The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-05-19

his other side-but she was impervi-
GUS to more than few laughing re-
marks chinked in between the pauses
Of her interest in her host, who was
telling her boyhood "reminiscences of
John Gardner, her f1ancee. Madge
was plainly worried, and Tessie took
pains to show her strange dislike to
Wiltsie. Then that young man. bound
to redeem himself with Madge.
piqued by the honor-guest's GOODNESS.
laid himself out to be nice. He was
very funny, indeed. and everybody
laughed; he talked a lot-and we'll
and the girl was forced to listen. re.
luctantly but with attention. Harris
wondered what had happened to
Madge's dinner; she usually knew
how to make successful evening. He
was perplexed, but he saw that his
friend was rising to the situation.
After dinner, Wiltsie followed Miss
Tessie Gray into the parlor, and
thence to the porch. He was used to
being smiled at, and the change
amused him. She tried to escape, but
in vain. To whom could she fee?
Il believe everybody in the world
but Tessie and Howard are engaged"
fretted Madge to her husband. I'm
worn to fragile. They hate each
other, and yet they have to stay to-
gether. There's no other way. And
he seems to take positive Joy in fol-
lowing her about and being raptly
attentive. She's horrid - and any
other girl would be wild with delight.
He's so good looking and clever, and
he'll be partner next year. won't
he?"
Harris assented, but inwardly he
was greatly amused.
A few weeks later on, after a
home dinner, and when the couples
had innocently enough lost them
selves about the garden, the porch.
anywhere to be comparatively alone.
Howard Wiltsie took his banjo and
sat down on the front steps at Tes-
sie's feet. He began to strum and
sing odd little songs. and to
be generally entertaining.
Don't try so hard to be nice to
me! It tires you, and is quite a
superfluous sacrifice! Take it more
easily-you are not running half the
risk you think you are. There Is
| nothing mesmeric about me and
don't like matchmaking any better
than you do, and even If l wanted
to be married, can assure you that
you, of all men, are quite safe!
appreciate your bravery in thus COM
ing into the danger zone to help out
your cousin, but assure you it's no
pleasure to me to be entertained so
strenuously. I'm going back home. y
She was gone. The young man
stared a little; then he laughed.
| When his hostess asked for Miss Gray
| he coolly remarked that the young
woman had a bad attack of temper
and had gone to her room. He him"
self waited until he got a word with
| Harris in the den. He went straight
! to the point.
did you tell Madge what I said
about her matchmaking and all that
stuff that night coming home from the
Officer"
"Why-yes, l did. tried to keep
still, but the night Tessie came
Madge was talking about you, and OF
course"
Being a good husband, you had to
tell. When and where did you tell
her?-and where was Miss Gray?"
Gone to bed. Madge and l were
on the porch. Why?"
Wiltsie said he only wanted to
know" Then he went home-or pre-
tended to. He knew Tessie Gray pref
ty we'll by now When he was sure
the others would be asleep. he went
back to Harris garden and sat down
in the little summer house and waited.
Evidently she had recovered from
her rage, for she was coming down
the path, occasionally holding her
handkerchief to her eyes. When she
was almost at the summer house, he
went out to meet her. She jumped.
but she did not scream. She looked
as angry as she could. He faced her,
looking straight into the tear-dlled
eyes.
Are the tears for me, Tessie? or
are they-for yourself?"
She stared, not understanding him.
her rage and resentment giving way
before that new thing she saw In his
eyes-a new and welcome thing
Hasn't IS davned on you, Tessie,
that Tm-in love with you? All that
idiotic stuff l told Harries and which
YOU heard him drivel over to Madge
was before knew you. Dear, don't
you see that?"
She nodded, and then he took cour.
age-and both her willing hands.
And don't you see that you-love
me, too?-and that Harris was right
about my being a cipher?"
She nodded again-against his
shoulder, very comfortably. And
again In the history of man and
woman one-and-one made one, tho
unit Of society.
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