The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1908-08-29

night enjoying the illusion for a brief
hour
NO." said Vincent. scftly. 81 dont
think it was vain; I think it was the
most natural thing III the world and
and I'm glad you did it, he ended
rather lamely
The secretary laughed. and ! won
dered what there was about the Snurd
that made Vincent rave over II Then,
as his eyes wandered to ner hair, re
sighed.
why slightest thou. oh. furnace?'
she smiled at him.
I was just thinking about some
thing"
About what?"
You don't want to hear?"
"Ah! But dol"
All right, then" He turned on her
swiftly. 81 was just looking" he sa q
''at your hair. I'll bet the angels have
halos like that
The secretary blushed. It's horrid
hair she said. giving it a vindictiee
little pull that only brought II to 4
more charming disarray. 81 hate til
color of it. Why, when 1 was a chld
l never could bear to have the heroines
fof the fairy tales have shining bea J
:of golden hair, and l used TO think
mine was gold, and one day when
said so and was told, No, your hair is
red. not gold 1 cried for days after
ward"
You poor little thing!" he said h.
face as full of sympathy as if thos.
tears had just been shed. And for tbs
life of her the secretary couldn't heIc
her lip trembling, though she knew IL
was absurd and was very much
ASHAMED of herself. Vincent broke the
.silence first. I'VE might do a little
:on the Dead Barons Of Wyckhoff. .
The suggested. 1t was evident that om
affair of last night was uppermost in
his mind, for his air was very alb
; No. thank you, tmy lord. This i.
my evening of. I am no longer Mis-.
P, Marsh, the secretary, but Miss Marsh
, the lady of leisure"
! 81 didn't think of it as work, and
thought perhaps you didn't, either
when we did it together
/. Little boys shouldn't think; it's
] bad habit" she said, severely; "be
, sides, you talk like T. in the Dolly Dia
! logues.'"
At this Vincent's face grew desper
ate. and saw that she had goaded
him into asking her the question that
, had been on his mind all day, and
nearly fell off the sofa in my efforts
| to hear without being seen.
do II" he said. We'll, that's be
cause I've something I've been want
ing to ask you all day long. It's some
! thing very personal. and, of course
, I've no rightAthat is. you won't think
So" the boy was stumbling pitifully
.but I've got to know; it's so hard to
believe that you would do it deliber
ately. Is it true?"
Lord Wilfred," said the girl
Strengthening up, you must speak
more clearly if you want me to under
stand what you have been saying"
Its this" said Lord Wilfred, facing
her abruptly and terribly in earnest
Someone told me last night that you
were q married woman. Is it true?"
could not see the face of the sec
rotary, but could not help perceiVina
the ring of truth in her voice.
I'm not married" she said, simply
81 told Mr.. Terhune so because u
wanted to disabuse him of a false i'm.
preston he was laboring under. But
what Is II to you?"
"TAis," said Wilfred, and he leaned
toward her suddenly and grasped he's
hands and put his face within an inch
e hsr-I could see by the freight ita
look Of determination and ineffable re.
lief. The secretary gave a little CRY
and drew back. 1 conjectured that
Wilfred was on the point of making
an irretrievable ass OF himself, SO
interrupted proceedings by knocking
Q book on the sofa and rising to my
feet. At the first sound Of the book
falling the two had jumped to their
feet and stood. the girl shrinking close