Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-04-12

| went on himself
Il haven't an exaggerated opinion
of myself. so | know amt Dragging
when l say I'll make a pretty good
husband. You could follow your own
sweet will, and nothing would be too
good for you. I'd give you everything
your heart desired"
Except yourself" she interrupted
suddenly. almost sharply. Don't you
see?" she hurried on. 81 could have
far easier married the Elan Harnish
fresh from Klondike when l first laid
eyes on him long ago. than marry you
sitting before me now"
He shook his head slowly.
That's one too many for me. The
more you know and like a man the
less you want to marry him. Famili-
arity breeds contempt-I guess that's
what you mean"
mo. no." she cried. but before she
could continue. a knock came on the
door.
His eyes. quick with observation
like an Indians. darted about the
room while she was out. The impress
sion of warmth and comfort and beau
| ty predominated. though he was un-
able to analyze it,. while the simplici-
\ ty delighted him-expensive simplici-
| ty, he decided. and most of 1t left
overs from the time her father went
broke and died
She re-entered the room, and as she
crossed 1t to her chair. he admired
the way she walked, while the bronze
slippers were maddening.
I'D like to ask you several ques-
tions." he began Immediately. Are
you thinking of marrying somebody
| else?"
There isn't anybody else. | don't
| know anybody like well enough 10
marry. For that matter. don't think
am marrying woman. Office work
seems to spoil me for that"
1T strikes me that you're the most
marryingest woman that ever made a
man sit up and take notice. And now
another question. You see. I've Just
got to locate the lay of the land Is
there anybody you like as much as
you like me?"
But Dede had herself well In hand.
That's unfair" she said. And If
you stop and consider. you will find
that you are doing the very thing you
disclaimed- namely. nagglng. | refuse
to answer any more of your questions.
! Let us talk about other things How
is Bob?"
Half an hour later. whirling along
through the rain on Telegraph Ave
nue. toward Oakland. Daylight smoked
one of his brown-paper cigarettes and
reviewed what had taken place. 1t was
not at all bad. was his summing up.
though there was much about It that
was battling There was that liking
him the more she knew him and at
the same time wanting to marry him
less. That was puzzler.
Once again, on a rainy Sunday.
weeks afterward. Daylight proposed
to Dede AS on the first time. he re-
| strained himself until his hunger for
her overwhelmed him and swept him
away in his red automobile to Berke-
ley. He left the machine several
blocks away and proceeded to the
house on foot But Dede was out the
landlady's daughter told him, and
added. on second thought. that she
was walking in the hills. Further
more, the young lady directed him
where Dede's walk was most likely tc
extend Daylight obeyed the girls in
structions. and soon the street he fol
lowed passed tfe last house and It's. i
ceased where began the first steer
slopes of the open hills. The air wa:
damp with the on-coming of rain. toi
the storm had not yet burst, though
the rising wind proclaimed its i'm
minence As far as he could see
there was no sign of Dede on tbs
smooth. grassy hills. To the right
dipping down into hollow and risini
again. was a large. full-grown eucalyp
tus grove Here all was noise ant
movement. the lofty. slender-trunket
trees swaying back and forth in th'
wind and clashing their branches to
gether. In the squalls, above all th'
minor noises of creaking and groan
ing. arose q deep drumming note a
of a mighty harp. Kn' ing Dede a
he did. Daylight was confident that h
would find her somewhere in thi
grove where the storm effects were s.
pronounced And find her he did
across the hollow and on the expose,
crest of the opposing slope where th
gale smote its fiercest blows.
Its the same old thing" he said
81 want you and I've come for you
You've just got TO have me. Dede. 70
the more l thinf about it the NOR,
certain l am that you've got a sneak
ing liking for me that's something
more than Just ordinary liking. Ant
you don't dast say that it isn't; nov
dast you?"
Please. please" she begged. wv
can never marry. so don't let us dis
cuss IT."
Daylight decided that action wa
more efficient than speech. So n
stepped between her and the win'
and drew her so that she stood clos