Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-01-22
CHAPTER VI

/ CHAPTER VI.
Billy and the girl stood side by side
/ till they had seen the last of the boat
and its rover. Both Of them wanted to
speak; neither could find a word to say.
But there was difference between them.
Billy's manner betrayed some embar
rassment, so did his face, while LIS
wore an expression of childlike delight.
She had been trying to catch her friend
for some time past. He had always
eluded her; now she had him safe. To
/ be quite sure of this she held him by
/ the sleeve.
Nov look here, Billy she said, '.you
really have been behaving most abom-
/ inably! / wonder whether you have the
grace to be ashamed of yourself. Oh,
Billy, Billy, knew you had your faults,
but l did not think that you were un-
truthfull You were very sorry you
said, but unfortunately you could not
join us today Oh. what wicked story
You had nothing to do, positively moth
| ing, There you sat, without a book,
without anything, just idling under a
tree. We were enjoying ourselves. and
you ought to have been enjoying yourself
with us. Billy, why those falsehoods?"
She had him by the lapel of his coat
now, and was gently shaking him back
wards and forwards. She tried hard to
compel him to meet her eyes, but he
would not
Il should not have enjoyed myself" he
replied gloomily. Il hate picnies!"
"Oh, Billy, another big one! Think of
that picnic you and l had together.
Think of how sweet and shady il was
under the trees! Think of the lot we
ate-those strawberries, you knowi
Wasn't it fun? Why, we never had a
pleasanter timel Why do you stand
there, looking so CROSSE Why do YOU
make believe that you do not like pic
MICS 1t is not true"
"That was different. That wasn't
crowd of people who don't care rap for
one another, flirting and fooling to kill.
the time. That was-that was lust You
and II
She nodded her head, with a pleased
sense of their old, happy companionship,
smiled at the jokes they had had on the
particular day she had recalled to him.
then frowned to show that she felt her
self injured
WELL said she sternly, "and why
shouldn't you and / have been together
on the river? What would the other
people have signifed? They would have
gone their own way. we should have gone
ours. We always did. Why. there were
more than sixty people at the Birants'
picnic, and you and didn't care did we i?
We just went away together. and YOU
gathered me the biggest basketball of
/ primroses; nobody else took half so
many home. DON'T you remember that ?"
She still held him. His answer came
slowly.
Yes, it was all right; we didn't care.
But it wouldn't have been the same to-
day"
And, pray, why not? -
Because of him"
"Whom do you mean by himYo
"Galbraith He would not have jct.
you 60 and gather flowers with me. T
! should hardly have been allowed TO speak
to YOU"
She released her hold of his coat so
suddenly that he nearly fell backwards.
Recovering himself Just in time. he saw
that she was laughing heartily.
Il knew it, knew It'll" she said II
told auntie so. You are Jealous. Billy.
Oh'-shaking her finger at hinl-"you
bad, foolish boy l am quite ashamed
of you"
81 am not ashamed of myself" he pro-
tested. 'It is quite natural. No fellow
cares to be put on one side for a
stranger"
"You are very bad -tempered and dis
agreeable" she cried. "You are angry
with Ken for no better reason than be-
cause he loves me"
THAT is where you make mistake
am angry with him because be does not
love you If he did, if there was any,
thing genuine about him, shouldn't hate
him So"
well, really, Billy, after what YOU
saw and heard with your own eyes and
your own ears, did think YOU were
convinced You must be most awfully
obstinate"
q heard him make love to you. / heard
him propose, saw a good deal 7 did
not want to see. But what of all that /?
That only proves that he wants to marry
you"
Only" she cried-"only indeed! That
is everything. Why should he want TO
marry me if he did not love me, should
like to known"