The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1908-09-17
THE SOLUTION.

L
"It is rather jolly" | agreed pleas
antly.
II don't mean that at ALL" she de,
clared hurriedly. Il am merely glad
that at last I am able to speak-to eX-
plain my position. My feeling OF glad
ness had mono personal application,
"My term Jolly referred solely to the
trees and sky and-er-the stream
Jolly little stream, isn't it 2"
"Oh!" she cried, rather lamely.
"You thought that [ meant it was
jolly being with you,' | continued.
Certainly not, Mr.. Courtenay."
''You did. Girls always jump to con
illusions, especially if the conclusions
hold personal color"
II think YOU are rude" Marian said.
She threw the remark at the atmosphere.
Her little rounded chin was uplifted. |
was not. 1t suggested storm and stress
in every curve.
"That is immaterial,'' I answered.
"Really, Mr.. Courtenay-"
"What matters it, not what you
think, but the actual fact itself. You
think am rude. know that am not.
You see? Your thought of me is dis
paragement and unjust at that. 1t is
also disparagement of yourself, as
such [ resent it. Could anyone be rude
to your"
She stared at an uninteresting tree
for a moment.
II think we had better sit down. she
said suddenly. "It is not necessary for
you to sit so near" she added, immedi-
ately afterwards.
eff | said that I were a little deaf %
1 suggested, not altering my position.
The sunlight, lancing through the frail
leaf-screen, dancing on the soft, good
natured breeze, made splashes of color
on her chestnut hair and rubbed them
out again. You could hardly expect a
man to move with so fascinating an OBJ
ject of interest in full view.
II should say that I had never heard
of it BEFORE" she replied skeptically.
Il never blazon my imperfections,"
assured her.
"AIr. Courtenay"-sh spoke with con-
1 enter upon an explanation. You are
aware of my position
cit is charming" I murmured. eff
only | were an artist
''There!" she turned her head trium-
phantly. "Why do you say that? It
is trite, very trite compliment. 1t
is also obviously insincere.''
Miss Wemyss!" l cried.
mo, don't protest. / know Do you
think that l have arrived at my age
without ability to appraise the value of
a tone? | have had one season. One
learns to detect the obviously insincere
very quick in London season-one has
\ &c Loo
paid me an obviously insincere compli-
ment. Why? I think that 1 do you
| Justice when / say that you are not
stupid enough to believe that l am a
fool"
i"Aliss Wemyss!" I cried again. I was
aware that the intersection was hardly
equal to the occasion. Yet taken aback
as I was, I felt that she was growing
more actively interesting than she had
been in all the hours of the last three
days, during which we had languidly
bored each other. Of course there had
always been the passive interest of her
hair And, as a matter of fact, of her
face. Also she had a slim, graceful
figure. These you will understand were
passive palliatives of boredom.
''You paid me that compliment be-
cause you thought that I expected it.
You have been remarkably distasteful
to me ever since I met you," she contin-
ued, with growing heat, when l broke
in again.
''NIiss Wemyss!' I cried. After all.
what else could | cry?
at is clear to me, so patiently clear
to me. l have been asked down to The
Woodlands to meet you, and you have
been asked down to meet me-"
This was alarming. 1t was undoubt-
edly the truth-that made it all the
more alarming. Our mothers had been
friends and our fathers had been at
Sandhurst together, and together joined
the regiment in which they both passed
most of their military careers. Beyond
that, believe any mother had vague
potpourri sentimental feeling for Col
Wemyss, who was too gallant an officer
not to recopricate And Mrs. Wemyss-
well, my father was always a handsome
man.
1--WE both happen to be distantly re-
lated to the Temletts. There really is
nothing wonderful in our meeting here, y
[ said.
'.It is the first visit Gen. and Mrs
Courtenay have made since their return
from India.' she answered scornfully.
at is the first visit my parents have
ever made to The Woodlands, and they
have been in England seven years"
"After ALL" I assured her cheerfully.
"there must be first. 1t is necessity
of natural events
'You know quite well that I am being
thrown at your head"
''While l am being thrown at your
feet" I said. I thought that neat and
rather purred over it. l was soon dis
abused.
''There-you see! How can self
respecting woman tolerate it? You are
thrown-you have no volition of your
own; you are a passive agent, you
are" She paused suddenly, as with an
effort. II suppose it would be rude to
be as angry as [ feel"
Anger suits ssome women-it suited
Marian. She looked royal, magnificent.
Il think you are oversensitive," l said
automatically. "Our complacent par
ents are not as young as we are-the
Temletts are as elderly as any people
so tortoiselilSe can ever hope to be;
it is, therefore. not unnatural that we
should see much of each other"
"The much is every waking hour!''
She spoke Indignantly. Il sit next you
at every meal, I walk with you, drive
with you, play tennis with you, and ac-
company your SONGS
"I'm awfully sorry about that I said
huffily.
Il don't suppose you can help it. They
! insist. thew drive us-and you seem to