The Press., 1906-08-15
TAKEN AT
HER WORD
Bu JOANNA SINGLE
Copyright. 1908. by E. @. PARCELS
Bu JOANNA SINGLE

John Mason did not slam the gate
simply because he knew that this mani
festation of rage would surely delight
Rosalie. She was watching his depar-
ture from the window, and he was an
griIy conscious that she knew he
would, as usual, return in few days,
although she had said she hoped she
would be rid of him for awhile. She
was so young and so beautiful-and so
provoking!
At the entrance to the little park, al
ready growing green in the April sun,
he met her sister. He did not know
Anne very well-he had been too busy
with Resale. He wished now that he
had made friends with her; her blue
eyes were so like and still SO unlike
Rosalie's. Anne stepped in front of
him and stopped him unceremoniously.
Been trampled upon againP' she OBJ
served. John Mason, for SO clever a
man generally you're sometimes an
awful foolp' She submitted this
thoughfully, In a voice too gentle to be
insulting.
"Then you and Rosalie are agreed,
and / suppose you are expert testi-
mony. May turn and walk with
your
She nodded and then asked matter
of fact question. How many times
has she refused your
81 had not thought to keep count
Resale just now informed me that this
was the last time 1 didn't know had
been the same sort of a-fool so often.
But don't you think she ought to give
me credit for my persistence? Not ev-
cry man proposes so many times-to
the same girl"
Anne laughed dryly as he continued:
81 would have given up long ago II
I were not unexplainably sure that she
does-care for me. In fact, she never
has said directly that she does not. She
simply says she won't marry me.
What's the matter with met Am too
rich? I can give away the stuff IL she
likes. Am I too successful? I might
lose a case to please her. Should be
as ugly as Satan? Perhaps she would
like a Beauty and the Beast effect!
What does she want? I've said and
done everything under heaven, and she
walks on me-she trails mel"
Precisely! That's why 1 called you
what did. A girl likes to trail a
man, but hates the man that will be
trailed. Not logical, Is it? To use her
own words, you are always around
underfoot. You give her no time to
want you or miss you or think about
you. She's too sure of you. She
knows just where you'll be. You never
let her want anything bad enough to
appreciate it when it comes. She has
always had her own way. She needs to
be bit afraid Of you. She needs to be
bullied"
He frowned. "I am not a brute. That
is not my way"
mo? Well, what has your way &C
complishedP
He tried to laugh. "Oh, I'll take your
advice. I'll do anything you say. It
can't be worse than 1t is now"
"Well, hate the responsibility. If
you get her you'll fight; II you don't,
you'll both be miserable anyhow. You
must get her-and then work out your
own salvation. In the first place, you
must give her a shock. Write her a
note and accept your dismissal. Tell
her you begin to see that she Is right
and that you wish to be friendly with
her and the family. Then call some
times-on the father or on me. Don't
stay away. Absences Of that sort are
fattering; you must be quite unaffect-
ed by her presence"
"You know that Is impossible. You
know how the sight of her.
you've got to do it! And you must
take another girl out occasionally. Be-
ing naturally modest, I dislike to sug-
gest that you send me flowers some
times and come for a walk with me.
That will bring things home to her. A
girl hates to have an admirer transfer
himself bodily to any one, but espe-
cially to her sister"
When they had planned their cam
paign and he left Anne at the gate
she had him laughing. Rosalie saw
them and shrugged her shoulders.
While removing her hat in the hall
Anne remarked to her sister:
"Well, dear, John tells me that you
have dismissed him for good. You
know never would have interfered If
you had wanted him, but am glad
von do NOT Now Won NAV And time
FOR vour mus,c Your talent ia foo
marked to no NEGLECTED n will he
roI,oe FOR Won 70 have him ont oe tho
wav awhile you're too Young to leave
eather and me and. AFTER ali fhink
you're right about his not being the
right man for you"
RosaUe shrueped her shoulders
The next dav Rosalie- without COM
ment handed Anne this NOTE.
Daor Nr,.. c.-,a.o,,-1 uar& e. .h.rt
you for your frankness Of yesterday, and
I assure you that shall not annoy you
again as I have in the past: Can you for
sn6 ~ long, Yn ero prohs yyv Tht -
deciding that could not make YOU hap