Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-04-30

of advice, and he had learned to lool to Barbara, above all other people il the world, for sympathy.
 He was still good deal disturbed fl his emotions when Barbara greeted him on the little porch, and 1t was [ rather confused account that he gav' her of what had happened.
 T don't quite understand" said Bar bara at last. Perhaps if you have . cup of tea you can make the matter clearer" and, without waiting for as sent or dissent, she glided out to th, kitchen, whence she presently returned bearing fragrant cup of Oolong.
 "Now," she said after he had slipped the tea. "tell me again just what ha. happened. You were too much excited when you told me before to tell me clearly"
 ''Well, 1t amounts to this," answered Duncan. "That scoundrel Tandy"-
 ''Stopw said Barbara in an authorita tive tone Never mind Tandy's char acter.. If you go of on that you'll nev. CT make me understand"
 In spite of his agitation Duncan laughed. How you do order me about.'
 "Oh, pardon mev' exclaimed the, girl in manifest alarm. T didn't mean to do that. would never think of doing such thing. I only meant
 "My dear Miss Barbara, fully un- derstand. I need ordering about to- night, and heartily wish you would take me in hand"
 "Oh, but I could never presume to i do that"
 q don't see why" answered Dun can. You are my good angel, and it is the business of my good angel to regulate me and make me behave as I should"
 But, MT. Duncan
 But Barbara"-it was the first time he had ever addressed her by her giv- en name and without the "Miss"-''you know love you, or you ought to know it. You know I want you to be my wife. Say that you will and then I shall be free to tell you all my trou- bles and to take your advice in all of them. Say that you love me, Barbara! Say that you will marry mer' All this was In contravention of Guilford Duncan's carefully laid plans, as declaration of love Is apt to be so long as women are fascinating and men are human. He had intended to put the thought of his love for Bar bara into her unsuspecting mind by in- genious trick and device" It had been his plan presently to escort her to church, to the concerts that now and then held forth at the Athenaeum, to Mrs. Hallam's for game of croquet, to Mrs. Galagher's for the little dances that that gracious gentlewoman gave now and then even in the heat of southern Illinois summer. He had even chartered a steamboat and plan- ned to give a picnic in the Kentucky woodlands below Cairo, to which he should escort Barbara. He had thought in these ways to set the tongues of all the gossips wagging and thus to force upon Barbara the thought of his love for her.
 All was now spoiled, as he thought, when he so precipitately declared his love there in the vine clad porch.
 Barbara was obviously surprised. Duncan could not quite make out whether she was shocked or not, whether his declaration of love pleased or distressed her, for she made no an- swer whatever Instead she nervously plucked honeysuckles and still more nervously let them fall from her hands.
 Duncan was standing now and in torture lest he had spoiled all by his precipitancy. He waited as patiently as he could for the girls answer, but 1t came not. Her silence seemed om- inous to him. It seemed to mean that she was shocked and offended by a declaration of love for which he had not in any wise prepared her.
 But Duncan was a man of action. It was not his habit to accept defeat without challenging 1t and demanding its reasons. So presently he advanced, passed his arm around Barbaras waist