Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1908-03-01

you forget" answered Fannie.
with an added pressure Of the hand,
that you have no rivals now In love
at least hope you are not in love with
some one else also"
well, he was a rival until week
ago-and he still thinks he's a rival.
| suppose he keeps right on coming
couldn't you let him know we're en-
gaged?"
I'D rather we didn't announce 1t
now" she replied.
Il understand, it's still doubtful"
Henry" said Fannie reproach-
fully Not unless you are the doubt
er. Only it may be long engage
ment-I'm willing to wait, even at
that, because IL care enough for you
but the dear public needn't wait
also"
There isn't going to be any long
engagement. Fannie" said Best, with
determination. I'm not the man to
tie up girl like you for year or
more. I'm in debt now and my bust
ness isn't far enough along to be pay
ing. Now il can swing this Salter
building contract-and | think | can
why, 1t is the biggest thing that has
struck this little city for years and
1t will put me high and dry with
plenty Of capital TO work with. Fan
ME. if my bid is accepted on that I'm
going to insist you marry me next
month; If ] don't get it-why, IL will
take probably a year of small con-
tracts to make decent pile and I'm
not going to let you bind yourself to
any such small expectations"
When will you know about this
contract"
Next Friday Bids accepted until
IL to-night-thats the latest"
is yours in?" she continued to ques-
ton.
1T will be, soon" He took 1t from
his pocket and displayed 1t.
That is a check for a thousand"
he said, holding up bit of paper
That goes with the bid as evidence OF
good faith"
Where did you get it?" she asked.
smiling.
Yes, borrowed it" he replied, with
laugh.
You knew | had a thousand--my
whole fortune" she said, with blush.
Couldn't you have borrowed it from
me?"
Mo-" he answered, emphatically. Il
am one of those who don't believe
women should involve themselves in
business"
And this is your bid?" she said,
ignoring his remarks. ''Thirty-e:ght
thousand dollars, is that your bid?"
There won't be bid under $40, 900,
except mine, | know. None of the
inner circle think I'm in on this game.
/ just went low enough TO skin them.
Even at thirty-six thousand it would
give us house on the hill and leave
a good big account in the bank to
buy your hats with"
Just remember about the hats" she
replied.
"All right. And | must be off"
Fannie kissed her lover good-by
and he hurried down the steps into
the darkness.
Fannie returned and seated herself
at the piano but had scarcely played
through a page when Mr.. John Eel
lows, the one Best thought rival in
love as well as business, dropped in
for a call.
"Oh, / expected to find Mr.. Best
here" he said as he entered Il won
dered if he had put in a bid on the
Salter contract. | thought he might
want TO know that no bids under for
~ thousand would be received"
In an instant the unsuspecting Fan
ME responded with an alarmed:
What"
Fellows smiled with satisfaction at
his cleverness. Il said bids would not
be received under forty thousand, but
l was only joking-just for something
to be saying"
oh" said Fannie, with an air of
relief that the shrewdest student of
human nature would not guess was
not genuine. Il didn't understand you"
Then with an air of the most absolute
innocence in the world she said: oh,
that will suit Mr. Best. | saw his bid
and it's $4,000. He explained what
it was and how much money he might
make on 1t. so / happened to remem-
Der. | think it's awfully interesting.
How do you do it? Do you all go
down and shout your bid at the archi-
tect-like the Chicago wheat pit
visited-it is the architect, isn't it?"
Mr.. Fellows smiled again, indulg-
emily. He had thought it would be
necessary to catch her unawares. Now
he felt that he was wrong when he be-
lieyed he had startled her into con-
Tossing Bests bid to be under $4,000.
She was so very simple after all of
business affairs-how innocently she
had told him Best's bid. Now he was
at ease and he could stay for the even
ing. So he explained carefully how
the bids were deposited and that any
one could bid.
Fannie" he said. finally. your
friend is a good enough man, but
frankly, he isn't going to do much at
this business. Now I'm going to get |
that contract, just as / get most Of |
them, l thought Best would do bet
ter don't mind telling you now the |
in1l-os 81, shat I x..1,t lo,.-..