The broad ax., 1911-01-21

bought a perambulator? P,,.----
his perspiring brow and glared 5osl %iped
" around. ueuant-
why. Billy Bingsr' cried
ing feminine voice at his an ,Tusn-
What do you want with a na,.r1S ,'oUW'
IatorY' Pe'aulou-
Bings' exasperated gaze eu,oru,-
that OF Mrs. MarstOn, n me-rr '-,s'ed
woman. By her side stood the n-O.e nased
widow with the coveted cherpb rtT.'! nv
ing to her hand. '''lg
Bings turned fiery red and o,-,
wildly at his hat, or where be snDa.'I, ,.su,
it to be. only to find that he rat rSpYseu s,
ming himself with it. Making m 'au' an
berrassed bow, he began 10 mo, AZ -,
perspiring face violently. uS
Here's yer p'rambTarr," s,id G
laconically, pausing in front of RiDn- -u'
Bings turned fascinated eyes on - -
thing, which seemed to him n ne s
greatly increased in size durin, =.
progress from the auctioueer.s stand "
"And a baby's high chair" aunouDa.s
another laughing voice as the spegEs-
craned forward and Inspected RiD.-,
barricade.
There was a general craning Of racL,
And a little red rocker eycl1ira5
another. '''u
"A dOll-and a doll carriage"
"a child's cot"
"FOOtstOOl. workbasket. sewir, on,,.
and sewing machine" enuuarotad
WhitlOck. pushing nearer. "Great In
piter. Bings: What does this moan
with mock severity.
Poor Bings thanked his stars tho.
none Of them kpew of that cradle in
the attic. the result of a former aberr,-
ton. He gazed heIpleSsly around a,
his tormentOrs. then at his barricada
What on earth had induced him 10 bid
in all that stuff?
He had made himself so ridiculous IN
her eyes he'd not stand a ghost Of
show now. The only thing left for him
to do was to make his escape as hest
he could.
Bings glanced furtively around. but
all avenues were closed by laughing
faces. He grew desperate. Just as he
was contemplating a dash for liberty
along the line Of the least resis.anc
the miracle that he had been so skeD-
teal about happened.
A fractions horse. 4 woman's scream.
a scene Of confusion. and when Bings
came to he found his arms around the
pretty widow. who was cIasping the
pretty cherub to her breast and sob.
bing Historically on his shoulder: "Oh
Billy-dear. dear Billy. Save me. save
mev
At these inspiring words Bings' cour-
age rose to the occasion. his bashfuI.
ness slipping from him like a cloak.
Before the astonished eyes Of the
whole staring crowd he bent and kiss
ed the pretty widow and the dimpled
cherub.
There. there. sweetheart" he said
soothingly. the danger is past" Then.
turning to the gaping crowd. Bings
lied magnifcently.
81 was just going to explain" said
be, when that confounded horse In
terfered that bought these things for
my wife and child The fact is
'Mr. BingsY' protested a shocked but
voice.
Mrs. Moffatt and I expect to be
married Just a week from today, and
take this occasion to invite
BILLY Bings. How dare you?"
the whole crowd to attend. The
TACT is"-the sight of Whitlock's amaz-
I'd and wholly skeptical cOuntenance
stimulated Bings to greater invention
I'VE would have announced our en-
yagement sooner but for certain IN
'oreseen circumstances that-er-caus-
I'd us to-er-await a more prOpitiOus
lime. But
"Oh. Billy. hushr'
-"after next Thursday We'll be at
lone to our friends. You all know the
vay to the Elms. where you'll always
ind
"Oh. Billy. dear!
ia walcOma