The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1911-06-22

her from his saddle, his face a bit
hard and tense in the cool moonlight,
his eyes full of yearning. She had
said no, of course-every girl does
the first time she is asked by a man
and Ii he had been older he would
have understood the challenge In her
eyes and words, and fought the game
out with her to its winning She had
wished him to win, but the next
morning when she had risen she got
the news of his departure for New
York on the first train out.
And now he was on board, under
an assumed name in a stateroom
"for self and wife,
Il say, Vera, here he comes" Phil
said suddenly. I'm going Good
luck, sis. You might offer my con-
gratulations with your own. They
say lemons are good for seasickness."
The next moment Ralph Maynard
stood in front of her, cap off, very
erect, and on the defensive, but with
the same splendid brown eyes that
could plead a cause better than all
the lips in the world, she had once
thought.
II would have spoken before, but
you didn't seem to remember me,
Miss Chalmers"
| We've only been out one day.?
| She looked up with smile, but 1t
was not an encouraging smile. A
girl does not feel sunny and sweet
tempered toward nss& who takes
unto himself wife asx Eaonths after
he has made love to her. Il had not
/ noticed you before"
May take Phirs chair for a
while?"
Surely, if you wish" She waited
moment, then said gently, very gent
ly: How is your wife, Mr.. Maynard ?"
Good Lord, I'm not married"
gasped the boy. How can you ask
that, when you know | never loved
any woman in the world but you,
Vera? Why, heard at the last min
ute you and Phil were sailing on this
boat for the futile wedding in London
and caught it at the last minute, just
for the chance of even looking at
you
Haven't you wife in stateroom
D, who is seasick and unable to ap-
pear during the voyage?'
He met her clear blue eyes I'M
f1inchingly and tried to speak, but she
went on. Didn't you tell the old gen.
tleman from Virginia. in the smoker,
that your wife was delicate? Aren't
you registered on the list as Somer-
set Lane? Oh, Ralph, never thought
you could do such thing! And then
to make love to me-"
She tried to rise, but he caught
both her hands and held her firmly.
Listen, sweetheart" he said. Il
was fool enough to let you get away
! from me last fall at Pinehurst, but
| you won't this time. am registered
| as Somerset Lane. Don't struggle,
please, till | get through, and the
passage was booked for self and
wife,"
"Then where's your wife?" she
flashed back.
She's myth" he laughed. ut was
too late to engage regular passage
on this boat Everything was taken.
So I hustled to the brokers' offices
and landed ticket and booking for
Somerset Lane and wife"
but who are they?"
who cares? I took the double
booking, of course, for the chance Of
crossing with you: And | had to
carry it out, didn't I? am Somerset
Lane, pro tenn. If my wife isn't sea-
sick, where Is she? | have to tell
something about her, or they'll accuse
me of having thrown her overheard.
| Don't you see?"
Her eyes were full of mirth. Its
very suspicious"
mot half so suspicious as it will
be when I come back on another boat
under my own name, with another
wife. Can you risk it. Vera?"
She hesitated and sighed, then
| laughed again.
81 suppose that is really as near as
you'll ever get to proposal, Ralph,
so I'll have to say yes. You may
book passage for self and wife on the
return trip, but don't you dare take
it on this boat"