back a fine lady-fne
enough, hope, to do the family credit
May ! trust you not to marry Georgina
in all that time?"
Certainly not" Langley said prompt
ly. You will have to take me now or
risk losing me altogether And l hate
finishing schools and all their works.
If yon go through the mill I won't have
you--that's flatr
Fretty snatched away her hands.
laughing heartily. What an actor was
lost IN you, Cousin Langleyr she said.
"You had such a ring IN your voice!
wish Tommy Hartwell had been with
in hearing"
$50! You want the heather to rage,
you mink" Langley said, again i'm
prisoning her hands, then the ring
coming back to his voice stronger than
ever: "Fretty, know you were in fun,
but, please, dear, let's make it earnest.
| want you-nobody else. / have been
wanting you ever sine l came, with
out having sense enough to know it."
How about Georglna?" Fretty muir
injured, turning away her head so
Langley might not see the mounting
color in her cheeks.
Langley laughed triumphantly. May
be vain enough to speak the frozen
truth?' he asked, his lips very close to
Fretty's ear. She turned little more
away from him, saying very low:
NO. l can guess it. Georgina won't
have you; therefore you want me to
salve your broken heart"
"Of course But how did you guess
it:' Langley asked, his heart thrilling
at thought of her care to save another
woman from slurring. He had meant
to tell her what he knew for truth
that while Georgina would have ac-
cepted him for his position and poten-
tialities and given him comradely help
throughout their Joint career her heart
was by no means engaged she being
of the equable temperament that
spends its Widest devotion upon itself.
Moreover, there was Vernon. All
along he had suspected some kindness,
even more, between the pair. They
might have each other and welcome.
Fretty, sweet, slim, red haired Fretty.
was the one wife in the world for him.
Impulsively he caught her to him
and said between kisses: Il see 1t all
now. You're a witch. You saw how
needed comforting and proposed to
me right off the reel. Hcnceforth I
shall live to keep you from being sorry
for IT.
And III make you sorry for 1t as
long as you live il ever you dare say
that again." Fretty interrupted.
Again Langley laughed. He could
afford to, Fretty, In spite of her brave
words, was Nesting to him like hap.
py child.