Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-06
CHAPTER X.

lanu with shy aWkWlIuneSS, HtiSueu
deeply us he looked at her
.Och!" exclaimed Ollie. turning in
her chair to welcome him, but not
rising. "but I'm glad you're here oncet!
I'm so tired listenin' to the big words
they're spittin' at each other here
yes. even Eunice yet. | didn't know
Eunice could speak such high Ian
guage! She amt never done it around
us still"
''Nor around me. neither-1d like.
too. to hear her oncet," replied the
young man, his bashful tones only
just audible and his face and neck
self consciously red as he retained
Eunice's hand so that she could not
pass ON and looked at her with an ar
dor In his gaze that appeared quite
irrelevant in view of the general I'M
Outstanding that he came to ''set up
on the porch, Eunice?' he nervously
begged the girl.
Eunice looked at him in surprise.
To ask her to commit a breach like
that, to violate the social code that no
third person must be present at Il
Sunday night setting up'-was he
wandering in his wits? She tried to
withdraw her hand, but could not-he
held 1t tight-with Ollie, DR.. Kinross
and the young ladies all looking on!
''This is the first time I have saw
you-since l begun to come Sundays"
he said with evidently gigantic effort
to conquer his embarrassment at the
acknowledgment he was making in
Ollie's very presence. Where was
you at Sunday nights still when |
come over?"
Where was she at?" spoke UP Ollie
boisterously. "Out on the back porch
settin'-with our Abe. That's where
she'd be tonight, too, | guess, If nom
didn't jaw her so fur it,"
with Abev' repeated Ollie's osten-
sible "friend" in CONSERVATION that
forgot the presence of others. "Her
and Abel"
Eunice dragged her fingers from his
clasp and turned away before he could
recover from the evident shock OF
Ollie's communication.
The three boarders, realizing that
they were de trop, also rose and went
away. Ollie and the young man We're
left in solitary possession of the field
for the evenings campaign.
How many dupes are there i'll this
friendshaft, wonder" Kinross sail
to himself as he strolled out into the
garden. his pulse bounding with q
strange excitement. ''rhe young ladies'
think I'm country lout. Ollie thinks
the young man, Hen MuclSlehenny.
comes to set up with her when eyi-
IDENTIFY he is fatally smitten with Eu.
nice Qet him lay low il Abe discovers
IT.. AS for rle, have I, too, been dupe
about that girl, Eunice? Is she dis
guised college professor or whatever
as her conversation this evening might
suggest? Her diction is certainly not
the everyday tongue of the Morning
stars. How the dickens does it hap
pen?"
But too many circumstances-th
Morningstars' selfish treatment of her,
Abe's infatuation, hei. slayish work
these and other things RELATED the
theory that she was anything else than
what she pretended to be. How. then.
account for that astonishing little rev
elation of herself this evening? He
turned it over in every conceivable
way, but could arrive at no conclusion
concerning her. He decided that he
must certainly make an opportunity
f1.. talking with her and investigate
her thoroughly.
Meantime Hen Mucklehenny's hest
tation in taking advantage Of the clear
field left to him and his slowness to
seat himself in the rocker at Ollie's
side were attributed by her to his well
known baShfulness. 1t was thus that
she had interpreted also his lack OF
ardor on every Sunday night that he
had been with her. No amount of en-
.couragement on, her part had availed
to warm hira up to the sort of love
making considered in that locality an
essential preface to matrimony.
''Hen," began Ollie. when at last they
were rocking monotonously side by
III tlSll DlS, WOOdSi1 1oSihSAS VII
the porch, you amt got no need to
trouble to make SO polite to our Eu-
nice, SEEM she amt my right sister
that way. 1t makes me no difference
If she likes you or if she don't, her
bein' only 'dopted and not our own
flesh and blood. 1t wouldn't unplease
me if you didn't make over her any"
But began Hen uneasily, Il didn't
make polite TO her just far to please
you, Ollie-not just to say fur that ex-
actly; p He stopped helplessly, look
ing distraught
Ollie was slow to grasp new idea.
All she saw just now was that her
bashful lover was more embarrassed
than usual 'sThat's all right Hen
she treasured him-quite irrelevant
ly the uncomfortable fellow thought.
They rocked in silence for while.
Pennsylvania Dutch courtships are
wont to be punctuated by long periods
of sepulchral silence. Hens counte-
nance, instead of expressing the &C.
stacies of q lover in the fair presence
of his lady, looked as if he were sit
ting in dentists chair under the Or
deal of an exposed nerve.
Hen" said Ollie presently in tone
of heavy import. 81 want to speak |
somepin to YOU"
Hen fidgeted and waited to hear it.
IF you wasn't keepin' comp'ny with |
me. Hen, do you know what I'd near