Evening star., 1909-02-14

g. mean to be your wife, was the direct
answer.
My wife,
YES. That is. if you-stili-want me-.
Gormlv stared at her in amazement
:" You do. don't YOU" burst out the girl sud-
denly oh! what have | done,"
II don't know what YOU have done, said
Gormly. trembling III his turn. hardly
know what YOU mean.
q" mean lust what | sad, and vou-you
said you loved me. Don't YOU"
DO | understand Alright said the man
shutting his teeth together. After all that is
in the paper this morning. do you mean to say
that you will marry me-
{" | do mean lust that was the answer.
" But. said the man YOU said YOU did not
love me, and
Must | do all the wooing: cried the girl
passonatey
You offered Yourself to ME once before"
went on Gornly relentlessly
And you refused me. Will you do so
again"
Why do YOU come to me now"
Cant YOU think of the reaSon,
81 don't want to think: ! want to hear.
" love YOU, then. !. said the girl reSOlutely.
" You are the braveSt. nObleSt. most splendid
man earth. If you VIII take me- shall be
the happiest, proudest, thankfullest woman
that the shines on"
Take you!" repeated Gormly. But |
can't understand
"Will you understand this" asked the girl
She walked slowly toward him. She laid
her hand on his shoulder. She lifted her
face to his. His arm went round her waist
What she had begun. he finished. He swept
her to him. She gave herself up yieldngly to
his embrace. When his lips sought hers. there
was no avoidance. Her arm slipped round
his neck and frightened there. And then at
last he understood. After awhile she drew
away from him.
You don't ask me what | have done'" she
said.
g" neither know or care since you are here
and are mine.
Perhaps should not have been here" she
returned " if we had not been already engaged
and the engagement already announced.
Il very stupid this morning. SAID
Gormly in some bewilderment.
You certainly are, was the answer. For
a man who aspires to be Mayor of New York,
you quite the stupidest and dearest person
imaginable.
Il have wit enough at least to know where |
can get correct information upon all points.
And where is that
Here" said Gornly, pressing with his own
the loveest lips in the world, which smiled at
him and not refused his touch. What
have YOU done, and how has engagement.
which, SO far as know. was not entered into
until moment Since. been announced
Would you make storyteller. asked
the girl laughing.
"A storyteller,
''Oh foolish man and blind" she said, who
knows much OF man and SO little OF woman.
You did not realize that there side to the
that not comprehended in fashions and
furbelowS, did YOU?
He shook his head, his bewlderment grow
ing.
Read that!'' she cried, releasing herself
from his grasp and handing him the neglected
copy of The Recorder
SHE turned to the editorial page and pointed
~ to postscript to the leader of the morning.
which was discussion highly eulogstc of
Gormly's action and character. The postscript
was in the form of belated communication
that had been received at the Office of The
Recorder at the last moment. and had been
forced into the paper because it furnished the
final and completing touch to the other revela-
tions it contained 1t had been printed in
heavy black capitals. double spaced Coming
closer to her. SO that he held her with one arm,
Gormly took the paper and read:
The engagement of Mr.. George Gormly to
Miss Eleanor Haldane is authoritatively
nounced. The future Mayor of New York is
to be congratulated upon having won for his
promised wife the young woman who. not only
from her beauty of mind and person but be-
cause of her lively and practical interest in the
poor. the oppressed and suffering easily
first among the daughters of great city.
The Recorder feels that this announcement
supplies the completing touch to the other adj
mrable qualifications that Mr.. Gormly pos
h.. oh hos