The Washington times., 1908-12-12


is foible only of the gentler sex? He
hesitated. and the belIboy turned the
scale of his wavering Judgment.
''GOlly. boss cajoled that dusky fat
terer, dem suah looks fine now you Sc
| got 'em on. Dey sets you of TO IT
Yes decided Jim, sitting his in
ward misgivings. II guess they'll do.
all right"
! Futile expression of confidence. BY
the time he alighted from his taxicab
/ in front Of the 122d street fiat, the shoes
were commencing to pinch horribly. and
| not even the excitement OF meeting
Helene and noting her undisguised joy
4 at seeing him again, was able entirely
/ to distract his attention from them
| She caught his two hands ecstati-
/ cally in both of hers, and drawing hip
into the tiny parlor. stood back to look
\ at him with her glossy. brown head on
one side Ike a birds-as captivating q
! little schoolma'am IN her trim shirt
waist costume, and with her merry.
I dancing eyes, as could De found IN all
the world.
-Oh, jim she exclaimed. how good
J II is to see youi And how fine you are
! looking! So big and strong, and de-
| termir edi You are the very I Willr
| spirit OF dear old Chicago personifiedi"
Perhaps II Harrison had Welded TO
| the great surge Of yearning which
swept over him, and clasping her in
! his arms, had claimed her then and
| there. he might have won the day.
Women love to be woOed after such a
masterful fashion.
/ But tho maiden aunt with whom
Helene lived was present, and besides,
/ his feet Just then gave such a series of
/ poignant twinges that he was glad 20
sink with a sigh into the Morris chair
| toward which he was waved and obtain
moments respite from the pain.
He strove manfully for a time to ex-
change platitudes with the aunt and 20
respond 10 Helene's bright chatter in
kind, but It became manifestly more
and more OF an effort. Those chatting
patent feathers like a pair of Banquo's
/ ghosts, Obtruded themselves persistently
upon his consciousness.
The conversation languished, and
! Helene, smothering a yawn, thought
how woefuIly her old playmate had
! changed from the gay sunny Jim
/ she used 70 know.
| New he was morose. restless, and Ill
! at-ease. shuffling his feet about, giving
nervous twitches from time to time,
| knitting HIS brows in an intermittent
| scowl.
! She concluded that the constant ex-
/ element Of his business must be I'm
| dermining his health. A speculator,
I he was Wen, she had not lived so
! long in Chicago not to know the al
I most inevitable end OF that career
( Nervous breakdown. paresis, the asy-
/ lum, and death How many board OF
\ trade man and market operator had
! she known or heard OF who had ira
versed that routeI
How many a wan-faced. prematureiy-
/ aged woman had she seen, whose life
/ had been worn out, hitched to one of
a, these living wrecksl
| She recoiled with horror from the
| thought Of such a destiny for herself,
! and was even more distressed to pic
J ture so sad a finish for dear. old Jim -
She resolved to give him word Of
warning as soon as the opportunity
/ arose.
I Presently her aunt bade them good
night and retired. and Helene. drawing
! her low chair up close up Harrison's,
/ laid her hand appealingly on his arm
Jim" she said earnestly. Il am
doesn't pay to overdo things, you know,
! and for all your magnificent physique.
you must remember you are not made
Of iron. Candidly. the necessary strain
/ IS beginning to show on you, and"
He gave a quick jerk OF the arm upon
which her hand rested and half reached
for his foot, as a quivering spasm OF
pain convulsed his muscles. But she
3 no rn1
meant advanc es. and drew back. wound
ed.
Nor did his words tend TO undeceive
her
Nonsense" he interjected brusquely.
Il am as hard as ten-penny nails and
seasoned OAK timber. Never felt bet
ter IN my life.
But" and he shut his teeth des-
perately over a groan, and dabbed at
his perspiring brow with his handker-
chief, IT didn't come on here a thou
sand miles to discuss the state OF my
health. Helene. I have something TO
say 10 you"
She gave a little dissenting motion
Of the hand as though to try TO stop
him; but in his absorption, Harrison
failed to notice It.
Il" he gasped. Il must be fur-
rying back to my hotel, so I shall
have TO make my message short, and
to the point. It is simply that your
scheme for going to the Philippines IS
rank idiocy, not to be considered for
| a moment What you must do. is stay
in this country and become my wife"
He brought IT out with a rush, and
since he was nerving himself 20 con-
ceal the anguish consuming him. i'm
parted to the speech about as much
/ ardOr as might have been expected
from cigar-store Indian
As he finished, he lifted himself to
his feet, and began edging toward the
door.
II have no time to go into the matter
further at present" he said wildly. 'T
viii call and arrange all the details
tomorrow"
Helene stared at him a moment IN
utter amusement; then a flash Of sp,r,t
sprang to her dark eyes. and she staved
his departure with an irnperfous Ees-
ture.
Jim Harrison" she demanded. "are
you asking me to marry your
He had been her hero since she was
little girl in pinafores-her ideal Of