The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-01-06

Her Silent Crush
Bv JOANNA SINGLE
Copyright, 1910. by Associated Literary Press

ing little late for class. and as !
was out for mischief. l listened to
the girls raving about him on the
campus. Does he know how lovely
he is? Every girl in town is crazy
about him, and foolish enough to say
so to some other girl who invariably
tells! Even Helen Ware"
Steve sat up angrily. He was 60
ing out to defend her. Then he re-
membered that he could better help
her by keeping still. But sister rose
to the occasion.
Helen is not that sort" she
was beginning q little coldly when
Edythe broke in.
Let me finish, do! I was going
to say, that even she, though she says
and does nothing, is deeper in than
any Of them! One of those intense
silent brushes. I don't know how
know-but I do know! Oh, isn't that
the prettiest Irish crochet! don't
see how you get time to do it, with
baby and husband and brother
to look after! I'm sure with only
myself, l never make anything"
and so on until almost dinner. Then
she departed just in time to meet
Milly bringing back the baby. Steve
heard sister invite the girl to stay.
He snatched his hat.
AS member of the FACULTY, he
dared not get free lunch. He went
to the first chop house and ate q
beefsteak. Then he took to the open
country back Of the campus and went
with long strides to little strip OF
wood. June was very sweet and
green, and his pipe was solacing. He
knew place where he could rest In
peace, but as he turned a corner he
ran squarely into Maltbie, whom he
hated.
Hello" he said. Where you 60
ing?"
seen Miss Weaver anywhere, pas.
tor? Her brother said she went for
walk-1 wanted to ask her to the
dance before some idiot"
Before some other idiot does?"
finished Steve. You're too late. Just
asked her myself-over the phone.
Now you clear out while brood over
my luck" He said this with grin,
but Maltbie knew enough to depart
He was not out of sight before
Steve heard a suspicious noise and
turned to look about him. A gray
skirt showed behind a nearby tree.
He Investigated, and the girl laughed
outright.
Il hated to eavesdrop." said Helen,
but saw him first, which means
that 1 hid promptly. just managed
to keep out of his sight all the way
here. I'll deal with Jimmy for telling
where I went"
She stood looking at Steve coolly
enough, and still she was friendly
very friendly. He somehow forgot to
take his eyes from her face. but she
did not blush.
I'm glad I had promised to go to
the dance with you. If had actual
ly been brought to bay could have
told Sam Maltbie that-but | hate
even to give him a chance to ask
he's"
Such a hopeless donkey" finished
Steve, still walking beside her.
At the dance the next evening he
was baffled by her manner. He was
sure she did not care-and yet he
could not forget the foolish gossip of
his sisters caller. When Helen would
not dance with him he found wall
flower and conscientiously did his
duty. Did she care? He spent one
dance in the smoking room, when a
new question came to him. Why did
he want to know whether or not she
cared? What was it to him? Why
he loved her, that was 1t! The fuu
wonder of it all came over him.
It was like him to go straight to
the dressing room and ask the maid
for Miss Weaver's wrap. And it was
like him to march up to the girl at
the end of the waltz she was dancing,
and insist on taking her out into the
fresh night air.
II wanted to ask you-to tell you
something" he said.
She smiled in the old friendly way.
But she did not help him. He had to
do it all himself.
lin crazy about you, Helen.
love you with all my heart. Could
you-do you care-too? Do you?
VIII you marry me? He held his
hands out. Then she laid both hers
in them and looked up at him, her
ewes wet with unshed tears. She
nodded again and again.
"Oh. say you love me, Helen! Can't
YOU say it," She let him draw her
closer.
Its too big-and deep-and beau
tiful to talk about" she said, but I
don't mind telling just you that If you
hadn't loved me and told me so.
believe I should have died."
He laughed in utter contentment
1t was another case Of girl. But he
! did not know it-because it had hap
pened to him.