Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-11-10

sss was gathering her note PAD
| and pencils together to depart, when
| he said:
"Oh, one more thing, Miss Mason
and hope you won't mind my being
frank and straight out. You've struck
me right along as sensible-minoeo
girl and I don't think you'll take Oh
tense at what I'm going to say. You
know how long you've been in the OF.
| fice-it's years, now, several Of them,
anyway; and you know I've always
been straight and aboyeboard VIII
you. I've never what you ca!i-pre'
sumed. Because you were in my office
I've tried to be more careful than II
If you wasn't in my ofice-you un,
derstand. But just the same, it don't
make me any the less human. I'm
lonely sort of a fellow-don't
take that as bid for kindness. What
mean by it is to try and tell you
Just how much those two rides with
you have meant And now hope you
won't mind my just asking why you
haven't been out riding the last two
Sundays"
She played nervously with pencil
for time, as if debating her reply,
while he waited patiently.
This riding" she began; tits not
what they call the right thing. !
leave it to you. You know the world
That's the trouble It's what the
world would have to say about me
and my employer meeting regularly
and riding in the hills on Sundays.
It's funny, but it's SO. could ride
with one of the clerks without re-
mark, but with you-no."
Look here, Miss Mason" said Day
light. Il know you don't like this
talking over of things In the ONCE.
Neither do I. It's part Of the whole
thing, I guess; a man amt supposed
to talk anything but business with MS
stenographer. Will you ride with me
next Sunday, and We can talk it over
thoroughly then and reach some sort
of a conclusion. Out in the hills is
the place where you can talk some
thing besides business. guess you've
seen enough Of me to know I'm pretty
square. IL do honor and respect
Won and. and all that, and |
He was beginning to fioun-
der. and the hand that rested on the
desk blotter was visibly trembling.
He strove to pull himself together.
Il lust want to harder than anything
ever in my life before. IL can I
explain myself, but | do, that's AL
Will you-Just next Sunday? 10
morrow"
Nor did he dream that her low &C.
quiescence was due, as much as any
thing else, to the beads OF sweat on
his forehead, his trembling hand anu
his all too-evident general distress.
"Of course, there's no way OF tell
ing what anybody wants from what
they say" Daylight rubbed Bob's re-
bellious ear with his Quirt and pom
dered with dissatisfaction the "oras
he had just uttered. They did not
say what he had meant them TO say
what I'm driving at is that you say
flatfooted that You won't meet me
again, and give your reasons, but no"
am to know they are your real rea-
sons? Mebbe you just don't want TO
get acquainted with me, and won't say
so for fear OF hurting my feelings.
Don't you see? I'm the last man IN
the world to shove in where I'm not
wanted. And if l thought you dldn I
care whoop to see anything more or
me. why I'd clear out SO blamed quick
YOU couldn't see me for smoke.
1t had been happy day. Daylight
had met her on the back.roed from
Berkeley, and they had had hours to-
gether. 1t was only now, with the
day drawing to close and with them
approaching the gate OF the road to
Berkeley, that he had preached the
important subject.
She began her answer to his last
contention, and he listened gratefully
But suppose, just suppose, that the
reasons l have given are the only
ones THAT there is no Question or
nv not wanting to know you?"
"Then I'd go on urging like Sam
Scratch" he said quickly. Because,
YOU see, I've always noticed that folks
that incline to anything are much
more open to hearing the case stated.
But If you did have that other season
I'D your sleeve, il you didn't want to
know ME, Tiff, we'll, if you thought
my feelings oughtnt to be hurt just
because you had a good job with me.
- Here, his calm consideration
Of q possibility was swamped by the
fear that it was an actually. and he
lost the thread Of his reasoning.
We'll, anyway, all you have to do is
to say the word and I'll clear out.
And with no hard feelings; it would
be Just case OF bad luck for me. SO
be honest, Miss :Iason, please, and
tell me if that's the reason-1 almost
got bunch that it is
"Oh, but that isn't fair" she cried.
you give me the choice of lying to
you and hurting you in order to pro
tect myself by getting rid Of you, or