The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-05-02

to marry me- And if we are ever to
be married there's no use in waiting
longer. If she's found that she cares
for sOme"-
"None of that, Alfw Charlie inter
rupted "Retta tlirts little, but that's
all. Have you told her how seriously
you regard the postponementT
"No, and I'm not going to either"
ALI declared sulkily,
Some one should She
Some one shouldn't and shan't" Alf
said fiercely. mo girl is going to be
coerced into marrying me- suppose
If | howled around and raised a great
racket she would give in, but We'll
never be married until she's perfectly
willing without outside pressure. I'll
get out of the way for awhile and let
her have chance to find herself;
won't even write to her. I've intiu-
enced her too much, maybe"
Charlie still shook his head, but Of
fered no further remonstrance, merely
asking, "In what direction are you 60
luS u I)tIdlllDuldlt anu NucH'
"Oh, down Panama way and as soon
as | can fix my business to leave it,
and that won't take many days"
Charlie whstled "Not going in for
an engineering job in that sickly hole
! hope"
81 may find job when l get there
but I'm going foot loose. I've always
been interested in the big ditch scheme.
It'll be a diversion to examine it at
close range"
"And Retta"- Charlie began.
"I'll tell Retta and leave her free to
find herself, as | said. And l don't
want any one to iIterfere-to say one
word to influence
They passed around the corner of
the house on the way to the gate, and
Retta sank Imply upon bench. She
had been too startled to move at first
and then perceived the impossibility of
revealing her presence. 1t was caves
dropping, but she was not thinking of
that or of the errand to Aunt Anna
that had brought her across lots
through the rose arbor. The finding"
Of herself had come with a suddenness
that shook, her breathless as she listen
ed. She had not realized before how
much her happiness depended upon Alt
and Alf's faithful love or how very
dearly she loved him.
Poor felloww she sighed tenderly,
wiplng her eyes. Poor fell-how self
ish I've been when I knew he never
had home and how he Is looking for
ward to one of his own! He's such a
home body, and I've been cheating
him--keeping him in lodgings when he
hates it So -and-and when | want
yes, | do-Only I'm such a tlyaway!
do want to make the dear boy home
And he's going off Toto Where is
Panama way? A sickly hole, Charlie
called it. Oh, he mustn't! He mustntv
She fled home into the library, and
began search for information con
cerning Panama way, search that
was somewhat hindered by her linking
the two words. But by the aid of the
encyclopedia, the physical geography
and magazine articles she soon &C.
Quired more knowledge of the country
than her erstwhle boarding school
teacher would have deemed possible
for Retta's strong point was not learn
ing. She was just sweet little girl
wOmanly and tender with careless
shrinking from responsibility, engen.
dered by her entire freedom from such
But now her heart was aroused. and
she was aghast with horror at the idea
of Alf, her own Alf, going down Pan.
anna way to endure all sorts Of tor.
anents and dangers and finally die OF