El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-13

ooh, IT wasn't the kiss" He walked
over to the railing and leaned against
it, facing her. But it was about you
all the same. and I may as well tell
you. You remember. / warned you
long ago what would happen when you
wanted to become a partner in Be
rande. Well. all the beach is gossip
ing about II, and Tudor persisted in
repeating the gossip to me. So you
see it won't do for you to stay on here
under present conditions. It would be
better If you went away"
But I don't want TO 90 away" she
objected with rueful countenance.
"a chaperon then
mo. nor a chaperon."
But you surely don't expect me to
go around shooting every slanderer. In
the SOlOmOns that opens his mouthP
he demanded gloomily.
mo. nor that either" she answered
with quick impulsiveness. an tell
you what we'll do. Wen get married
and put a stop TO It all-thereF
He looked at her in amaZement and
would have believed that she was
making fun of him had it not been for
the warm blood that suddenly suffused
her cheeks.
do you mean that?' he asked IN
steadily, "Why?"
ITO put a stop to all the nasty Cos
sip of the beach. That's a pretty good
reason, isn't itT'
NO; it is worse than no reason at
all. I don't care to marry you as a
matter of expediency"-
You are the most ridiculous crea-
turel" she broke in with a fash Of her
old time anger. You talk love and
marriage to ne very much against
my wish, and go incoming around over
the plantation week after week be-
cause you can't have me. and look at
me wheE you think I'm not noticing
and when all the time I'm wondering
when you had your last square meal
because OF the hungry look in your
eyes. and make eyes at my revolver
belt hanging on a nail. and fight duels
about me. and all the rest-and-aud
now. when say I'll marry you, you do
yourself the honor Of refusing me-"
You can't make me any more ride
ulous than I feel" he answered. rub
bling the lump on his forehead re-
hectively. And If this is the accepted
romand, programs duel over a girl
and the girl rushing into the arms Of
the winner-why. I shall not make a
bigger ass Of myself by going in for
It"
Il thought you'd jump at It." she
confessed, with q naivete be could
not but question. for be thought be
saw a roguish CLEAN in her eyes.
My conception Of love must differ
from yours. then" he said. Il should
want a woman to marry me for love
Of me and not out Of romantic ad-
mirariOn because ! was lucky enough
TO drill q hole IN a mans shoulder
with smOkeless powder. 1 tell you /
am disguised with this adventure
tomfOolery and rot. / don't ike it.
Tudor is a sample OF the adventure
kind-picking a quarrel with me and
behaving ike a monkey. insisting on
fighting with me-'tO the DEATH be
said 1t was like a penny dreadful"
She was biting her lip. and. though
her eyes were cool and level looking
as ever. the telltale angry red was in
her cheeks.
"Of course If you don't want to
marry me-
"But / do" be hastily interposed
"Oh. Won do
But don't you see. little girl. want
you to love me- he hurried on; 10Th
erwise It would be only half a mar
riage. ! don't want you to marry NE
simply because by 50 doing a stop is
put to the beach gossip. nor do l want
you to marry Me out OF some foolish
romantic notion. shouldn't want
yOu-that way"
"Oh. in that case" she said. with
assumed deiberateness. and he could
have sworn to the roguish gleam-"in +
that case. since you are willing to /
consider my OFFER. let me make a few /