The Washington herald., 1911-01-15

ture Of dissent "or Of what folks might say
about it?'
Now look here. Miss Mason. You've got to gel
some foolish notions out Of your head. This money
pose you falling a cliff, wouldn't i; be all
right for me to reach out and catch you by the arm
Sure, would. But suppose you needed another sort
Of help instead Of the strength Of my ar the
Of my pocket? That would be all wrong. That's what
they all say. But why do they say it? Because the
robber gangs want ali the suckers to be honest and
respect money If the suckers weren't honest and
didn't respect money where would the robbers be
Don't you see? The robbers don't deal in armholds;
and ordinary, while dollars sacred-so
sacred that you dassent let me lend you hand with
u few.
Or here's another way" he continued, spurred on
by her protest. Its all right for me to give
sou the strength of arm when you re falling over
Cliff. But If take that same strength OF arm and
it at pick and shovel work for day and earn two
dollars you won't have anything to do with the two
dollars. Yet it's the same old strength of in
new form, that's all Besides in this proposition it
won't be claim you. 1t amt even loan to you.
It's all armhold as if he was falling over cliff And
Il nice you running out and yell Stop"
at and let your brother 90 Oh over The cliff. hat
he needs his legs is that crack in Germany,
and that's the armhold I'm Offering
Wish you could my rooms. Walls all deco
rated with hOrsenair bridies-scoreS vi them, hum
dreds Of them. They're use to me, and they cost
like Sam Scratch But there's lot OF cOnvicts max
ing them, and 30 on buying Why, I've spent more
money in u single night Oh whiskey than would get
the best specialists and pay ul the expenses Of a
you've got nothing " do with this. II your brother
wants to look on 1t rs u loan. all right Its up to
him, and you've got to stand out Of the way while
pull him back from that cliff"
Still Dede refused and Daylights argument .ook
a painful turn.
II can only guess that you're standing in your
brothers way account Of some mistaken ideu In
your head that this is my idea of courting. Well it
amt 1Ou might as well think I'm cOurtng all those
convicts / buy brides from. l haven't asked you
to marry me, and II do l won't come trying buy
you into cOnsenting. And there won't be anything
underhand when come a-asking."
Dede's face was flushed and angry.
IF you knew how ridiculous you you'd stop"
she blurted out You can make me more uncomfort-
able than any man l ever knew. Every little while
you give me to understand that you haven't asked
me to marry you yet And I'm not waiting to be
asked and l warned You from the first that you hid
chance. And yet you hold it over my head that
some time. some day, you're going to ask me to
marry you. Go ahead and ask me now and get Jour
answer and get It over and done with"
He looked at her In honest and pondering admira-
ton.
II want you % bad, Miss Mason that don't dast
to ask you now," he said, with such whimsicality
and earnestness to make her throw her head back
in q frank, boyish laugh
"Besides. a. told you. I'm green at 1t. l never
went accounting bafore and don't want to make any
mistAkeA" -