The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1909-01-22
A Wedding
Present.
~ Marble MecsEoes-
UL,Hfiams.
Copyrighted. 1909, by Associated
Literary Press.

wont! Not now, never, nor the next
day. So thereF' AdeIa cried, her fin
gers tight In her ears and stamping
her foot hard.
That's a pity! Such pityr' Billy
Bruce murmured. with his most engag.
Ing smile. "a pity you say 1t, mean
because l 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 a fortune" Adela retorted
sticking out her chin. Billy laughed
softly, hardly more than a chuckie.
True, we don't amount to 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 long time
yet" Adela broke In, with a wicked
toss Of the head. Billy made her his
best bow, saying half plaintively
You didn't notice | held up my fin
gers for quotation marks. l was quot
ing-from Rob Torrens. He talked you
over down at the hotel"
Il don't believe I'll How dared you
let him? What did he sayl" Adela
shot at him, round red spot blazing
In either cheek.
He didn't say much after | got TO
him. Benny briggs was with him.
They were going ON Mt great rate un-
III l came. No; he spoke no harm Of
anybody. Indeed. he was more sensi.
bic than one might reasonably expect"
Billy continued.
Unless you tell me shall 20
straight and ask him--as him II be
said anything at all about me-" Adeia
cried, her lip curling family. Billy
stood 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. wouldn't do that II It
would make you love rae. Torreus said
this, as nearly as / can recall his
words: 1T IL good thing the little
Ware girl has her future all settled for
her. She's pretty enough, madcap
enough. to make history. lots Of II, II
she had free rein. And really Billy
Bruce. plus $4,000. ought to console
her fairly for losing me"
"You-what did you sayY' Adela de.
manded, sparks at tho bottom OF her
eyes. Billy's mouth was set into a
grimmish smile. 'It didn't seem to
me time for talking" he said. II
said nothing. but Mr. Torrens got of
khe piazza-and thought he was going
to get of the earth about two seconds
later, while l explained TO the rest
that felt myself insulted by the color
OF his politics"
''Is that why he's going awayf' AIDE
In asked In faint, small voice. Billy
podded. Il 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 stornily.
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 'wlthai and selfish
with the selfishness OF eighteen.
"By all tho rules Of the game I
ought to give In to you at once" she
said. swapping out the words. But I
won't do It. Go awayl hate you
almost az much as l bate that" stop
ping and choking. II don't want TO
see you-ever again-not unless my
mind changes. do not want TO see
any man at all"
"All right, I'll vanish" Billy said
half wistfully. But. Dell, have you
thought OF thlsi II you NOPE at home.
seeing nobody at all, the town wiz
have 1t you're breaking your heart for
Torrens. Now think Of II, my going
will help lot. You can reasonably
be supposed to be grieving after me-"
"oh. you'll kin mer' Adela moaned.
"But where are you going? Not that
It matters-if only you stay awayw
Il shall stay couple Of years. TIN
take about that time for leisurely
globe trotting." Billy said craftIly.
'T'ye all along had II In mind, though
l didn't mention 1t. hoped no much
we could go together"
Adela stared ut him, forgetting In
her amazement to cry. "0f all thlngs!''
she calculated. "Why, Bnlyl never
thought you'd care to go a hundred
miles from home. You-you've been
always so careful about money. Not
that you were mean, but you didn't
snake n splash" Billy supplement
ed as she stopped for word mo.
That always seemed to be foolish aud
In mighty bad taste. But shall be
able to afford a lot of things now.
You see, began to let the rents of my
farm accumulate as soon as gran
dads VIII was read. giving us to each
other Money grows a lot when you
leave It for ten years and put more to
1t every little while. kept my mouth
shut about 1t, but many time I've
told myself. This is to give Dell the
wedding present she'll like best in the
world"
why didn't you tell meT AdeIa
said fretfully. Billy smiled. but drew
n long breath.
Telling would have broken the
charm" he said. ~ wanted to sur
prise you, and didn't want to bride
you into taking me. shouldn't be
telling you even now IL you hadn't
made me see there is no chance of our
coming together"
Then why don't you go awayr'
Adela said, more than ever fretful
She was on the verge Of fresh tears
tears she would not for tne world let
him see. If life had Demanded ON II