El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-08-04
by Ruby HI. Ayres.

CHE lived next door to me. A hedge
of brier rose was the sole barrier be-
- tween our respective gardens. Some
times when the hedge was not to
thick we held converse tiol across il,
and her face was the fairesT TOse Of all
as IL smiled at me between the leaves;
but more often than not she would CVIne
into my garden and sit bes'1a my chair
and talk to me, for 1 am a cripple.
though, as this story is not mine. 1 will
not weary you with a recital of The acci-
dent which chained me 70 my chair
I grew fond of the little girl next
door.
No. there are no CONCLUSIONS ~ he
Jumped at 1 am so, ana NY hair is
gray and she is one and twenty
It was one morning II early June
when l saw the glimmer Of neT frock
through the rOse-hedge. and heard the
click of the gate. had been expecting
her, seeing that shortly before had
seen poor Bob Hillyer's detected shout
ders pass my gate and vanish down tie
sunny road
He had been refused" for the sec
ond time as I had known he would be.
but experience has taught me the use
Iessness of arguing with a man in love-
She came up my garden path with a
frown on her pretty face
Hes been and done it again. she
said with evaporation
1 looked at her critically: she looked
rather disturbed, but certainly not
angry
The man is a fool" said quietly.
She looked startled, and not particu-
larly pleased
For proposing to me??" she asked
"Of course" said l.
"Why?" Rye tried to look dignified-
1t was a failure
forehand that you would refuse him. L
said evenly.
Il have told him over so many times
that I don't want to be married, she
assured me eagerly
"Quite So. 1 admitted. But that
isn't the reason
She flushed up.
what do YOU mean?" she demanded
II mean" 1 said, that if you told Bob
HiIlyer the truth you would saw, I an
not going to marry rou because you q =
too short and too quiet. and too mucn
everything 1 don't admire in man.
I'm fact" I added sereneAy, IT'S
merely a question of inches. But looks
are not everything
II never said they We're" she replied
But you think So" said 1, expecting
instant humiliation And that's why
I am going to tell you that Hiliyer's
little finger is worth more than the
handsome six feet something that goes
by the name Of Goeffry Wyburg."
Another silence, then Rye laughed.
not very naturally. Are you jealous OF
him, too?" she asked
isn't it rather an insult to accuse
people of being jealous of a tailor's
dummy I asked
Rye grew scarlet. there were tears OF
vexation in her eyes.
Hes the handsomest man in the
country" she declared. And you know
he IS"
MY dear. I never denied IT," said l.
But YOU could put his brain on a three
penny piece and he hasn't the heart of
a mouse. 1t isn't always the biggest
men who have the biggest hearts-and
Bob Hillyer-"
"Oh. I'm sick of hearing about PO6."
she burst in. Father never loses a
chance TO tell me that he is the finest
fellow in the world. and mother says
that she loves him like her own son;
but he never will be. in spite OF what
they say" declared Rye.
maintained discreet silence. chiefly
because 1 differed from her. and it did
not seem quite a prOpttious moment in
which TO say so.
"Of course she submitted with sar
casm. I'VE all know that Bob is rich"
"'And we all know" / added, that
gold"
II dart believe in betting" she an
nc1nced, throwing away the last petal
of the decapitated flower. But 1
should like to have a little one with
you-that I never marry Bob"
'Delighted,'' said l. VIII you have
gloves or chocolates
"GIoves-six pairs. and my size is
small fiveS."
She seemed confident of winning
And if you lOSe?" I asked
She laughted again-very confidently.
1 had seen young Wyburg kiss her
at the gate a few night back, and sup
posed-tO put il vulgarly-she was
backing herself to win, on the strength
of that But a kiss does not Of neces-
sity mean riding to win; sometimes r
man kisses and rides away
IF I lose" she told me with impudent
emphasis, L will give you"
"A kiss?" I asked smiling.
IF you like" She smiled saucily.
You shall have two" she announced
with great generosity. IF l lose
She held out her small hand. and 1