The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-08-09

ANSWER
By CARROLL WATSON RANKIN.
Copyright, by Joseph b. Bowles.)

(Copyr1ght, by Joseph b. Bowles.)
LET me see,' said Francesca, count
ing on the prettiest of fingers, docs
that make %, or 29?"
TWENTY-FIVE what?" asked bewil-
dered Bob.
"T%wenty-nine proposals." said Fran
cesca, showing a dimple. F~rancesca's
dimples were a sight worth seeing.
Have 20 men proposed to your"
demanded Bob, with indignation writ
ten upon every feature.
you f1atter me, Bobbie. but no such
luck. I've been singularly unfortunate
in the matter Of declarations, when
one takes all my charms into consider
alton. You'll admit l have charms,
won't you, Bob?"
Eyes, I'll admit that. More than
your share into the bargain. But
about those proposals."
| Wharton, by name, has offered me his
I, hand and heart % or 20 times-I really
can't remember which"
"Oh," said Wharton, greatly re.
lieved, lis that all?"
"All?" mimicked the girl. isn't
that enough? Twenty-Five times in
three weeks! At first, you know. I
used to write them all down in my
diary. Then l made ditto marks. FL
nally l left 1t out altogether, it got SO
monotonous. If you would just change
the form"
Perhaps I would better stop alto
gether. You don't appear to appreci-
ate your blessings"
WELL" said Francesca, smiling de-
murely, 1T would be more exciting, I
confess. to have some n else do 1t
for a change. DR.. Marsh, for instance,
or Mr.. Skagg. Skagg IL such a lovely
name. l should love to be Mrs. Hora-
ito P. Skagg. Think how we'll it would
look on my cards"
"Well," said Wharton, stifly, you
may be Mrs. Skagg, for all I care"
What" queried his tormenter,
clasping her pretty hands, has it
come to this? Wouldn't you truly
carer"
mo, I wouldn't. I'm just as tired Of
proposing to you az you are Of having
me do 1t. I'll never trouble you again"
"Oh, what a rash threat! You know
you'll do it tomorrow; but l shall Ger
tainly smile upon Mr.. Skagg."
Then I'll devote myself to Miss
Marshall. I may ever propose to her."
"Just from force of habit, l suppose.
You should certainly be able to do 1t
to perfection by this time. You've GER
tainly had a great deal of practice"
MAY l have this waltz"
Wharton and Francesca, in the dark
corner of the veranda, started violent.
ly.
"Oh, certainly. Mr.. skagg," Sod
Francesca, with much emphasis and
rising hastily. Nothing would give
me greater pleasure"
"Confound it! She needn't have told
him So" grumbled Wharton. He's
%conceited enough as 1t is"
Ten minutes later, Bob was dancing
with Miss Marshall, to whom he de-
voted himself. without intermission,
through five dances, while Francesca
was deep in a Irritation of equal length
with delighted Mr.. Skagg. Wharton
could see a glimmer Of white. which he
knew to be Francesca's gown, at the
end of the long veranda; Francesca
could see at the other end another
CLEAN Of white, which. she surmised,
was Miss Marshall.
Mr.. Skagg was In the seventh
heaven OF delight, Miss Marshall was
almost as happy, Francesca was yawn-
Ing behind her fan, and Bob was
struggling with a mad desire to rush
to the opposite end OF the veranda to
strangle Mr.. Skagg, when the guests
were summoned to the dining room.
Al the merry throng trooped into
the spacious, oak-paneled room, Fran
cesca, in passing the candle-lighted
table, happened in some way to brush
ea~relessly against one Of the unshaded
lights.
In an instant her light organdy
sleeve was ablaze. In another second
she was enveloped in writhing flames.
The horror-stricken guests were SPELL
bound, and for a long moment no n
moved.
With q smothered exclamation,
Wharton tore of his coat, and spring
Ing over all intervening objects
wrapped the garment about Francesca,
whose eyes were wide with terror. He
seized her by the shoulders and, with.
out ceremony, pushed her to the floor
and rolled her back and forth upon the
dusty rug, crushing out the creeping
flames with his naked hands. Then In
spite Of his smarting, blistered palms.
and Francesca's half-indignant pro
tests, he carried her to the library
couch, where she lay sobbing with
fright and pain.
Bob, regardless Of his " burns,
made fruitless efforts to soothe Fran
cesca. who was angry as we'll as fright
ened. Bob, she thought. needn't have
handled her with such unnecessary
vigor.
Ono guest telephoned for . doctor
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