The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-01-21

course she is! He's that pie-faced
college youth whom Uncle Dave
kicked out OF the house last spring.
Just beginning his senior year, mind
you, and mad to marry Julia off
hand. VIII that car go? BY Jove,
this begins to be rather more than
interesting"
With the resignation born of long
practice, Mr.. Brooks crawled under
the car. The lady sat in dignified
silence until he emerged, red but tri-
umphant.
20, H." he reported. smiling as
he stepped IN beside her. "What
the deuce Stewart left it for, don't
imagine. The Meteor isn't to be
compared with It. Look here; see,
here's where they turned out and
around. See the marks in the dust?
He's gSne back the way you came.
Dexterously he turned the ponder
Gus machine in the narrow road.
Hold hard" he advised gayly.
I'm going to let her out all she's
worth in a minute; but after we
catch these two young idiots ! shall
demand an apology from you for mis-
taking me for that pie-faced kid.
Really, I'm very good looking when
I'm clean"
A vagrant dimple appeared in the
pink cheek of the dignified young
lady in the town pongee coat.
II shall require proof" she re-
torted demurely. Some people con-
slider me quite passable when I'm
not tattered and torn. Shall you
demand proof?'
Two disheveled heals. brown
and black one, popped cautiously
up from behind the stone wall across
the road. The pair of eyes, brown
and gray, stared thankfully at de-
serted, dusty roadway; then the own
er Of the brown eyes spoke:
II don't think we've ever properly
appreciated Hildegarde," she said
thoughtfully. She's carried off this
situation-and Billy-in a manner
truly Napoleonic. The stage has
suffered great loss in being unaware
of her talent"
Good old girl, Hildegarde!" he said
warmly. Didn't she get him away
in great style, and short order.
though? tell you she's an artist in
fabrication-not one whopper too
many. Lord! I thought old Billy
would start search party Of the vi
cinity and we'd be collared, but he
never even glanced our way. Had
his eyes glued on her even in his
most anxious moments about your
safety. And his face-wasn't 1t q
picture for Puck? I've laughed my
self sore. say. julia, in spite OF his
mean opinion Of me. old Billy's
brtck!"
Miss Julia looked down thought
fully at the tangled blackberry vines.
"Billy-is BAly," she said slowly.
II really began to worry about him.
Godfrey. 1t must have taken fully
ten minutes for us to get the Meteor
through these bars and hidden Sc
curely. and there he lay unconscious
all that time, and none of us doing
thing for him. 1t wasn't fair
But all's fair In love and war.
dear" he protested, "and this is love,
isn't 1t? We just couldn't let such
a blessed chance go by. Julia, I'm
not going to finish my course. The
pater ha& been very generous to me.
/ can go into the business directly
say the word, and / say the word to-
day If you will Just walk up this road
with me to a little old parsonage ]
know Of, and marry me now. What
is the use Of waiting to win over your
father and then making a holy show
of ourselves at big wedding? |
don't want 1t. l know you detest
the thought of it-and, Julia, II
dared to get the license over a month
ago, because l knew, darling.
should take the very first chance l
got to get you to marry me without
any fuss and feathers-and have
Look at me, dear. You-you are
not angry
The girl glanced nervously at the
battered Meteor half hidden behind
the trees, then she turned and slip
ped her hands into his.
I've always said things about
girls who ran away and got married."
she murmured half sadly, "and here
I am doing the same thing. But it's
no use to argue with father. He
says I'm too young; that he'll never
give his consent until I'm 25. Twen-
ty-f1ve! Why, that a quarter Of a
century, Godfrey. And I belong with
you. Poor old Billy will never be-
lieve that this was really accidental,
and II Hildegarde ever tells him all
that happened while he was uncon-
| scious-"
Young Stewart pulled her gently
from the wall and marched triumph
antly into the dusty road. A long,
hot walk lay before them. but
"She WON'T" he declared toyously.
II think she had it on her mind to
| console her Did Won catch her la or