Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-05-03


found them In the music room and Jor-
dan had been disentangling strand
OF Alice's hair from his coat button.
He had refused to believe her prompt
explanation that In turning the music
he had caught her hair. He had as
sumed a Irritation, and his cutting re-
marks had ended In the return OF his
ring and misery for them both. In his
hot anger he had not liked TO ask his
host to cash check and had gone
away without thought Of emergen-
Giles.
There Is no time to consider the com
monplace things Of life when one has
just lost the girl he loves, and all would
have been well enough had he not
feared Fay Gressit's ridicule.
He made a pretense of reading
book he found In his hand bag, but he
could not interest himself In the story
and long before the dusk began to close
In he was thoroughly miserable.
He welcomed knock at the door. Ii
tould only be the porter with coal or
the chambermald with towels, but
somehow he felt as IL he had been
stranded on desert island. and he
welcomed the advent of any one. He
sprang to his feet as he cried Come
In" and confronted Frank Jordan.
"You will pardon my breaking in up
on your solitude" began Jordan, but
Miss Carver sent me for you"
How did you know was here?' he
demanded suspiciously.
miss Gresst sent a telegram warn
Ing us that you were still in town and
asking us to look you up"
"Have you the telegram" asked Bob.
Jordan shook his head.
"Miss Carver has that. She just asked
me to look you up. say, old chap,
feel awfully cut up over last night.
There really was nothing to It, OF
course know how you feel. When
fellow is first engaged he is Jealous of
the rest of mankind. Good Lord, when
I was first engaged to Fay used to be
jealous even of her riding master"
"You engaged to Fay Gressit?" shout
ed Bob. IL thought you werewolf, in
terested In Alice"
"Sure I'm interested" agreed Jordan
"She's been a sort of fairy godmother
to Fay and me. You know, Mrs. Ores
sit does not approve of me; thinks I'm
not good match for Fay. and IL 1t
weren't for Alice don't know what
we would have DONE"
II suppose everybody is laughing at
my staying behind" said Pelham
weakly.
"Don't know anything about It," de-
clared Jordan. II can let you have
what you need and you can go right on
to town or you can come back with me
and simply explain that you changed
your mind. II were you 10 20 back.
Alice says you have ring that belongs
to her"
"I'n Co." said Bob. Help me get
these things together"
Some hours later Bob and Alice sat
In the music room while Jordan was
doing his best to hold the rest Of the
crowd in the library with parlor magic.
"Tm awfully glad you came back"
whispered Alice as she slipped her hand
the one with the ring on it-into his.
II think Fay is the smartest girl
know"
But what made her think l was go
ing to stay over?" he asked. Il told her
was going down on the next train"
"She saw you buy your ticket and
that there was only the one bill In your
purse. She knew that II you stayed
over there would be a chance for an
explanation. so she borrowed every
cent you had and telegraphed us from
the next stop just what she had done"
IL think" said Pelham slowly, that
I owe Fay great deal more than she
owes me-"
II should hope" said Alice. that you
value me at more than 500"
Dear" he whispered, you are with
out price,
without money and without price,
she quoted. You without the money
and without the price,"