Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-10-19
CHATTER NNvIIl.

ney klrkWOod Withdrew MS gaze from
the window and turned to the girl a
question ready framed upon his lips.
care you quite sure he began, and
then, alive to the clear and penetrating
perception in the brown eyes that
smiled into his from under their level
brows he stammered and left the
query uncompleted.
Continuing to regard him steadily
and smilingly, Dorothy shook her head
in playful denial and protest. do you
know" she commented. that this is
about the fifth repetition of that iden-
teal question within the last quarter
hour?"
How do you know what l meant to
say?" he demanded, staring.
81 can see it in your eyes. Besides,
you've talked and thought of nothing
else since we left the boat. Won't you
believe me, please, when say there's
absolutely not soul in London to
whom l could go and ask for shelter?
don't think it's very nice of you to
be so openly anxious to get rid OF
me-"
This latter was so essentially unde-
served and so artlessly insincere that
he must needs. of course, treat it with
all seriousness
"That isn't fair, Miss Calendar Real
ly it's not
What am to think? I've told you
any number of times that it's only an
hours ride on to Chiltern, where the
Pyrfords will be glad to take me in.
You may depend upon it. by s tonight,
at the latest, you'll have me off your
hands-the drag and worry that I've
been ever since
"Don'tv' he pleaded vehemently.
Please! You know it isn't that.
don't want you off my hands, ever.
That is to say. I-ah"- Here he was
smitten with dumbness and sat,
aghast at the enormity of his blunder.
entreating her forgiveness with eyes
that very likely pleaded his cause
more eloquently than he guessed.
II mean," he floundered ON present
ly, in the fatuous belief that he would
this time be able to control both mind
and tongue-"what mean is I'd be
glad to go on serving you in any way
| might to the end of time if you'd
give me-
He left the declaration inconclusive
"a stroke of diplomacy that would
have graced an infinitely more adept
wooer. But he used it all unconscious
ly. 20 Lord!' he groaned in spirit.
Worse and more of it! Why in thun-
der can't say the right thing right?'
Dear Mr.. Kirkwood.' she said gen
tly, bending forward as if to read be.
tween the lines anxiety had craven Oh
his countenance. won't you tell ME
please. what it can be that so worries
you?"
In evaporation he interrupted al
most rudely. Its only this-I-I'm
strapped"
''Strapped?" She knitted her brows
over this fresh specimen of American
slang.
Flat strapped : busted = broke-on
my uppers-down and out" lie reeled
off synonyms without smile. 81
haven't enough money to pay cab fare
: across the town
: "Oh." she interpolated enlightened.
TO say nothing of taking us tc
Chiltern. l couldn't buy you glass
of water if you were thirsty. There
isn't soul on earth within hail who
would trust me with Il quarter NEAR
a shilling across London bridge. In
the original 'luckless wonder and the
only genuine Jonah eXtant."
With face the hue of fire he cock
ed his eyebrows askew and attempted
to laugh unconcerncdly to hide his bit
ter shame. I've led you out of the
frying pan into the fire, and | don
know what to do. Please call m,
names."
'Oh. poor Mr.. Kirkwood And it,
all because Of me! You've beggaret
YOURSELF
Not precisely. l was beggared t
begin with" He FASTENED to disclain
the extravagant generosity of whicl
she accused him. ~ had only three o
four pounds to my name that night W
met l haven't told you-I"-
you've told me nothing, nothin
whatever about yourself she said re
proachfully.
II didn't want to bother you wit
my troubles. tried not to talk abou
myself You knew l was an Amer
ican but I'm worse than that. I'm
Californian-from San Francisco" II
= tried unsuccessfully to make light G
it. II told you l was the buckles
i: wonder If I'd ever had any luck
would have stored q little money ava!
AS it was, l lived on my income, lei
my principal in Frisco. and when til
earthquake came it wiped me OF
completely"
And you were going home thu
night we made you miss your steamer
1T was my own fault. and I'm gla
this blessed minute that did miss
Nice sort I'd have been to go off an
leave you at the mercy
please! ! want to think. I'm tryir
to remember how much you've go1
through
: Precisely what don't want you
: do. Anyway. ] did nothing more tina
any other fellow would have don
Please don't give me credit that
Z don't deserve. We must go to MI
Hallam's house first. It's too la
now-after 5-else we could depos
! the jewels in some bank. Since
since they are no longer yours Il
? only thing and the proper thing to {
is to place them in safety or in Il
hands of their owner. If you tai
! them directly to young Hallam yo