The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-05-10
The OBTUsE PERSON.
By ELIZABETH MASON.

Il don't understand, /" Allanby said.
Really" retorted Betty, regret
fully, II hardly expected you would.
You're an obtuse person"
Allanby was surprised that anyone
should think that.
I'm not SO bad. Betty. I've done
as we'll as lots of the fellows"
Betty caught his hand, penitentIy.
You're the smartest man I know :"
she said. When said you were OBJ
fuse meant something else. didn't
mean that don't like you. I didn't
mean that you weren't the best friend
I've got"
Say big brother and you'll hit it
nearer" suggested Allanby, tenderly.
Betty dropped the hand. II WON'T
she responded quite snappishly.
Having spent moment or two in
trying to see the cause of her petu-
lance, Allanby fell back upon the first
point.
After your father died and you
found you had no fortune, you say
you sold whatever you could and fur
Il sold everything I had but nv
trousseau. had it all ready because
! was expecting to be married to Mr..
Stanhope.''
"Stanhope should have looked out
Tor you'" said Allanby, gazing with
disfavor on the tea room.
HE had all he could do" retorted
Betty, ito look out for himself and
he knew it. Just as soon as he found
wasn't an heiress, he discovered that
didn't love him and offered to re-
lease me-
He ought to be thrashed," NUT
tered Allanby II wonder you didn't
get rid of the trousseau with the rest.
shouldn't think you'd want to be
reminded of him."
II kept it for two reasons" said
Betty. "One was to remind me never
to try to marry anyone but the man
thoroughly know and love and
trust"
1T sounds as If you'd picked him
out, said Allanby, suspiciously.
What was the other reason?"
Betty looked demure. ''Why, when
he asks me to marry him, shall need
a trousseau, shan't II" she asked.
What would be the use of getting
another together when have this all
ready"
'Hm!" reflected Allanby. It was
disturbing to think of Betty in love.
Stanhope had never counted very
much, as he well knew. Who could
1t be? He ran over what he knew,of
Betty's acquaintance hurriedly in his
mind.
Is 1t Stickney?" he asked after
lew moments, in rather subdued
voice.
Betty crimsoned and looked for
moment as If she were going to cry.
she opened her mouth twice and
closed 1t again. and once she stamped
her foot. After these demonstrations
OF disturbance, however, she regained
her composure.
Attend to your own AFFAIRS
brother" she said. Don't BE med-
ding in mine. .
But about that trousseau, re-
marked Allanby in an ATTEMPT at
1ightness.
Il don't mind telling you" Betty
said almost in whisper, that If that
man doesn't ask me within three
months, I'll sell the trousseau piece
by piece for whatever it will bring.
But II have to do that I'll be very
unhappy girl. because though he's
never actually said he loved me, /
think he does, and If he doesn't want
me now shall know that he's afraid
OF my poverty and the notoriety I've
created by starting my tea house,
If he's worthy of you he wouldn't
think Of such a thing" said Allanby
warmly. III you've the least doubt
IN your mind about him, you'd do bet
ter to get him right out OF your
mind. 2
4 don't know that should really
believe that of him, anyway, said
Betty defensively. After all, / think
the worst ! could say OF him would
be that he's chtuse.