Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1909-01-30
A Wedding
Present.
BY Martha McCuiiocb-
txiHfiams.
Copyrighted. 1909. by Associated
Literary Press.


IL won't. say It. mean It. /
won't. Not now. never. nor the next
day! So there. Adela cried. her lin
gers tight IN her ears and stamping
her foot hard.
THAT'S pity. Such PITY Billy
Bruce murmured, with his most engag
ing smile. ~ pity you say II, mean
because / know and you know per-
fectly that you will"
who's going to make me. or what?
Certainly not you. not the little old
scrap of fortune" Adela retorted.
sticking out her chin Billy laughed
softly. hardly more than chuckle.
''True, we don't amount 10 much, the
| fortune and l." he said "Still. there's
rather more to us than you can get
any other way"
"Oh. you think so. Your modesty
| won't kill you, not for u long time
yet" Adela broke In. with wicked
toss OF the head. Billy made her his
best bow. saying half plaintiyeIy:
"You didn't notice ! held up my fin
gers for quotation marks. was quot
ing from Rob Torrens. He talked you
over down ut the hotel"
II don't believe II. How dared You
let him? What did he say:' Adela
shot Mt him. round red spot blazing
I'm either cheek
HE didn't say much-after got TO
him. Benny briggs was with him.
They were going on at n great rate I'M
til | came. No; he spoke no harm Of
anybody Indeed. he was more sensi-
BILE than one might reasonably expect"
Billy continued.
| 'Unless you tell me | shall go
| straight and ask him-ask him II he
said anything at all about me-" Adela
cried. her lip curling family. Billy
stood n thought straighter. You can't
do that. He's leaving on the evening
train. It's due. just about" he said.
IL don't think you can mean to Imply
that I'm lying. l wouldn't do that If II
would make you love me. Torrens said
this. as nearly as can recall his
words: 1T is good thing the little
Ware girl has her future all settled for
her She's pretty enough. madcap
enough. to make history lots of 1t, II
she had free rein. And really Billy
Bruce, plus $4,000. ought TO console
her fairly for losing me-"
"You-what did you say" Adela de-
manded. sparks at the bottom of her
| eyes. Bllly's mouth was set into II
grimmish smile. 1T didn't seem to
me time for talking" he said. 81
said nothing. but Mr.. Torrcns got of
the piazza-and thought lie was going
| TO get off the earth about two seconds
later. while explained to the rest
that l felt myself insnlted by the color
OF his politics"
as that why he's going away:" AIDE
In asked In II faint. small voice. Billy
nodded. 81 reckon SO" he said May
be he'll write and give you another
reason. think he had engaged to call
on you tonight"
| Adela put both her hands over her
| face and for minute cried stormily.
Billy watched her with something big
and hard IN his throat Suddenly she
flung down her hands and faced him.
teary and woebegone. She was badly
spoiled, impatient withal and selfish
with the seliishness of eighteen.
by all the rules of the game |
ought TO give In to you at once" she
said. swapping out the words. But !
won't do it. Go away! hate you
almost as much rs | hate that" stop.
| ping and choking. Il don't want TO
see you-ever again-not unless my
mind changes. l do not want to see
| any man at all
"All right. I'll vanish" Billy said
half wistfully. But. Dell. have you
thought OF this? II you NOPE at home
seeing nobody at all. the town will
have 1t you're breaking your heart for
| Torrcns. Now think of II. my going
| will help lot You can reasonably
be supposed to be grieving after me"
"Oh, you'll kill me- Adela moaned
"But where are you going; Not that
It matters-lf only you stay away.
81 shall stay couple of years. tn
take about that time for leisurely
globe trotting." Billy said craftily
1--WE all along had II In mind though
l didn't mention II. hoped SO much
| we could go together"
Adela stared at him. forgetting In
her Amusement to cry. "Of all things"'
she calculated. "Why. Billy. | never
thought you'd care TO 20 Il hundred
miles from home. You-you've been
always so careful about money. Not
that you were mean. but you didn't
"Make splash" Billy supplement
ed as she stopped for word. NO
That always seemed To be foolish and
In mighty bad taste. But | shall be
able to afford lot OF things now.
You see. began to let the rents Of my
farm accumulate rs soon as gran
dads will was read. giving US TO each
other. Money grows lot when you
leave II for ten years and put more 10
II every little while. ! kept my mouth
shut about It. but many time I've
told myself. This is to give Dell the