Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-10-22


lomatlcally.
mo. indeedr'
"And no man has ever told you that
he loved your he murmured in u
thoughtful tone. stranger
"Well-now--I didn't say Just that,
you known
There was faint suspicion of q
blush on Miss Farrar's smooth cheeks,
but her glance met Mowbray's with
its usual answering honesty.
"Men have told me that they loved
me-several of them. But that's not
a proposal, you know, any more than
it's a purchase when say that adore
string of pearls at Tifany'sr
"A-a-hW
The ejaculation was full of enlisht-
eminent. Mowbray was beginning at
last to understand things that had al
ways puzzled him. as his next ques-
ton showed.
"Would 1T be impertinent to ask how
you have received these declarationsT
"Why, just listened. You see. it's
embarrassing. II makes one feel so
terribly conscious"
"What about the man" Mowbray
asked quietly. Doesn't 1t occur to
you that perhaps he might need lit
tie ncouragement-that perhaps he
might be trifie conscious too?"
For a moment there was silence be-
tween them. The point of view was
utterly new to Miss Farrar. and she
was obviously impressed by 1t.
81 never thought of that" she ad-
| mitted slowly. 81 thought that sort
of thing was SO in a mans line-his
METER" She laughed bit ruefully.
A squirrel darted swiftly across the
grass and. turning its head jauntily to
one side. fixed a bright. inquiring eye
upon them. Then. with saucy wave
| of its tail, it scurried away.
81 have it, said Mowbray, II have
| It. Learn from the squirrel! Light
ness. airIness, coquettishness! Don't
you see what meanI" And he looked
| at her teasingly.
But she was not to be diverted. II
am serious" she assured him. There's
| always a reason for everything. and
there must be a reason for this.
There's Alice Nixon. She's not so
awfully pretty. l heard her say that
she had had nineteen proposals!' MISS
Farrar's voice was touched with awe.
Then q skeptical thought seized her.
.Still--she's from the south" she add
ed, and her tone implied that an allow
ance should be made for the fact.
! Mowbray bit his lip.
"Then there's her sister-jpst an or
dinnrily nice girl--follows with fifteen.
Marion Pierce owns up to dozen. and
Beth Garrett-dear. homely Beth-ac-
knowledges six i asked her because
l specially wanted to find out. Per-
haps you can imagine how queer 1t
makes me feel"
"What do you say upon such occa-
sions?" demanded Mowbray. watching
the squirrel that was again eying them
from q distance.
There was a palpable pause before
Miss Farrar replied. But at last her
strnightforwardness prevailed.
"Sometimes shake my head and
look rather shocked. Then they think
that l disapprove of such conversa'
tions--think I'm noble. you know! Al
other times | laugh and say. i have
never had oner in a tone which implies
just the reverse"
She finished this confession and look
ed at Mowbray out of the corner of her
eyes in a way that drove the last yes
tige of fear out of his mind. This naive
woman, the person whose dignity and
GOODNESS he had stood aloOf from In
absolute embarrassment for so long
He could have laughed at the absurd
ity of 1t. why had she never shown
him her real self before?
II think shall propose to you,'' he
remarked deliberately.
For second she looked surprised
and then her eyes danced.
LET 1t be in your best STYLE" she
pleaded. .Remember. it's my first, and
fear 1t may be my last too!'
He leaned toward her and looked
straight into her eyes.
"It will be your last undoubtedly!
His voice was low and tense. For Q
long moment he looked at her-looked
In way that first made her small ears
burn and then troubled her clear gaze
which wavered and fell.
81 love you. DEAR" he said simply
land think you know the rest. Tel
me that you do"
Her cheeks were hot and her lips
trembled A strong hand reached out
and took hers In a masterful way, and
she knew that something which she
had never even dreamed was true.
"But l asked you" she moaned wher
at last she. recovered something of hel
wonted serenity. ~ positively asked
your
you encouraged me-" he corrected
land that's what they usually do, only
your method was brutally direct"
1t was when she began to flush AGAR
that he AIDED. IT shall always have
something to tease you about. dearest
And the squirrel. which had beer
watching them In the lingering hope
that they might possibly have brought
him nuts, like sensible people. gave uT
in disgust and scurried away.
Booka II, fho Middle Auea.