Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-11-09
that. and that appreciate how I am
treated here"

l ike your WOrK. he wanted 10 say
he liked her sweetness, her gentle re-
fnement. everything about her, but
one does not say such things too fiat
ly to q lady when he pays her con-
sideration for her labor. He knew
she carefully separated her home
from her business life. She waited
for him to proceed.
Miss Fairly, just what did you
mean by asking that question about
my living on the edge?"
She flushed slightly, and rose as II
to 60. "You are man." she replied,
simply, (which gives you every ad-
vantage in the business world. You
have-some money, good business
and many friends. You have no one
but yourself to think Of or to care
for. I have. That Is all meant II
should not have spoken my thought,
Of course"
She rose, but he stayed her with a
gesture. Anything I could do-for
your brother?" he said. But she
smiled 4 little, putting definite end
to personalities He dared go no
further.
"Mr. Harris says can have my
vacation beginning Monday. I shall
be back promptly in the two weeks.
Good-by, Mr.. Penrose." She left him.
Somehow Penrose felt as he had in
first youth, when an admired goddess
had refused to dance with him. He
seized his hat and went out. In his
little runabout he came near being
fined for speeding, but he wanted to
forget that he was strange, single,
selfish, caring for nobody but him
self. Had she meant that, in her
well-bred way? Had Person also
meant that Penrose went past
Angel Heights and decided that it
would not be bad place for home,
if man had any use for a home.
Gertrude Fairly was away two
weeks. William Penrose missed her,
first cunconsciously, then consciously.
He was surprised with himself, and
disguised. He took to going about
with young women Of his set, but it
did not help him. Mabel Person
made herself very alluring, but some
how when he would 60 out to the
parks and lie on the grass and close
his eyes he could not see Mabel as
the center of dream about home
built, say, on Angel Heights. He be-
gan to confound Person for the teas
ing suggestion which persisted almost
day and night
The suggestion included Gertrude
Fairly, and presently he grew little
miserable and fretful. He told him
self that he was a fool--that she had
not thought of him, that the fact that
she had to work for him did not pre-
clude her despising him. She was
not of the sort to wish to marry her
employer He began to idealize the
girl, to compare other women to her
Ito their infinite disaparagement.
All this was not sensible, but man
just discovering that he Is in love
has no sense. Why expect it? He
dreamed vain dreams.
The Saturday before she was to re-
turn he was very peevish with him
SELF He deserted the Office at noon
and, after hasty lunch, took car
to the nearest park, and set of to
walk Motoring would not do-he
wanted to tramp himself weary physi-
cally and get his bearing mentally.
He wandered about for hours, finally
striking off into a little wood and
leaving the winding path. On the
top of knoll green grass under a
great tree tempted him. He fell
asleep, face downward against one
arm. Eth. I.t
The cooling of evening was fa'
when he awoke with sudden ~
and feeling that some one was !,
him. He listened, heard a rustic and
jumped to his feet-a girl in white
dress was slipping off through the
trees. She looked back, as If afraid,
and he called after her.
"Gertrude!"
She stopped instantly, her face very
white, as he went to her.
ooh! she said. II didn't know
you were here. came for walk
1 almost stumbled over you before
saw you-I-did not want to disturb
in tears, her calm quite gone.
Don't be so afraid" he said.
DON'T" He came closer to her, but
neither could think of the riNht thing
to say. He was wondering u it were
possible that she could have missed
him as he had missed her. He asked
her that very directly. She struggled
for composure.
You have no right to ask" she
said.
Then he reached out both arms to
her. ....-. .t..s
mo right? when I love you? When
l want you to marry me?"
She shook her head, but she did
not run away, as she had been pre-
pairing to do. He still held out his
arms, seeing certain yielding in her
pose.
Cant you love me-" he asked
whimsically, land help me build a
home on Angel Heights, perhaps?"
Then they both laughed, but she let
him hold her to him a moment. Then
she withdrew herself.
TITS like dream" she said, push
ing her hair back from her face, al
face strangely happy.
William Penrose laughed. Every
body will be happy he said, every
especially Person"