The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-05-03

AUG ume you We Deen having! ! bup'
pose 1t explains your playing, which
is-well, v worse than usual"
We'll, II all you want in a hus-
band is a fellow who can 30 around In
a." he replied, GROSSLY, you'd better
marry Brown"
She half-closed her eyes. perked her
head and studied the toe Of her
shoe.
do you really think so, Jack?" she
murmured. i've been thinking OF 1t.
but-he's SO stout, and gets SO red
in the face, that--I don't know"
Jack Bower glared at her angrily.
HAS that little fat idiot been making
love to your" he demanded.
She glanced up in simulated sur
prise. idiot? Why, Jack. he's the
best player here!"
HAS he?"
"well-really, you're very imperti.
nent."
Has he, Grace?"
"N-no, not exactly" she answered,
slowly.
He. grunted. Sounds as though
you wish he had!"
Jack, you're very nasty" she said,
severely.
OF course one couldn't be angry at
Jack, though there was no harm In
seeming so sometimes; he had such
a nasty temper and was $3.50 un-
reasonable! But he was nice, too,
In fact quite the dearest fellow in
the world; and handsome. She look
ed approvingly at his long, 1.-the figure,
at the dark hair that was almost
black, at the broad shoulders and mus.
cular arms from which the sleeves
were rolled away, and sighed. 1t was
too bad he was such a duffer at golf,
though of course she didn't care about
that so much as she pretended to;
Jack was 80 lovely to tease! And be-
sides, 1t wasn't really his fault. He
worked hard five days in the week,
and one really couldn't keep up his
game doing that. And it was nice of
him to come up to Riverton every
weekend; he cared lots more for
yachting than for golf, and would
much rather spend his Saturdays and
OuuudyS Ou tu0 SOuuu, BIG was .SulCp
If 1t wasn't for-for her. She really
ought to be nice to him; he deserved
It, only Oh, dear, 1t was such fun
to tease him.
"Shall we start back?" she asked.
His frowns vanished at sight of
her smile. you haven't answered
me yet" he reminded.
Answered you-what?" she asked,
looking away.
Whether you'll marry me-"
Jack" she said, despairingly, "how
many times is this?"
-Four"
"Only four! It seems as though
you'd been proposing to me eve since
I knew you-and that's six years."
But you know l love you. Grace
he said, earnestly. "You surely haven't
any doubt of that. dare say I'm
pretty much of a duffer at making
love, Just as / am at playing golf, but
--5ut- Oh, hang it all, dear, I'd do
anything in the world for you!"
'"I wonder If you would?" she asked.
musingly.
TRY me, then"
She shook her head doubtingly. IF
I set you a very, very difficult task,
just like the princesses in the old
fairy tales used to do, and told you
that II yon performed 1t l would
marry you, would you do it,"
I'D make a stab at It," he answer
ed, grimly.
GD,xk a. a. no-vfoc-n o1~n4rk l-oI
possible?"
III you said 1t had to be done before
you'd marry me. yes. 1t couldn't be
much harder than waiting"
Her Eyes dropped, and a little bush
spread yer her cheeks. "Ill take you
at your word" she said, hurriediy.
Help me up, Jack"
He obeyed, and waited while she
shook her white skirt. She pointed to
the bag which they shared between
them, and turned toward the tree. He
followed, looking at her questioningly.
She was smiling gaily; q trife cruelty,
too, he thought.
"Well?" he asked.
well, coming out / beat, didn't IL
Now we'll start over, Jack, and play
In"
"Well?" he asked again. beginning
to look worried.
III you win. Jack, I'll marry you:
II you lose, you're not to propose to
me again-for a year, at least"
you mean it?r he asked, gravely.
"of course. You said you'd do any
thing to win me. What-what are you
doing"
Getting ready" He had taken on
his stock, and vas stufing it into the
pocket of the bag. That thing both
ers me. ! haven't a ghost of q show, !
l suppose. but I'd try q harder thing
than this for the same stake, Grace.
It's your honor"
She hadn't expected him to agree,
for the result was a ~foregone conclu.
sion, and she looked q bit dazed for