Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-01-11
I'm glad.' said Jim, with more seri-
BUSINESS. Hetty felt. than her light tone

merited.
Somehow conversation that evening
did not progress very brilliantly. Hetty
felt un~accountably nervous and I'LL at
ease. n her companion seemed abb
solutely stupid.
The two started tppic after topic with
hopeless futility, and finally. as though
by mutual consent, lapsed into desper-
ate silence.
Hetty had not lighted the lamps, and
only the Pickering fire illuminated the
room.
1t was a chilly night. and they had
drawn their chairs close up to the
hearth. Each sat staring into the fire.
as though for inspiration.
There was a long and painful pause
which Hetty felt an idiotic inability to
break. The fire seemed to mesmeriZe
her into silence.
Presently she became dimly conscious
that her companion was speaking again.
She began to listen dreamily, and with
a strange. lack of interest. to his con-
fused words, until, all at once. she
awoke with a start to the fact that
Jim Ferguson was proposing to her.
She could see his bronzed. handsome
face quite clearly in the freight. and
its expression was more eloquent than
he starnmering words. It sent a
strange. new thrill to her heart.
Il o v o said Jim, and his honest
gray eyes shone with a light that vas
not all reflected from the fire.
He had risen. and stood looking down
upon her, waiting for her answer.
Slowly and timidly she raised her
face to his. and he bent down to catch
her whispered words.
What had come over Hetty?
She scarcely understood herself. She
did not doubt or question. She only
knew that a wonderful, undreamt OF
happiness had come to her.
This man hoH told hor fhof no loved
her, and she-well, h knew now that
she loved him too.
At that moment she could have
laughed aloud at her past folly. She
scorned her old self with a lofty, happy
scorn. Scales that had blinded her
seemed suddenly to have fallen from
her eyes.
How mad, how little. she had been to
weigh he~ overs imperfections in the
balance against this splendid, wonder
full thing called love.
And so she laid her soft check
against the scarlet necktie, and sealed
her fate upon Jim's lips.
Nov I'm going to confess" said Jim,
when lack came nome and had taken
in the situation. will o promise,
darling, not to be hard on me?"
What do you mean?" demanded
Hetty, feeling vaguely alarmed.
You'll have to forgive him, Hetty,
because it's all my fault said Jack,
beginning to laugh.
Whats all YOU fault?"
"The scarlet necktie, and-and all the
rest of it," said Jack.
Meaning my atrocious behavior
generally" said Jim.
Hell never do it again. Hetty,' said
Jack.
Hetty gazed from enc to the other in
utter bewilderment.
1.-The fact u.s." continued Jack. II
wanted TN mako in ovna1ir nyf no
you remember tina declaration OF yours,
Hetty, that you couldn't fall in love
with a nan unless he had perfect man
ners?"
Il remember" said Hetty, blushing
selfconsciOusly.
"well. I wanted to put your theory
to the test, and when I happened to
run across Jim that day and invited
him to dinner, it occurred to me that
my opportunity had come. I had IN
idea that If you ever fell in love at all
1t would be with a man like Jim, and SO
I persuaded him to become a party to
my little plot"
Il didn't know you then, you see,
Hetty." put in Jim hastily, "or I would
have been fool enough to give my
promise. Besides, I wasn't so vain as
to suppose you could possibly care for
me under any circumstances, so I didn't
mind making myself out a bit worse
than / am"
o course" continued Jack, II, for
my part, felt convinced your theory
was moonshine, Hetty. or I would never
have invited Jim here to risk the ex-
pertinent. Once he'd seen you, though,
I had jolly hard work to keep him from
throwing that necktie into the fire, but
as o know I succeeded in restraining
him."
Il got to loathe the beastIy thing"
said Jim. ''The more I got to know
you, the more I got to loathe 1t, and
everything 1t represented. But Jack
was relentless. He bound me to my
PROMISE"
Il believe that he'd have broken it,
all the same. II I hadn't pointed out to
him. that your love. Hetty. wouldn't be
worth much IL 1t didn't rise superior
to his little eccentricities."
Hetty made no reply.
You're not vexed?" asked Jim. dis.
mayed by her persistent silence.
At this Hetty smiled q bit whimsi.
cally.
Il suppose I ought to be angry with
both of you for deceiving me so shame.
fully" h said at last.
We'll, Of course" retorted Jack, quite
u~nabashed, its annoying to give any,
body the chance Of saying, Il told YOU
So But. under the circumstances, YOU
can't blame me for saying 1t. You see.
| you fell in love with him in spite az
the tie and the manners. I was right.
after all"
"Yes." said Hetty. looking at Jim in
q way that made his heart beat very
fast. Yes, you were right. but, all the
same. I'm glad he doesn't care for scar
let neck tiles"
Still. once every year, on the ami.
versary of their wedding day, Jim
| wears a tie Of the 400 ,la~