Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1908-07-04

ALL. in, with a Shrug,
"but as it is our only alternative /
really don't see the sense of sitting
here arguing"
Aldrich smiled and nodded. Fasten-
ing the brake, he sprang to the ground,
and, going over to the other slde'
helped Dolly to alight.
For an instant they stood III the
middle of the road facing each other.
"But what IS to become of the ma
chine?" she asked.
Aldrich diyed into his pocket and
brought forth a notebook and pencil.
"Pn tag it, that's ALL" he laughed,
trusting to the fates that it will not
fall into hands piratical." He scrlD-
bled a line across one Of the blanks
and fastened it to the forward cushion.
Forty minutes Of steady walking
brought them mile nearer nome
With an unconcealed sigh Of WEAKNESS
Dolly flung herself down on PROSTATE
log. and Aldrich slipped into seat be-
side her. His face indexed a variety
of emotion. Hope, that had hitherto
buoyed him above every dlihculty'
shriveled within him. She would nev-
er forgive this.
dolly" he began appealingly, "heav-
en- knows I'd rather have lost my rlghI
hand than
She interrupted him with little i'm
patient gesture.
Jimmy, please spare me. It's pao
enough in all reason, but let us not add
tragedy to a situation which is already
melodramatic in the extreme"
Aldrich subsided under the snub, con
templating the toes Of his boots II
gloomy silence. Some minutes passed
The darkness yielded gradually to
spIendor of gold light flung down from
a cloudless sky by thousands of stars
and everywhere through the misty vel
low innumerable dogwood blossoms
shone solemnly like white crosses.
Suddenly Dolly started up and walk
ed off down the road again, the othe
following gloOmily.
Miss Templeton," he began after
silence, "do you know why l aske'
you to come out with me this after
noon"
She did not reply at once. The ton
more than the words caused the bloo'
TO scorch her cheeks for an instant
"Why," she returned after a little
"to celebrate our independence, o
course, just as every one else is doing.
She gave him an inScrutable littl
glance from the tail Of her eye.
II wanted to ask you a question" Il
announced grayely.
please" she began, walking fastel
Couldn't we discuss
Don't distress yourself" he intei
posed bitterly. "Three times is"-h
looked at her resentfully-"quite sufi
cient to show a fellow how many di
ferent sorts Of fool he can make
himself. 1t is solely in the interest
friendship l wish to speak now"
Dolly frankly admitted to herse
that friendship was even less interes
ing than the other thing. She bit h'
lips as she demanded petulantly, I'VE
what is your question"
"The other day." he replied quickl
81 heard that you were going to
married; that you were going to mari
a poor man, after all. Also that yC
had made the statement with your oW
lips. Is it trueY The last words we
uttered hoarsely, almost as charge.
!, Dolly's white lids hickered as 81
,, looked up into his eyes.
at is quite true" she answered u
hesitatingly, the crimson playing
over her face.
Aldrich stopped short and faced ht
compelling her glance to meet his IN
suddenly masterful manner.
> "Why?" he demanded passionately
Dolly shrank away from him; |
! vehemence half frightened her.
: because" she said proudly, Il 10
> him"
AIdrich was silent for 9 moment, b
his silence was more use than wor'
He came close to her, so close that
hot breath stirred the hair about
Il temples.
"Once you refused me-" he broke
e. savagely, "twice-three times! An'
III was a poor man."
n Dolly fared up.
v "Your inference is more than nat'
8 ingr' she remarked, her eyes snappi
"Your love would have been
strongest incentive toward succei
u he went on, ignoring her comment a
ca gether. 81 never intended that
should share a life Of poverty.