Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1908-03-19

In an instant quick footsteps over
took her. I'm very sorry to trouble
you again. he began statement that
his dancing eyes made no effort to re.
enforce. You dropped this handker-
chief out of your muff"
She was shocked. Did I? What
a goose!' She famed. "Of course
you know | didn't do it on purpose
"Of course. Do you mind If follow
you little way, just for protection?
You might lose your muff-or-.or-"
Il might cast a Shoe she flashed.
She looked ahead with little mad
dening judicial air. We'll, all right, but
you'll have to leave me soon for I'm
almost there. It's somewhere in the
Sixties, | think. You're not going to
insist on going to dinner with me,
are you?"
I'm not sure yet"
She had been fumbling in her muff.
She broughx out note, crumpled
creamy sheet.
| lie watched her curiously at first,
then with start.
by every sign and token of long.
distance signaling that's Bettina
Thorpe's handwriting" he commented
casually.
She stared.
ooh, rye got my credentials with
me, too. There's no reason why this
peace conference shouldn't get busy"
He drew an unopened letter from his
| pocket and thrust it under her be-
wildered eyes.
by Jove! 1 guess I'd better read
that" he exclaimed
How perfectly ridiculous" Her
breath came in gasps. why, | cant
believe tits too silly"
"Bettina ought to serve a can-openec
with her stationery" he complained,
tearing at the flap, "or little dyna-
mite. Ah!' He ran hungrily through
the note and then burst into a roar.
II know who you are he informed
his companion, his face Frightening
with mischief. You're Patricia Otis.
Listen to this:
Dear Duke: I've been 'phoning you
you like all possessed ever since | heard
of your arrival yesterday morning. But
| nobody knew where you were. Come
!
night with Bob and me, if it's possible
thing, to meet Patsy Otis, who's being
maid-of-honor next week, at the chief
social event of the season. I've always
told you you'd go crazy over her, and
here's your chance. Hurriedly,
BETTY"
He damned the letter back into the
envelope. you see, I've simply got
to go to dinner with you"
Are you Duke Grayson?"
Il am"
Betty never told me you were
coming tonight But then, of course,
she knew / wouldn't be there. | have
always refused to meet you"
Same here" he agreed brazenly
She's determined to marry us, you
know. That's why you looked so
familiar It's the pictures she showed
me. | would never have suspected
that you were good-looking from those
things"
Thank you. I'm not. It's these
clothes I'm wearing. When you come
to that-Betty had any number of pic
lures Of you in her room at Bertram
hall. See here-I don't want to meet
wait until | get alone with her. If
DON'T simply decline to meet you.
She'll throw me at you in the most dis
gushing way-leaving us to tete-a-
tetes, and everything like that. She
hates my settlement work, you know.
Her heart is set on marrying me OIL.
She says that if | married man like
you I'd be a different woman. Isn't 1t
disgusting?"
"Nauseating," he agreed.
why, | wouldn't marry the kind OF
man you are for anything in the world
you're too frivolous. | have an OBJ
ject in life"
He applauded her. That's right
You stick to that-no matter how
many times | ask you
v She turned back and her little teeth
e gnawed at her underlip. "Oh, sugar!
Il she burst out veXedly. She made ar
indeterminate movement forward ant
g stopped Il won't 90 to their dinner,
she said with decision.
o He had the look of one inspired
Il "Tu tell you what We'll do. You see
e how it is: here are two people conspir
y ing against us-against your happi
II ness and my liberty. Let's evade then
u by going off to dinner together, II
y call a hanson and We'll go down t
h the Waldorf You can telephon,
20 Betty, so that she won't worry
d Therem be nobody there to foist un
d. welcome gratuitous tete.a-tetes on us
IL That's the only way We can beat thei
at game"
| u don't know what grandma woulr
| say" she said detantly but, anyway
a I'm going to do it. I'll tell Bettin
ID that I've met you by accident, tina
lie we understand each other and hel
W, and that we see right through all he
e- plans. And If she has any idea O
ut poking us into corners to fall 1
We love with each other, she can jus