The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-12-19
THE DOG IN THE MAkGER
sy susANNE GLENN.

blue CLINT of bettys gown as she de-
4 scended-Betty. whom he was accus-
( toned 70 seeing dressed IKE the mod
/ est little wood-bird that fitted timidly
through the wiid-plam thiekets.
sThat makes the third time this
week mattered John sternly T
wondar II they think ] am going to
stand for this sort Of thing with all
I the neighboIs erinning at me like a
set OF lunatiesi" And he strobe 20
+ tie roadside as Mayhem drew near,
raising q OBTAINING hand
Sorry to trouble you, Mr.. May
I hew. re said with forced evenness.
4 II merely wish 20 say that this sort
Of thing has got 10 stop.
z should say that is a matter which
concerns only Miss Betty and myself
answered Howard Aayhew, without
heat
"weli. it concerns me- said Fen
ton, shortly
II see but one way in which you
could enter into the question. DO you
mean thai there is an engagement be-
/ tween your
"See here. Fenton' Mayhew leaned
( forward. pleasantly In earnest. I've
never wished to take what belongs 10
another man-if he really has a right
to IT, But when he ilannts his rights
4 IN my face want 10 be sure he is
not a dog in q manger.
Il don't deny find Miss Betty's so
ciety mighty agreeable. but ! should
never have dreamed Of taking her
/ driving if had supposed she was en-
Gagged to you-and permit me TO add
j that do not believe she Is the woman
/ 10 60 ii she supposed it, An agree
ment Of the kind you intimate can
mean nothing but an enlightenment.
Have YOU asked BETTY Martin to mar.
ry you2"
"a like your assurance" scoffed
John Fenton "pO you think I'm fool
enough Ia tell you what has passed
between Betty and me? All 7 have
70 say to YOU sir, is that ! want you
20 leave her alone
"Just a minute cried Mayhew,
quickly y have word to say, also
f / refuse 20 acknowledge any suea
agreement No man worthy OF the
name win hold a girl to an agreement
IN which be does not commit himself
You are dog in the manger, that is
4 my answer"
John Fenton stood watching the
grays disappear in the twilight,
shaken by such anger as had never
before touched his selfoentered de-
linerate existence, an anger which
grew with every step he took in the
direction Of Betty Martin.
Il Betty sat on her dilanidated frttit
steps contemplating the hand spread
ont on her blue-clad knee. There was
a soft shining and twinkling about it
that sent unaccustomed and delightful
thrills through Retty's whole being.
To think that she could eyer have the
I privilege Of accepting or refusing such
ring as that.
She still sat as If spellbound when
I John Fenton strode in at the gate and
/ up to the steps Betty he cried,
Selling fine hand with the ring upon
II and regarding her sternly does
this mean that you intend marrying
that fellow
eI--do not know faltered Betty
"Well, I know that you are not 60
ing to do III DO you suppose | am
going 10 be set aside IN this fashion,
Give me the ring and III Take It back
to Howard Mayhew in the morning
Fire flashed In tho gentle eyes oi
Betty Martin. "No ono can decide
tine question Of whom shall marry
l except myself Howard has asked me
To marry hin, and ] know Of no one
with the RIGHT 60 Interfere I could
not give Linn a definite answer this
evening. and he begged me to keep
the ring Until 7 could iell you this,
h spite Of your unwarrautahle intru-
sion, because OF our long friendship.
And remember this another time-
John. a woman knows only what she
IS toldt
The succeeding 2f hours were bitter
TO John Fenton. lie did not want any
one else 10 have Bettv II had tha
chance and did not know enough to
take IT, I'm not good enough for
her" he groaned aloud I'etty IS
not selling herself for worldly pos
sessions. she wants to Iiye she is
tired Of waiting | shan d he fair
thing by her once-Tm going to tell
her she is doing right
The fire returned to Rettv's eyes
when she saw who stood az the door.
She wore the blue gown and the ring.
on the possibility Of Mayhew's appear
ance. aud the indecision which had
been torturing her erystalized into
firm determination when she beheld
Fenton
"In take only a minute of yoar
time. Betty" he announced with amaz-
ing humility, after one comprehensive
glance at her. "and this is the last
word i shall ever have TO say about it.
I've come TO take back what 7 said
last night I had no right TO speak