Mexico weekly ledger., 1910-01-27

cent at times; but. generally speaking
he's irretrievably bad"
But can't you get him on In some
way? There are ways. and you know
it."
Murgatroyd smiled grimly.
my dear girl. IL l would do this
thing l couldn't. l shall go a ster
further. II 1 could do 1t i wouldn't
| couldn't look you in the face If ! did
it,
You're cruelF' she cried, rising. Il
ought not to have come, However. !
have done what I could for a friend"
she flung back at him and started to-
ward the door.
A~urgatroyd blocked her way.
"No." he said good humorediy, not
the least disconnected by her parting
shot. Its my turn now. You have
attempted to corrupt me. swerve me
! from my duty, and"-
"And wasted your time. suppose
as you were good enough TO remind
me on a previous occasion she re-
turned. looking up saucily at him un-
der her lashes.
M~urgatroyd was quick to detect her
change Of mood, saying:
Wont you for the moment forget
the Challoners, Shirley? Be kind. You
give me little opportunity to see you
alone these days"
IF you're going to make love to me
in that awfuliy serious way Of yours,
or, for that matter, in any other way,
I'll CO."
AREN'T you going to marry me, Shir
leyY he demanded with characteristic
directness.
Same old story" laughed the girl.
"Yes; this is the sixth time now
that I've asked you. Again, viii you
marry mer
Don't DO silly! This is hardly the
place, Billy"
Il quite agree with you. But one
has to make the most of opportunity
As l said before, the occasions are al
too rare when l find myself alone Will
you. And unless you want me to keeT
asking you speak the word now, Shir
ley. Make me happy. You may as
well say II first as last, for I'm deter
mined to win you. I'm going to have
your he wound up theoretically.
'sThen why bother about my con.
sent?" Assmile lowered around her
lips.
why do you persist in refusing
mel"
Shirley flushed.
"Is it because Of Thorne? Is he my
successful riyalT' he ventured.
Shirley looked p~erturbed.
mo; it's not because Of Thorne.
wish it were" And after a moment
do you still want to know
Yes; I've got to know, Shirley"
"Wil you stay right where you are
If l tell your"
IL promise" raising his right hand
half playfully.
"Well, then, it's because | love you
she said easily.
M~urgatroyd sprang toward her.
Shirley
The girl quickly waved him back.
Its because | love you or believe
that l do that l shall never marry
you. l mean it."
But whyT he faltered.
Shirley sighed unconsciously.
HIk t1 Ntuan that II rnadN rnuooIf n1otn
understood to you, not because you're
entitled to an explanation, but be
cause-well, because I like you just
bit"
A serious look was on her face. She
seemed suddenly to have changed
The thousand and one little manner
isms that were so large a part of the
girls attractiveness were all there, bui
the voice was nc longer the mirthful
voice Of the Shirley that he knew and
loved. She spoke as though in a
trance:
"Can you understand me when ! say
that | have got to have something
more than lover I am too practical
Billy, to fool myself-or you! Perhaps
I'm cursed with the instincts of IN,
kind-of the American girl. oh, le
me tell you how it Isl" she exclaimed
impulsively. "All my life I've beer
surrounded by men who were failures
My grandfather was a failure, my ia
Their was a failure, and my brothers
are failures. They have tainted my
happiness. Don't misunderstood me,
love them, but l can't look up to them
"But--you don't want money! hi
protested. you're too much the RICH
sort Of an American girl for that"
"No, not exactly money. But th,
man who appeals to me is n wht
can surmount all Obstacles" she an
swered, with grave tenderness. 'wht
has success running in his veins,
"Have you aver lain awake a
night, Billy, and planned your future
I have. And In these dreams Of MINI
l would always take my place by tn,
side of my great knight errant, help
ing him to become greater. AT time:
he has been a diplomatist, a jurist, {
%lawmaker, and l have always lent hin
strength. When l marry, Billy, my
husbands work will be my work, hii
struggles my struggles, but the maj
! must have greatness running through
his veins"
"Then l haven't figured often in tn,
limelight Of your dreamsT
"If only you had, Billy, but yor
haven't, much as l have tried my bes
to ct my knights armor on you an(
place you On his warhorse. Now, cam
you see what 1t would mean il W,
made the experiment of marriage
Marriage would not make me happy
It would be misery
Misery he gasped.
Eyes, misery for you" she finished
-Can the girl who must have none.
make a poor man happy, much as sh'
may love him7 Can the butterfly max,
a bookworm happy, much as she may
love him7 A woman with social ambi
lions loves a man with none. Can sh'
make him happy? No. And. while
am none Of these, yet somehow Nv,
got to fulfill my destiny. and I'm no
going to chafe, anger and everlastingl.
offend the mar who doesn't belong
doesn't at in with my ideas!'
"But ! do at In. as you phrase It,
ACKNOWLEDGE 1T.