The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1907-08-08

ANSWER
BY CARROLL WATSON RANKIN.
Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowles.)


Twenty-Five what?" asked Devil
dered Bob.
Twenty-Five proposals." said Fran
cesca, showing a dimple. Francesca
Gimples were a sight worth seeing.
Have 29 men proposed to your
demanded Bob, with indignation writ
ten upon every feature.
"You iatter me, Bobbie, but no such
luck. I've been s~ingularly 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"
"Just this: One man, Mr.. Robert
Wharton, by name, has offered me his
hand and heart % or 20 times-I really
can't remember which"
"Oh," said Wharton, greatly re
lieved, "is that all?"
"All?" mimicked the girl. isn't
that enough? Twenty-Five times in
three weeks! At first, you know, ]
used to write them all down in my
diary. Then l made ditto marks. Fl.
nally l left it out altogether, 1t got SO
m%onotonous. 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, ]
confess. to have some n else do 1t
for a change. DR.. Marsh, for instance.
or MI. Skagg. Skagg IL such a lovely
name. / should love to be Mrs. Hora.
ito P. Skagg. Think how well 1t would
look on my cards"
WELL" said Wharton, stifiy, you
may be Mrs. Skagg, for all l care"
What" queried his %tormenter,
clasping her pretty hands, has II
come to this? Wouldn't you truly
carer"
mo, I wouldn't. I'm Just as tired of
proposing to you as you are of having
me do II. 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 even propose to her."
Just from force of habit, l suppose.
You should certainly be able to do IL
to perfection by this time. You've Ger.
tainly had a great deal of practice"
May / have this waltz"
Wharton and Francesca, in the dark
corner of the veranda, started violent.
ly.
"Oh, certainly, Mr.. Skagg," said
rising hastily. Nothing would give
me greater pleasure"
"Confound It! She needn't have told
him So" grumbled Wharton. Hes
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.
As the merry throng trooped into
the spacious, oak-paneled room, Fran
cesca, in passing the Granddaughter
table, happened in some way to brush
carelessly 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 one
moved.
With a smothered exclamation
Wharton tore off 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 flool
and rolled her back and forth upon the
dusty rug, crushing out the creeping
flames with his naked hands. Then IL
spite of his smarting, blistered palms
and F~rancesca's half-indignant pro
tests, he carried her to the library
couch, where she lay sobbing witt
fright and pain.
Bob, regardless of his burns
made f~ruitless efforts to soothe Fran
cesca, who was angry as well as fright
ened. Bob, she thought, needn't have
handled her with such ~unnecessar.
vigor.
One guest telephoned for q doctor
and Francesca's carriage, another flew
for baking soda; Mr.. Skagg. who fount
himself behind the door Of the butler,
pantry without In the least knowing
how he got there, stood wringing hi
hands In helpless fright
1t was not until Francesca was SAT,
In her own home and sleeping Quietl!
under the influence OF an opiate tina
Wharton discovered the extent OF hi
own burns and had them dressed.
Fortunately Francesca's wounds, al
though painful. were not deep. and sh'