Willmar tribune., 1911-03-22

r.
into his face would It make yon hap
py to know really meant It r
''Why-ah- why shouldn't 1t, JOsie?''
''Then please believe me when say
'.But l do believe it. r. He STAN
mered and fell still.
Because ! do like you. Nat. very
much. and-and it's very hard for me
to know that folks think I'm pursuing
you and that you're trying to avoid
me-"
'Josie!"' he exclaimed reproachfully..
"Well. that's the way It looks" she
anlrmed plaintlvely ''You don't want
it to, do your
''Why, no; Of course l don't"
"Then why don't you stop it?'' She
watched his face, her manner coy and
yielding. "Nat," she said in softer
voice, If you like me as we'll as like
you
He moved away pace or two.
"Ah. child" he said. with feeling
that the term was not misapplied
somehow, you don't know what
you're sayingv'
Eyes. / do." she pouted. Il don't
believe you care anything about me-
"Oh, Josie, please
"Well. anyway you've never told me
So" She turned an indignant shoulder
to him.
"How could II"
why couldn't you?''
But don't you see that shouldn't,
Josie?" He turned back to her side,
looked down at her. pleaded his de-
fense with the fire of desperation.
''Just think. you are an only daugh-
ter'-just what this had to do with
the case was not plain even to him
IAN only daughter" he repeated-"ah.
not only your fathers only daughter.
but your mothers only daughter.
Your father-ah-is my friend. How
unfair it would be to him to- $3.50
But the girl interrupted with deci-
sion. "But papa wants you to. He
told me so.'' ....- .-....-..> =
He could only pretend not to under
stand. "But consider, Josie. You are
rich, an beiress. I'm poor man.
Would you like it to be said 1 was
after your money" *
"No one would dare say such a
thing" she asserted. with profound
conviction.
"Oh, yes. they would! You don't
know the world as l do. And for all
you know they might be right. How
do you know that
NAT" A catch in her voice stopped
him. Don't say such horrid things!
could tell-a woman always can. l
know you would be incapable of such
a thing. Papa knows it too No one
has ever got ahead of papa. and he
says you are fine, steady. Christian
man and hc would rather see me your
wife than any,
"Josier'
The interjection was so imperative
that she was silenced. "Why, what.
Nat?" she asked, rising. -.
"The time has come" he declared.
''You must know the truth"
'Oh, Nat!'
"Tm not what you think me-" he
continued dramatically. .-.-..
''Oh. Nat!' ..- .....-
'.Nor what your, father thinks me,
nor what anybody else in this town
thinks me. I'm not regular Chris
tian-it's all a bluff. l didn't "
anything about church till e
here. | smoke, and l drink. /
swear, and gamble, and l O. t
them all out in order to trick w.
caring for mev' .s@..4-..
"Oh. Nat, don't believe itv
"Alas, JOSIE" he protested violently,
'1t's true, only too true" -+.o
"But you did it to win my love,
Nat?':
"Ye-es." He saw suddenly that he
had made fatal mistake. r.
.'Then. Nat. will be your wife in
spite Of ALL" tz-...r.s: ar..,
He found himself suddenly caught
about the neck by the girls arms.
His head was drawn down until her
cheek caressed bis and he felt her lips
warm upon his own.
"Josiev' he gasped. ...
"Nat, my darlingy'
With supreme effort he pulled
himself together and embraced the
girl. "Josie." he said earnestly, "1-
I'm going to try to be good husband
to you. And that he concluded. soto
voce, wasn't in the agreement
She held him to her passionately
dearest, I'm so gladv'
1T makes me very happy to know
you are, JOSIE" he murmured miser-
ably. and to himself while she still
trembled in his embrace: "What cur
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