Alaska sentinel., 1906-12-13
- The Ring Availeth
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 Shotel was sure she was engaged. - She felt them observe her subtle ways of expressing the open secret of her heart. She was aware that they noticed her anxiety about the mails go- ing out and her eagerness about the mails coming in. She would affect that tender glance at the ring when she really knew that every one was look ing.
 She would hurry into the dining room a half-minute late folding letter and crushing it into the front of her shirt waist. She would stand before the long windows In the palmroom or sit silently in one of the huge rattan rockers on the porch and gaze ab- sently across the links.
 When the boys asked for set of ten n1s she would look at once startled and pleased, and hesitatingly would say :: "Tennis Why, would dearly love to, but" And she would turn inquir- ingly to her aunt with an expression by which most girls would mean, Do you think 1t is all right?" but by which she seemed to mean, Do you think that he would think 1t Is all right p The more she declined the more per sistent they became, till at length she was the center of all social activities.
 "It Is not because of myself. Men always are silly about engaged girls" hnr thn,lrht
 She enjoyed 1t immensely, however, and the other girls envied and gos- siped.
 One afternoon a young college man was presented to her. "Do you know" ssi6 he, "I've been dying to meet you that is, ever since I heard-er-you were engaged"
 "Is 1t such a dreadful thing to be enga ged:" she exclaimed. q know men just simply despise engaged girls"
 "Oh, no, we don't-that Is, some of us don't. You are all so different from other girls, you know"
 They took a short walk, and ended by sitting on bench In the arbor.
 "Oh. yes, it's much cooler here." she was saying as she toyed with the leaves and twlgs. They talked and talked, and got to know each other far bet ter than even she could have expected.
 The boys said "Whew." and asked her no more to play tennis The girls ceased to envy, but continued, however, to whisper. The boys joined them and whispered, too.
 The next morning when the crowd went over to the links he carried her sticks. She did not usually play golf In the mornings, but on this particular morning she was the first to go over. She knew he would walk with her. She thought he liked her, at least for the moment and, knowing the fickle frame of men, she realized the critical situa- ton.
 They played a few holes, but lost their last ball, and rested by the brook.
 "I'm sorry you learned I am en- gaged," she was saying.
 Sorry? Why, you needn't be-" he rejolned, frankly. Do you know, I'm deucedly fond of engaged girls?"
 "Indeed. Why, really thought that you fellows were rather afraid of them"
 Afraid of them! Nonsense. His boyish nature was growing enthusias- tic Its the other kind that I'm afraid of-not engaged girls. Why, a fellow like me could go with a girl like you all summer and-er-she would never expect-that is"
 The girl had lowered her head and was gazing intently into the brook.
 "You see, my friends tell me I am susceptible" and he softened his voice to an extremely confidential tone. ''That's why I'm glad you're engaged. You see, there's no chance for me to fall in love this summer"
 She was not quite so sure about 1t.