The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-02-03

OH Il lbs plans fof i time ior on III
following Sunday Ne rode alone No
;Dede on d chestnut sorrel came across
the backroad from Berkeley that day
nor the day atweek Iater. AS the
third week drew ID ! close and anotll
er desolate Sunday confronted him
Daylight resolved to speak, once Of
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. when
he said: &
eQh, ,cns more thing, Miss Mason
and / hope you won't mind my being
frank and straight out. You've struck
me right along as a sensibie-minded
girl, and / don't think yod'1t take of,
Tense at what I'm going to say, You
know how long you've been in the Of
fice-It's years, now. several oiEthem,
anyway; and you know I've always
been straight and aboveboard with
you. I've never what yop cail-pre-
sumed. Because yodwere fnsmy office
I've tried to he more Careful than i
If you wasn't in nyseffice--you un IN.
derstand. But Just tho same, 1t don't
make me any thesless human I'm
a lonely sort of fellow-don't
take that as a bid fol. Kindness. What
l mean by 1t Is to try and tell you
lust how 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 the7iast two
Sundays"
She played neryously with a pencil
for a time, as II debating her reply,
while he waited patiently.
This riding" she began; ITS not
what they call the right thing. /
leave It 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 les so. l could ride
with one Of the clerks without re.
mark, but with you--no,"
/ Look here, Miss Mason" said Day
light. ~ know You don't like this
talking over of things In the ONCE.
Neither do |. It's part OF the whole
thing, guess; q man amt supposed
to talk anything but business with his
stenographer. VIII you ride with me
next Sunday, and we can talk 1t over
thoroughly then and reach some sort
Of conclusion. Out in the hills is
the place where you can talk some
thing besides business. guess you've
seen enough of me to know I'm pretty
square. IL do honor and respect
you, and. and all that, and II
. He was beginning to foun-
der, and the hand that rested on the
desk ,blotter was visibly trembling
He stroye to pull himself together.
81 Just want to harder than anything
ever in my life before. Ill can't
explain myself, but I do, that's all.
win you-Just next Sunday? To
morrow" -
Nor did he dream that her low aes
quiescence was due, as much as any
thing else, to the beads Of sweat on
his forehead, his trembling hand and
his all tco.cvIdent general distress. 2
"of course, there's no way of tell
ing what anybody wants from what
they say" Daylight rubbed Bob's re-
beiiious car with his quirt and pom
dered dissatisfaction the words
he had Just uttered. They did not
saS ;$hat he had neant them to, say.
"What I'm diving at is that you say
fatfooted that YOU won't meet me
again, and give your reasons, but how
am to know they are your real rea-
Sons? Mebbe sou Just don't went to
get acquainted with me, and won't say
70 for fear Of hurting my feelings.
Don't you see? I'm the last man In
the world to shove In where I'm not
wanted And II l thought you didn't
care a whoop to see anything more OF
me, why Id clear out so blamed quick
you couldn't see me for smoke"
!, It had been a happy day. Daylight
had met her on the back.road from
and they had had hours TO-
gether. 1t was only now, with the
day drawing TO a close and with them
the gate of the road 10
that he had broachca the
important subject.
She began her answer to his last
contention, and he listened gratefully.
But suppose, just sunpose, that tho
reasons have given are the. only
there is no question OF
ny not wanting to know you?"
"Then I'd go on urging like Sam
he said quickly Because,
rou see, I've always noticed that folks
hat incline TO anything are much
more open to hearing the case stated
But II you did have that other season
ip your sleeve, II you didn't want to
NOV me, if-if. well, II you thought
ny feelings oughtn't to be hurt Just
,ecause you had a good job with me-
p Here, his calm consideration /
II a possibility was swamped by the
ear that It was an actually, and 10
ost the thread Of his reasoning,
Well, anyway, all You have to do is 1