The silver messenger., 1912-03-05

And you refused me- WIN you wv
so again."
"Why do you come to me now?'
Cant you think OF the reason?
81 don't want to think; ! want 10
hear"
Il love you then" said the girl
resolutely. You are the bravest
noblest, most splendid man on eartn
If you will take me, will be the hap
piest. proudest. thankfullest woman
that the sun shines on"
Take you." repeated Gormly. But
! can't understand"
"Will you understand this?" asked
the girl.
She walked slowly toward him. She
laid her hand on his shoulder She
lifted her face to his. His arm went
around her waist. What she had be-
gun, he finished He swept her to
him. She gave herself up yieldingly
to his embrace. When his lips sought
hers, there was no avoidance. Her
arm slipped round his neck and tight
ened there. And then at last he un.
derstood. After awhile she drew
away from him.
you don't ask me what l have
done?" she said.
II neither know nor care since you
are here and you are nine"
Perhaps | should not have been
here" she returned. IF we had not
been already engaged and the engage
ment already announced"
II am very stupid this morning.
said Gormly in some bewilderment.
You certainly are" was the an
swer. For a man who aspires to be
mayor of New York, you are quite the
stupidest and dearest person imagin-
able"
Il have wit enough at least to know
where l can get correct information
upon all points"
"And where is that?"
"Here!" said Gormly, pressing with
=, his own the loveliest lips in the world,
which smiled at him and were not re-
fused his touch What have you
done and how has our engagement,
which, so far as ! know, was not ell
tered into until a moment since. been
announced?"
"kead that!" she cried, releasing
herself from his grasp and handing
him the neglected copy Of The Planet.
She turned to tho editorial page
and pointed to a postscript to the lead
er of the morning, which was a dis
cussion highly eulogistic Of Gormly's
action and character The postscript
was in the form of a belated COM
munication which had been received
at the Office of The Planet at the last
moment, and had been forced into the
paper because 1t furnished the final
and completing touch to the other
revelations 1t contained 1t had been
printed in heavy black capitals, double
spaced. Coming closer to her, SO that
he held her with one arm, Gormly
took the paper with the other and
read:
"The engagement Of Mr.. George
Gormly to Miss Eleanor Haldane is
authOritatively announced. The fu-
ture mayor Of New York is to be con-
graduated upon having won for his
promised wife the young woman who
not only from her beauty of mind and
person, but because Of her lively and
practical interest in the poor, the op-
pressed and suffering, is easily first
among the daughters of our great city.
The Planet feels that this announce
ment supplies the completing touch to
the other admirable qualifications
which Mr. Gormly possesses for the
great Office to which he has aspired
and to which the people mean to see
him elected tomorrow"
who did it?" asked Gormly.
IT did"
But why?"
First Of all. because found out
that loved you"
"Why did you do i. last night?"
Because l believed that such an
announcement this morning, with its
implication of trust, and honor. and
affection. would do more to establish
you in the public confidence than al
most anything that could be i'm
agined."
"You have made my election GER
tain. But whether you have or not. |
could almost believe that winning you
l don't care"