The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-24

h' huns almost gleetully upon her
actions In anticipation of what the
frsctious Bob was going to get. And
Bob kot II. on his next whirl, or at
tempt rather. for he was no more than
halfway around when the quirt met
him smack on his tender nose. There
and hhen. In his bewilderment, sur
prhse and pain. his fore feet. just skim
ming the road. dropped down.
"Great!" Daylight applauded. ~
couple more Will fix him. He's too
smart not TO know when he's beaten"
Again Bob tried. But this time he
was lare.v quarter around when the
doubled quirt on his nose compelled
him to drop his fore feet to the road.
Then. with neither rein nor spur, but
by the mere threat OF the quirt, she
Strengthened him out.
Dede looked triuniphantly at Day
hight.
Let me give him a run?" she asked.
Daylight nodded. and she shot down
the road. He watched her out of
sight around the bend. and watched
Till she came into sight returning. she
certainly could sit her horse. was his
thought, and she was a sure enough
hummer. God. she was the wife
Tor a man! Made most OF them
look pretty slim. And to think
Of her hammering all week at
= typewriter. That was no place
for her. She should be mans
wife. taking II easy, with silks and
sstins and diamonds (his frontier no.
ton OF what befitted a wife beloved),
and dogs and horses. and such things
But the quarry was doomed to pass
out of his plans fer time. for on the
following Sunday he rode alone. No
Dede on chestnut solTel came across
the oack-road from Berkeley that day,
nor the day week later. AS the
third week drew 10 close and anoth.
or desolate Sunday confronted him.
Daylight resolved TO speak. office or
no Office. And as was his nature. he
went simply and directly To the point.
She had finished her work with him
and was gathering her note pad
and pencils together TO depart, whel
he said:
"oh. one more thing Miss Mason
and hope you won't mind my being
Vbenk and straight out. You've struck
me right along as sensible-mlnded
girl, and don't think you'll take OF.
tense at what I'm going To say. You
know how long you~e been In the OF.
hce-its years. now. several of them,
anyway; and you know I've always
been straight and aboveboard with
you. I've never what you call--pre.
sumed. Because you were In my Office
I've tried TO be more careful than II
III you wasn't In my ofiice-you un-
derstand. Slt just rne same, 1t DON'T
make me any the less human. I'm
lonely sort OF fellow-don't
tahe that as q bid for Kindness. What
I rioon by Il is TO try and tell you
lust npw much those two rides with
you have meant. And now hope you
Won't mind my Just asking why you
haven't been out riding the last two
SrniaysY"
she played nervously with a pencil
4or line. as II debating her reply.
while ne waited patiently.
IS riding" she began; Its not
w'r' hey call the right thing. /
leave Z to you You know the world.
That's the trouble. It's what the
world would have to say about me
and my employer meeting regularly
and riding In the hills on Sundays.
It's funny. but it's so. I could ride
with one OF the clerks without re-
mark. but with you-no."
Look here. Miss Mason" said Day.
hight Il know you don't like this
talking over of things In the office.
Neither do I. It's part of the whole
thing. l guess: a man ain't supposed
TO talk anything but business with his
stenogrSrher. viii you tide with me
next Sunday. and We can talk II over
thoroughly then and reach some sort
OF conclusion. Out In the hills ia
the place where you car talk some
thing besides business. I guess you've
seen enough OF me TO know I'm pretty
square. IL do honor and respect
you, ald. and all that. and I
,. He was beginning to fioun-
der. snd the hand that rested on the
desk blotter was visibly trembling.
He strove TO pull himself together.
Il just want To harder than anything
ever In my life before. IL can't
explain myself. but I do. that's all.
VIII you--Just next Sunday? To
morrow"
Nor did he dream that her low ac-
quiescence was due. as much as any
thing else, 10 the beads Of sweat on
his forehead. his trembling hand and
his all too-evident general distress.
"Of course. there's no way of tell
Ing what anybody wants from what
they say" Daylight rubbed Bob's re-
bellious ear with his qurt and pom
dered with dissatisfaction the words