The Huttig news., 1910-02-19
AN ADEQUATE co NDIM E NIT
By F. HARRIS DEANS.


 Like an owl What have you come for?"
 Nothing like making your visitors feel at home, I believe I came over to see you.''
 "Oh," she appeared trife discom- posed at the directness of the reply. And now you have seen me-"
 '1 shall look at you" This I pro ceeded to dc
 Miss Archibb seated herself on the -sill-she has an admirabl fig ure-and looked down at me.
 Tt would be ripping on the water, . 1 remarked
 Would it? And yet you're here. T came to tell you'
 How self-sacrifcing of you"
 "Hm," l said. Will you come?" Can't"
 Do you mean won't? Why not ?' She gave backward jerk of her head
 They're all in there
 What of that?"
 "Oh, all right" She got down with q smile. We shall be a pleasant party"
 "Partyl" said L
 Yes. Both aunts. rncle and the mater. They'll all come with the dear child"
 Tn that case" I said, hastily, q prefer you at a distance. A girl by herself is worth dozen together But why go through the next room?' l suggested, with a sudden in spiration.
 How =. :? Get out of the win dow?"
 1 nodded. It was some ten feet from the ground.
 T should break my neck"
 Nonsense"
 Its easy to say that-it's not your neck. Besides, suppose somebody saw mel"
 T refused to be put off with such supposition.
 You're afraid"
 'Mr Harding,"
 You're afraid"
 Without another word, she clam bered up on the sill.
 Shall jump?'
 'Merciful heavens, no," The possi- bility of receiving a pretty girl into ones arms would draw such an ejacu- lation from anybody.
 Then how?'
 A moments reflection gave me the opportunity of noticing a tub of ever greens nearby At the expense of some exertion I dragged the thing un- der the window. Standing on 1t was some three feet nearer.
 Kneel on the sill, and come down backwards. 1 instructed Don't kick me in the face All right, I've got you With a stifled shriek she let go her hold of the window sill and chung round my neck
 Don't strangle me. You see, it was quite easy
 Yes. she said. Put me down now, please. MT. Harding. MT. Harding Put me down at once" I was, as l said, somewhat insecure ly balanced on the edge of the tub An incautious step backward, and Miss Archibb, the evergreens and myself found ourselves on the ground
 By complicated movement of which was too confused to notice the de tails, Miss Archibb swished herself into sitting position and looked at me and laughed The edge of the tub was very hard, but nevertheless I joined in
 You see!" I said, responsibility You might have known I should have put you down if it had been safen T felt safer down." she remarked. rising to her feet.
 That evergreen looks pretty sick. :. said. surveying it ruefully.
 Well, you'd look sick, too, if you'd been sat on.'
 T don't feel sick reassured her, 'of course l don't know how I look" Did I really?" She laughed and blushed. Well, l suppose did. You deserved it, anyhow
 And occasionally one gets ones de- serts"
 We brushed the dust off each other, and set off for the river.
 By the way" I said whats all this gathering of the clans? Been getting into scrape?'
 "Scrapei" she cried indignantly. q should think not. I've been a very good girl"
 "You,"
 You're very rude. You Leedn't look so surprised, anyhow"
 How did you manage it?"
 .To be good girl? We'll, did what I was told, and smiled when I was spoken to, and said Please and Thank you
 And Yes and No like a good lit tie dolly"
 T haven't said Yes and No yet,' she corrected. That's what the fam fly conelave is about
 I whistled-not loudly. So that's the idea Who are they?"
 .'Oh-two men"
 q suspected they were men. How ever, l can guess who they are. Which do you prefer?"
 "The idea of asking mel Yon know