The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-01-23

she had a skirt to hide them. She
saw That Girl give them a covert
glarce of quiet scorn as she rode by
Mates weie Immediately made
worse by the remark of the Contempt.
BILE Cad. bah Jove, how stunning
she looked Aw-after all, you
know, pretty woman never looks SC
well as in an irreproachable habit,
don't you think 2"
And then she snapped out "No, "
to the great surprise of the Contempti-
BILE Cad, and said she had headache
and would go home at once. In vain
her escort told her that spin would
be the best medicine for her head.
She paid no attention to his mean
derings. Home she would go-home
she went.
L The rest of the afternoon she spent
in composing and arranging the chill
ing, scathing speech with which she
proposed to annihilate her bon COM
rade that evening when he called.
But he did not come.
Then it was that she began to have
funny little sensation in the neigh
borhood of her heart, and a funny lit
tie choking lump in her throat. She
had been so sure of him. He had
always been so devoted. He had
never failed her before. What did it
meanl Could that girl
And she saw him again on horse
back, bending over the grateful pretty
girl at his side. All a new, a tor.
menting, cruel emotion seized this
self-poised, independent, progressive
young woman. For the first time in
her life she knew what it was to be
jealous.
"Could he have suffered so when he
asked her not to bicycle with the Con-
temptible Cad :" This was not an
agreeable question, but it kept thrust
ing its face in hers, despite her efforts
to laugh it away.
She passed very miserable even
ing alone. She tried to read an in
structive article on "The Advance
ment of Woman, but its dreary plati-
tudes bored her. A dark, strong,
tender face would come between her
and the pages of the magazine.
She glanced at the illustrations Of
bicycling women in certain comic pa
pers, and shuddering wondering if
she looked like them.
At last she could endure it no long
er, and sitting down at her desk,
wrote curt little note with just
tinge of friendliness, enough she
thought to bring him to her feet the
next evening.
But she reckoned without her host.
Next day came courteous worded
reply, stating that until she showed
some disposition to cease certain Gus
toms which she knew perfectly well
made him unhappy, he would beg her
to excuse him from seeing her.
This was blow.
He had so long submitted to her
dictatorial little ways, so long had
fetched and carried and waited, that
his sudden revolt was actually stupe-
flying.
When she recovered a trihe from
her amazement she tossed her head
and that settled 1t.
But it didn't.
AS the days went by she missed
him-missed his devotion, kindness
and loyalty-missed his companion
ship, the pleasant condolences, the
talk, the laughter-yes, even the
quarrels.
It became intolerable at last, and
so one day she let the woman come to
the surface and sent him sweet,
cordial note, asking him to come and
be reconciled.
"Now," she said, as she arrayed
herself in the gown he liked best, II
must not concede too much. Man is
an overbearing animal. He takes all
he can get. / must remember have
cause to maintain"
But when she went toward him
with outstretched hands, blushing di-
vinely, she looked so sweet, so radi-
ant, so womanly, he suddenly snatch
ed her to his heart and kissed her
rapturously.
"This is not strictly friendly pro-
ceeding," she began, endeavoring to
escape from the arms which held her
as if they would never grant release.
Darling" he said, "never mind
about the friendship-let that go.
We are no longer comrades and good
fellows. 1t is useless to try to cheat
me by those terms. love you-love
you, do you hear? And you love
me, or you would never have sent for
me. But 1 shall go away forever
unless you accede to my terms"
"And what are they?" she MUIR
INJURED, hiding her face on his heart
to escape the storm of kisses.
Unconditional surrender. No de-
batting societies, no kuickerbockers,
no progression. A wedding next
month.
She hesitated moment, as she saw
her freedom and the cause for which
she had been ready to lay down her
life, slipping away from her. Then
lifting her face she looked at him with
her heart in her eyes.
"Do you know" she murmured.
81 think / must have loved you all
along or would not have fought so
with you."
So they were reconciled and lived
happily ever afterward.
IT WOULD NOT WORK.
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