The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1906-07-19

affair. and--loye?" She blushed as
she nearly missed fire on the final
word.
why not?" he inquired. THE sea
is doing me good. | shall be myself
ono more in a week"
and begin to regret your unmiti-
gated bachelor solemnities?"
Certainly not. Id like to see the
girl who could make me regret such
a sensible step"
He looked so deeply into Ada's eyes
as he spoke that she saw the whole
some, honest boy she had known so
happily, once upon a time. Then he
presently added:
Besides, that's done-and there's
an end to It."
Something happened in Ada's femi-
nine mind. She said:
That sounds exactly like the things
you used to say so long ago. Just be-
tween our childish Gains and storms"
A bright light flashed in his eyes.
for a second, to counter the sparkle
in hers.
Ada. there's nothing poetic or
reminiscent about me now" he con-
ided. but everything feels to me de-
cidedly like spring"
With a nod she conceded he had
paid her back. Nevertheless, she ig-
nored his gentle repartee.
WAS 1t spring the whole year
through, when we were two foolish
chileren?" she queried.
II never thought" he admitted,
~"but-hang It ALL believe 1t was"
The sole purpose of making an ocean
voyage so protrac.ed is to entrap the
innocent passengers into vague little
signs of in~conseqIent regret when at
length 1t is finally ended.
Both Seton and Ada were apostle of
ihconsequence.
That final evening they sat on the
deck and beheli the moon arise like
a red-hot disk from somewhere over
the edge. Ada looked at II steadily.
The poor old thing must take US
very seriously" she said, for look at
the wrinkles on her brow"
IL used to think a sillier thing than
that-what a lot of rings it would
make, cut out, one inside the other"
He was silent for a moment, men,
tally carving up the unsuspecttng
planet. Then he observed:
They would all be pain gold
rings"
Yes, | know. That was part of the
idea. l said it was woefully silly"
Perhaps you thought you would
like one of the rings?"
Perhaps | did" she confessed. 81
was very young"
He suppressed a tentative feeling Of
excitement.
of course, you don't wish for any,
thing of the sort any longer?" he in
CURED, calmly.
How could |, Mr.. Lower"
Il was trying to think"
"You were trying to think what?"
How we could both get out of 1t.
| mean-how I-we-well, let it SO the
way l said it first"
She looked at him steadily, and felt
herself grow pale and warm alter
nately.
Get out of what?" she murmured.
ada, we can't get out of the fact
that we love one another, devotedly,'
he announced with a boldness that
took away her breath. when we
used to play, as children, we used t.
say we loved each other for the court.
ship, and that we loved each other fol
the marriage, and then, after the di-
vorce, we made up and said we loved
each other again, so as To begin the
game all. over. SO we can't get out Of
that, now can we? The only question
is how to get around our solemn vow:
to the bachelor association"
"But-Seton-"
Il know. I've always said you are {
sweet, sensible girl. If ycu advise it
I'll simply break my pledge"
but | don't advise it. don't ad
wise anything. | certainly"
Don't you love me, sweetheart, jus
enough to help me out?"
She was silent for a moment. HI
took her hand. 1t was trembling, bu
it lay in his without alarm. II,
. looked in he. eyes, and, even in tn
moonlight, saw the answer he needed
Then finally Seton, pressing his ifs
to his heart, with all his strength, dis
covered he was gazing in rapture Oh
the moon. He thought what a beautiful
plain gold ring he could cut from tn
splendor of the disk.
,