The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-08-05

the interested crowd making way for
them right and left, they hurried on. Il
gleeful procession Of prospective fe!-
low passengers trailing along in their
rice strewn wake.
tom" the girl gasped. its perfect
~ horrid! Oh. oh. if only | hadn't
come-if Only l had that youngSJer
here!'
Still attended by grinning throng.
Tom purchased the tickets. and they
made the boat with half minute 70
spare. Partly from the unwonted ex
ertiOns and partly from her feelings
Rachel's face was scarlet. seeing which
Tom kept his own carefully impassive.
He remained silent as she talked.
begging him half tearfully to brush
away the grains from her collar "Oh
and it's down inside my collar too
she cried. Then she saw his eye twin
kle, and her color famed up again.
She CONCEALED into frozen silence.
You're just as horrid as Marjorie, &"
she said at last You enioyed her
mean joke about the suit case. ard YOU
haven't minded this one bit and I'm
not going to Philadelphia at all. rm
going right back on the next boat"
There were angry tears in her eyes
as she finished. but they were quickly
depressed when she saw the other eyes
still turned on them from all quarters
with interested amusement
That's better" he said dryly as he
observed the change in expression. I'VE
don't want 10 give them the idea that
we are making for divorce court.
It's too soon to he conventional Won
aren't supposed TO weep for at least a
month. Now. then he went on. calm
ly unheeGinG the one whitening glance
she cast at him when she was sure 60
one would see it. If rou go back the
Kid wiz have the joke on you. You
can't do thing 10 her. and the more
angry you are the better she'll be
pleased. Furthermore. my Gear girl"
I'm not your dear girl" she observed
briefly.
"Oh, yes, you are. What | was 60
ing to say was that it seems TO me
you're little rough on yours truly. |
don't especially mind your apparently
violent aversion to the idea Of being
married to me. but I've been intend
Ing to tell yOu for some time that
don't share In it. ! think the whole
idea Is brilliant. think that Kid sister
of yours is bright enough to be TWEEN
ty. and I'm going to apologize for my
former insult TO her age the next time
see her" He waited impressively for
his words to sink in. Now. Just re-
feet" he went on: the rice throwing
and the unpleasant part Of getting
married is over and done with. Why
net finish it up? Let's do it now-and
then there will be a bride and groom
at the house party
She looked at him in wonder.
There is nothing the matter with
vonr imagination, Tom" she said. her
calmness quite restored by the mag
nifcent GOODNESS Of his suggestion.
"Of course there isn't" he smiled.
I'm not proposing it for a joke. dear.
I love you. And It's practicable be
cause know the license clerk in Phil
adelphia, so that there will be no trou-
bic about that
She began to shake her head. but he
noticed that she did not resent the
term he had used let me think"
she said at last. III tell you when
we get there. But Tom-Tom-it
would be insane"
Not a bit of it," be said stoutly.
Wen both live to call your sister
blessed"
They relapsed into a silence which
he was careful to break as seldom as
possible till they were nearing Phila-
delphia.
Three minutes to the Broad street
station" he said gravely as the train
pulled in at West Philadelphia. Just
three minutes in which to decide if
we are to avoid our well intentioned
friends at the station
She shook her head. "Oh, no-longer
than that she said as she smiled up
at him. It's taken me nearly three
hours"