The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-06-06

was not uneeasonaDly early, Fred
Knowlton went on thinking and frown-
ing and working. He was not sure
about Richards advice. And as he
thought, his anger rose, steadily but
surely. Rose wanted him, or she
didn't. He didn't know that he cared
to make the girl he loved the bone of
more or less savage contention with
Eaton or anyone else. Her apparent
Dfaithlessness ranked and hurt. But
he stuck to his desk another week.
One evening he sat at his window
and looked out on the hot street and
remembered how a month ago on a
soft May night he had walked with
Rose Carey and told her all his heart.
She had half yielded, she did care.
but she was not sure she-wanted to
be-married just yet. And she did
not love anybody else, oh, no! And
finally she let him have one small but
rapturous kiss, and consented to wear
the little old silver ring that was his
mothers. But-they weren't exactly
engaged-not quite. He had told her
that he was engaged to her, anyway,
and that he would wait for her to
know her own mind. After that Eaton
had come out to see the Calls, and
had stayed, and stayed, and finally
sent for his car and motor-boat and
all the rest. From the first he had
devoted himself to Rose.
Still Frederic stubbornly stayed In
town, even Sunday. He stopped writ
Ing daily letters to Rose, and the ones
he did write were brief and to the
point. He loved her, but he couldn't
come out. He was too busy, and
would be until August. He was glad
that she was in the country and that
she liked the new house her mother
had bought. He did not ask her If
she cared for him. And all the time.
he grew more sullen as one friend
after another, coming to town,
dropped him a hint, or more, that
Rose was almost continuously with
this Eaton man. with her mothers
evident consent.
For four days he did not write to
Rose, and on the fifth came pretty
note from her. Was he all right?
Couldn't he come out for the week
end? 1t was lovely-roses blooming
everywhere. She was having such
good time. She was, as ever, Rose.
This might mean everything, or moth
ing at all. He reflected that girls
have no honor about their signatures
as a rule.
On that day Richards breezed back
to his paper minus ten pounds Of his
fat and correspondingly boastful. Also
he was engaged to Elsie Ragan. He
was important. He gave Fred look
of pity and contempt as he left after
brief call.
Say, you gave her up too easily,
old chap" he began, and to his as
tonishment Fred gave savage scowl
and menacing gesture.
Clear out, Dicky! What you don't
know would fill a library!" Dicky
cleared out with a suppressed whistle
and remark as to the temper of a
city-bound man. And Frederic Knowl-
ton sat down and wrote a letter.
Dear Rose:-
This has been crucial time with
my business and / wanted to make
good in order to give my wife every
comfort. l have had no time for out
door counting. l told you that l loved
you and l meant it then-and mean it
now. l asked you to marry me and
you put me off with a half-promise.
But you have my ring and have owed
me some consideration.
Almost everybody who has been
out at the lake says, Intentionally or
otherwise, that your whole time and
attention is taken up by John Eaton.
He may be- all right. That is for
your family to make sure of. But
am now sure of this-that you do not
love me and are afraid to say so fatty.
Don't you know me better than that,
little girl? So now l shall give you
your freedom and ask you to send me
back my mothers ring. You see 1
don't want to hold you against your
will to even a half promise. You are
entirely free. l hope you will be
happy.
FREDERIC KNOWLTON."
He savagely stamped and sealed the
letter and himself took 1t to tha Office
so that she would get it that night,