The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-11-21
UNDER
DIFFICULTIES

as be did himself He had gl0Wel
with little proprietary pride when
he detected the g.aam Of intesest and
admiration in Selmore's eyes, but he
was not prepared for what followed
selmore had stopped by the car,
and after being introduced, had cheer
fully asked for lift to his destination,
and got It. occupying the entire time
OF transit In conyersing with Alice
quite ais though Haskins we're hired
chauffeur.
A wesk later, when Haskins called
on Alice and found Selmore there. he
learned through the conversation that
selmore had accidentally met her in
a candy shop and had promptly asked
10 call And he kept on calling.
Haskins tried to convince himself
that had It been any one else on
earth than selmore he should nor
have cared It was simply, he told
himself, because be disliked Selniore
so. Alice certainly had right %
have as many callers as she chose. In
asmuch as she was not engaged to
himself 1t was the first time this
idea Of being engaged to Alice had
presented itself to him, and he
thought about it great deal after
that, mainly because Selmore per
sisted in interfering SO with his es-
tablished routine.
He was especially upset one eve
ming when, having made an engage
ment over the telephone to take Alice
automobiling, he called, only TO find
that Selmore had Just arrived.
Out OF politeness he asked Selmore
to come along, and to his rage Sci
more brazenly accepted Haskins had
quite counted on that ride as pleas
ant one, for It was a springlske eve
ming. There was to have been a spin
over the boulevards, supper at some
quiet place and then home in the
moonlight--and who could tell what
might happen? Now, here was Sci
more. fastened on him for the whole
evening
He tried to make himself believe
that Alice had looked trihe disap-
pointed when Selmore accepted, yet
he bitterly felt II could not be SO, for
Selmore was looking especially hand.
some In his new spring suit
The ride progressed in an electric
silence on Haskins' part and with flu
ent conversation on SeImores They
had the spin and the supper which
was ashes in Hasklns mouth. Then
they started home on a downtown
street corner the machine wheezed
and stopped HIaskins took malicious
delight in making selmore descend
ana help him back it off the car
tracks. Then he investigated irrita-
bly,, for accidents were alien to his
car
AS he delved amid the machinery
selmore sat aloft amiably talking to
Alice When at last Haskins had to
crawl under the machine and lie fiat
on his back while he pounded the
mechanism he knew how anarchists
feel.
Here. EIaskins." solmore called
I down finally, cant you fix ~ J
should think you'd know your own car
I better"
ITS getting terribly late" said
Alice.
AS Ilaskins podded away to tele
\ phone he scethed with hatred Of Sci.
more. After wrestling with the phone
and finding be could get no help. Has.
kins phoned his home garage ana
then went back to the two IN his car.
They're sending Tow after me-,
he said you two can just catch the
last suburban train II you hurry II
viii relieve my mind II you'll take It,
80 that I'll know Miss Clark will get
safely home"
splendid idealp agreed selmore,
and leaped out. He reached up a
helping hand to the girl in the back
seat
Maybe she had had too much Of Sci
more, maybe she felt sorry for Has
kins; maybe
At any rate she never moved. She
regarded selmore coolly.
4 am not going to desert the car
and let Mr.. Haskins wait here all
alone till goodness knows whenl" she
said, distinctly. You hurry along and
catch the train. Mr. Selmorel shall
walt and be- towed in with Mr.. Has
ldns."
So eelmore had to go. As Haskins
watched him vanish around the cor
ner he was conscious that great JOY
percolated throughout his system. He
climbed out Of the drivers seat and
I'm beside Alice.
Thank the fatesl" he breashed.
"Now maybe while we're waiting can
have chance to say few things to
you that I'VE been waiting to sayi"