Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-16
BY
MIBERT
[2AYsoN
ffERHUNE
CHAPTER XII.
eapy7sa0T5, 1907 N
046n60 III foQANHU2201

II three participants in the
strange reunion turned. For
4 Z a second or more they faced
the crimson faced. dumfounded Perry
without word. Here was an element
In the affair on which neither Phelan
nor Cynthia had counted when giving
Thompson their promise not to reveal
his identity. They gradually realized
this, and 1t left even the ready witted
Phelan speeches..
Perry himself was 6rst to break the
spell.
''Well," he observed, with an assump-
ton Of airy scorn that was meant to
be annihilating, "you all seem quite
happy. Don't mind me! I'm sorry to
butt In on this cute little love fest, but
left q flancee here. Perhaps one Of
you can explain what's happened to
her since r.
"oh, Perry" exclaimed Cynthia.
"don't be silly! I'll tell you all about
It some time. It Isl
Some timer squealed Perry, rage
battering down his attempt at sarcasm.
"some time! Maybe 1t might be just
as we'll IL you did condescend to ex-
plain. Here you promise to marry me.
and ten minutes later I ind you in q
catch-as-catch-can hug with this ugly
little shrimp and Phelan looking on Is
happy al II he'd eaten q canary! And
then you've got the gall to tell me
you'll explain some time!
He glared at Cynthia in all the mai
esty Of outraged devotion, only to sur
prise on that young lady's face look
that indicated q violent struggle with
the desire to laugh.
'aThis IL funny all right, guess not"
he snapped. Cynthia. you've mauled
and smashed loving heart, and I'll
make hit with myself by forgiving
you, but as for you," vince 6 about
and thrusting his furious face to with
in three inches of Thompson's lmmo-
bile countenance-"as for you, I'm 60
ing to do all sorts Of things to you the
moment Miss Garrison will have the
Kindness to shassay out Of the room.
Your sorrowful relatives will have all
manner Of fun sorting you ont when
I've finished with ysu! Steal my
sweetheart. would you, not ten min
utes after ID
'There!" interposed Phelan. showing
his powerful hulk good naturally be-
tween the two younger men and link
ing his arm in Pcrry's. Now you've
got quite bunch Of hot words on
your chest. an you'll be In better shape
to hear sense. Amt you just q little
bit ashamedY
"Ashamedy' sputtered Perry. "Whos
II Well, that
eyes, you. youngster, and IL you hol-
Ter like that in comp'ny I'll sure be
forced to wind up By spankin' you.
Now, stand OF thereno over there
where you can see Miss Garrison an
listen to me. So! Now, first Of all.
did you happen to be In love with this
young lady?"
otis none Of your measly business.
but did"
AWhy'd you ask her to hitch up with
you for kaeps?"
Because loved her and
Because you had = lot Of faith in
her, too, heyY' persisted the alderman
Eyes, and nice way she's
pretty girl, too" unused Phelan as
If to himself. I'm my young days II I
could "a got q little beauty like that
to sign articles with me I'd "a thought
was the original Lucky Jim. Pd"-
$50 did IT. interrupted Perry hotly.
"I"-
But Phelan was continuing in the
same abstract moAologus:
can II could a. seen from her
eyes Qike any dough head could SEQ
from Miss Garrison's) that she had =
heart as big as q watermelon an a.
true a. Bible text an 40 warm ~ a
happy mans hearth fre-well, II I'd
seen all that an got wise to the gor-
geous news that that same heart was
Just chock-a-block full Of love for my
own ornery, cheap skate self I'd "a
Topped down on both knees an sent
up bunch Of prayers to be allowed to
70 ON dreamin' an never, never wake
up"
Phela1 paused. This time Perry did
not break in, and the half audible mon
ologue continued:
I'D have had the sense to know that
q girl with eyes like those couldn't be
4 dirt an couldn't double cross tho
man she loved II her LIE depended on
her DOM It. ia a. licked any guy that
said she could, an II I'd seen her kiss-
in another man I'd "a punched myself
On the Jaw an called myself liar.
That's what Jimmy Phelan Of the
Eighth would "a done. AM
Say" broke In Perry in curiously
subdned vetee. These eyes Of mine
do fuany.thfnes sometimes. I'll bet 50
they played .5ekA on mo- just now.
And even IL they di6k't Isdp1 bsiieve
'em. Cynthia. Inn dssdsst Acs.yeu!
You're al right even Myou9dozhaDDss
to be acting triae eccentrtc 3 fsw
minutes ago. Yeu can explain. g 1at