The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1906-09-20

e"i" "' must ~ tnfVuSh n long pfoDA'
uonnry perlod-ail OF which Arthur
failed 10 understand. lie had always
been noted for his persuasive powers.
and had battered himself that Bernice,
with her gentle. clinglng. bud-lIke ways,
would suecumb at once.
Now. be II known. that Miss Bernice
Field had not arrived at years OF dis
erection for nothing. Neither had She
a not unprepossessing young person,
with nearly n hundred thousand In
her own rlght-passed through the es-
perlence OF ten seasons without gather
Ing unto herself much knowledge OF
the ways and wlles OF wicked man. She
had had. AS might have been expected
offers to a high number. but thus far
the gentlemen concerned had failed
by reason OF their ui.nnimous desire 10
touch her purse-t0 touch. In the first
place. the all-imporfsln key 10 II. which
was hidden away In her plump bosom.
And Miss Bernice Field Was worldly
wise In her day and generation.
She was eertsinly In love with Ferris
there could be no doubt OF that IL Is
quite as certain that she was very Sc
riously Ia love with him but with the
wisdom born OF experience. she did not
let him know one-half OF what she felt
for him.
II anyone had told Ferris that be
was just now In a very shsky position.
be would have sooned- His chum. Ed
Cross. who was spending the winter
az the house during Mrs. Ferris alb
senee. had once suggested that there's
many a slip" but Arthur merely SHE'D
a shoe az him and whlstled serenely.
II was In this frame OF mind that
"A evening In February. be ran lightly
up the steps o. the Field mansion 10
call on her whom Cross unfeelingiy re-
ferred 10 a. bis little lady-iove." IL
VAS warm. and the front door stood
aJar. The footman was not IN his &C
cusiomed place. 81 Ferris. with the air
Of one who knew just where be was
going. stepped inside From the open
door o. Papa Fields study came the
sound % soioes IN earnest discussion.
aud one q them spoke his own name
lie halted. irrcsoiuie. as would any
me else under like circumstances Papa
Field vas speaking.
-of course. my dear. you are your
own mistress. and ] can only sdrise
you IL seems TO me. however. that
you have done a very foolish thing 10
engage yourself 10 this yonng Ferris
True. be seems an exemplary young
and he oomcz Of an excellent
but Il Il well known that be-
has only . small allowance from the
IN addition 90 a beggnrly two
hnndr~d.nycar salary. How DO you
Il l. yon. aud not your money.
be wantk1 IL Is a brutal question.
/ know bot II Is u you have prob
sh,y asked Of yourself half a dozen
lines o~oncrrninx other young men"
Arthur. out In the hall. standing In
the same attitude \ child assumes
shcn speaking its FIRST -piece- In
WINGED. but waited for the an
IL came In serious. thoughtful
which indicated plainly that Miss
also bad considered this very
-N-no. ! am SURF you misjudse him.
,apa. or course. I ~undenfand how be
> situated financially. and all that But
am sure ~ Is honest and honorable.
md that he-carcs for me very much.
There are q thousand wsys By which
can learn much that you cannot
nd"
-yes-ye~. I understand But sup
,ose you should put him 10 the test
you think he would come through
.b-er-unscstbed. AZ II weref Sup
-ose you should tell him that ! had lost
n your money and mine In unfortu-
ate specuistion-that we were bexEars.
nd had not a penny we could call u
wni Are you afraid TO try himT~
There was a brief silence. Then:
Il don't like to tell a faisehood. papa :
az II would be only q white lie and
for the best Yes. I'll try him
, morrow night"
ThHts my outtut kifh w" w"
hong and let me work"
There was the sound OF a kiss. snd
ic pcrspiring young man In the hall
TO get out OF the house. He
antcd time TO think. but the FIRST thing
vat entered his head as he reached the
avement was a fancIful picture Of the [,
ainty Miss Field. with her n hun /,
rcd and sixty pounds avoirdupois. I
unning along and he smiled broadly. /,
hen he walked rapidly over to the /
sxt street to catch a cab to his club. !
Iere to hold a confab with Cross. :
on the steps he hesitated a moment 9
lad I better go back nowr" he I
ought mo: she won't have her little
lc OF woe ready. and might be put out !
I call tonight. I might give myself
way. too. Better have time to get my
ecch prepared" And this astufe
Jung man went in and proceeded to '
AXE himself comfortable. =
The next evening. with mis- usual light :
art and good spirits. he rang the =
,orbcll OF the Field mansion "yes, a
Iss Field was In" Peter said Ferris !.
mt into the drawing room and sat y