The Washington herald., 1907-12-27

her TO meet Ben, she'll so of at . tan
gent and everything viii be spoiled"
There are more ways than one 70 kill
/ a cat" replied Mr. Markham succinctly.
why do you let her find it out then?
Just let him take her by surprise-I'n
! arrange II so that he stops here on his
way up 70 Wisconsin. where he goes for
his vacation. He viii just drop of for
a day to see his aunt-and then our
/ troubles VIII be over. There is no doubt
whatever that they were made for each
other and they might as weIl have Il
over with. If I We're you I'd have the
wedding in October" she finished COM
placently.
We'll" said the other doubtfulIy- And
1 then. How does Ben feel about It? After
al, it mostly depends on how he takes
it. Is he interested"
Indeed he is. He feels little shy, I
think: but he's willing to be shown.
] Says he's from Missouri I think he's
even anxious. But as far as that goes
/ Mary is interested. too, only she IS too
independent 10 show IT, Just give her a
chance 10 meet him accidentally or un-
expectedly and everything viii be all
right"
is that so.'' CALCULATED girl in the
dimly lit hall. though she suppressed her
voice. so I'm 10 have blue ribbon tied
about my neck and be exhibited 70 this
eager young man from Missouri. am I?''
Once in her room she turned the lights
on at either side OF her dressing table
and looked at herself in the glass Her
glowing dark face was anything but
meek, and she turned the light of again
with a little vicious snap. and then sat
down IN the open window She was
angry-very angry, she told herself
"The very idea OF planning to marry
me of 10 a man I've never seen and
never want 70 see. It's positively medi-
evaI"
But presently the humorous side Of IL
came 10 the rescue, as was usual with
her, and she laughed as she undressed-
Early the next morning she wrote a
long letter % her best friend, who was
/ spending the summer at the lakes. and
! laughed gleefully as she ran downstairs
10 put IL in the box. Early as she was.
however, some one had been there be-
fore her. A letter was sticking out, and
I
passed already she pulled il out 20 see il
il was hers
Mr.. Ben Markham. Des Moines.
Iowa, she read. and rammed II viciously
back into the box They aren't vast
ing any time. at any rate But IL takes
two 10 fan in love, Dir. Ben Markham.
and I can't get away 70 marry you
to-day" she sang, nor this October
either"
She went 10 breakfast in q mischiev-
ously happy mood. which aroused her
mothers suspicious
For two DAYS she watched the mail
closely. And on the third day the post
man or his noon trip put into her out
stretched hand the letter fer which she
was waiting. IL was in masculine
script and addressed TO Mrs Markham
She carried il up 10 the lady in her room
and then went on into her own. leaving
the door open a crack. She was rewarded
by hearing the guest say 10 her mother,
Hes coming Thursday. He has tried
70 write fndinerently, but and then
she banged the door.
He probably was indifereut-he would
be if he were anything but petucoat
man. / should think he q hate the sound
of my name as oadly as I do his-he
would if he were anything but a molly
codcie,' And sne sT9te another brief
note % Madge telling her she would be
down on the noon train Thursday
on Wednesday. while her mother and
Mrs Markham We're out driving. she got
a large trunk safely away from the house.
There is no use going down there
without anything 70 wear. she philoSO-
phized. I shall probably see other peo-
pie quite as wonderful as Mr. Benjamin
Markham. and a great deal more inter
esting"
She thought she understood the amused
gIances which the older women gave her.
They think they've got me trapped.
she said 70 herself. and she spent the
evening talking sWeetly 10 Mrs Mark
ham until her mother came out 10 the
piazza and asked her to run over to a
neighbor's for something. When she
came back Mrs Markham was AT the
telephone in the hall and her mother shut
the door and kept her talking until the
other came out. Mary grinned in the
dark
They are planning some more little
surprise. / presume" she thought
J The next morning no one seemed 10
notice that she was dressed in her pongee
suit instead Of her usual housegown. and
she strolled down the street after break
fast. slowly and carelessly quite Uncon-
seiOus Of the fact that the two women
on the porch were having a good time at
her expense.
7 hope to goodness that Ben didn't miss
that train," said Mrs Markham.
That makes 1t twice as funny for him
70 be on the same train
And Mary coolly entered the chair car,
settled herself with deliberate satisfac-
ton. Mary. my child you are too
young for such deceit" she chuckled. as
Ii.
of the eager young mans discontinue
when he finds that little Mary has flown "
= Then she became aware that the strange
young man across the aisle was regarding
her with much interest in his glance, and
she lifted her chin a little and began 70
read her magazine. The young man went
back TO his paper. and after a little she
looked him over surreptitiously. He was
evidently a college man. she decided:
clean cut, big, and vigorous. with q clear,
brown skin and gray eyes. And presently
there came to her a haunting sense OF
familiarity. She thought she must have
seen him somewhere.
|, The young man looked up 10 see her
gazing speculatively at him. and theiy
eyes met. Again she tilted her chin. but
il was TOO late, for she had been caught.
and the warm Fosy-Ted tingled in her
cheeks and on her forehead. The man
lifted his hat gravely. but with an amused
twinkle.
Mary felt horribly embarrassed and hu-
Initiated In sheer desperation she turned
to the window to put it down. Il worked
more easily than she thought. and before
she could pull her arm back had caught
and imprisoned the corner of the loose
sleeve of her little p0us1S- wrap. she
could not pull it out without tearing It.
and the suit was new She spoke softly
to the old man in front of her. but he did
not hear And then. while she bit her liz
and flushed still more deeply. the youna