, 1906-02-28

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"Fol-de-rol. Stuff and %nonsenser'
threw in Dick disdainfully.
"Of course" observed Miss Blake
coldly. you can poke all the fun you
want at my theory of propinqulty, but"
-defiantly-"that doesn't alter the
case"
Nov, look here. Mollie." Dick vol
unteered, I've never for a single sec
ond imagined I'm in love with that
Livingston girl. and she's lived on the
other side Of our home almost as long
as you have. And a Geucedly attrac-
tive girl she Is too"
Miss Blake tilted her little nose up-
ward until She looked almost Gignihel
But she's quite-quite another sort.
that Livingston grl!' she replied air,
lily. Shes hot
Not
"Your style" finished Miss Blake
promptly. You know there are girls
and girls"
Yes" agreed Dick refectively.
Down the roadway carriage wheels
began to crunch the sandy ground.
Here comes Aunt Martha" announc.
ed Miss Blake. Tn a bit sorry | let
her call for me tonight. Dick, cause
I'd have liked awfully much to have
you see me home. Then l could have
talked to you sensibly and convinced
you of this 'p~ropinquity' business"
"Of course l didn't mean to martyr
you." said Dick grimly as he led her
down to the carriage.
"Now, don't be silly" admonished
Miss Blake with exasperating serenity.
Just forget everything you've said to-
night, like a good boy, and We'll go on
as we've always done, being jolly good
frlends-eh, DickieT"
After he had shaker hands with Aunt
Martha and the carriage had started
off Miss Blake called back gayly over
her shoulder:
I'll be coming home In another fort
night myself, you know"
Dick stood for awhile on the veranda
after the sound of the wheels had died
away. He was a substantial chap with
brains, and he reasoned with himself
seriously. "She isn't flirting" he So
~liloqulzed, but she's wild and doesn't
want to be tanned. However-now for
q new game
Some weeks later, after Miss Blake
had returned to town, Dick began to
drop In at the Blake home again. 1t
was only Internationally, though, and he
was not confidential as to where he
spent the numerous evenings he did
not drop in. Miss Blake would sooner
have had one of her fetching dimples
spirited away han ask him, but her
curiosity changed from annoyance to
worry.
81 say, Mollie," observed Dick casu-
ally one evening, lighting his pipe and
looking absentmindedly at the sweet
peas Miss Blake wore, that propin-
quity theory of yours isn't such a run
one, after all. Since I've been back
I've seen an awful lot of that Living
ston girl, and, do you know, she's Jolly
nice, mighty good company and that
sort o. thing. | dare say it's being with
her so much that
Miss Blake half jumped to her feet
from the deep armchair in which Dick
had piled up for her a sea of pillows.
And so it was that Livingston girl!
Hello! A wasp?" inquired Dick, set
ting down his pipe leisurely and refer
ring to the jump.
No answer. The lamps hadn't yet
been lighted, and it was the dark end
of twilight, SO he couldn't see her face
very clearly. But as he piled the two
pillows which had slipped to the floor
behind the demure little figure with the
sweet peas again he caught a tremu-
lous intaking of breath. As a matter
of fact, the girl in the deep chair was
struggling desperately with aggregated
emotions of the past month and tears
weren't very far away.
"Why-why, Molliev" Dick exclaimed
in some alarm. Then with very real
tenderness he put both firm hands I'M
der the dimpled chin and turned the
little face toward him.
"Oh, Dick, 1--we been so miserable"
stammered she family.
"Tve been miserable, too, sweetheart"
whispered he, settling himself on the
arm of the chair. And then, somehow,
those pretty sweet peas got a bit
crushed.
"And you don't really care for that
Livingston grip murmured Mollie
presently, pinching his cheek.
"That Livingston girl? Humph!"
cried he In establishment.