The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-06-14


 "But to help you to say yes or no?"
 door! He'll break the knocker."
 "Yes, but if I'm to Help you, yo
 must be sure. Which is it to beF'
 'fHow can I tell? Open the door Perhaps you'd better not stay" ant
 she hid her face in her hands.
 "Ah, you are SO irreso1ute that l shall have to decide my staying fo myself. What heavy hand the rnal
 has, to be sure? I'm coming, I'm coming" The two men faced eacl other at the door; and the beggar no ticed that Hardman's eye spied { bulge in a pocket. ''It's only a ba nothing else, though the lady has kept her eye most openly on the desk si1- yer"
 "A 1adya" Hardnan's voice hoomed with surprise.
 Most emphatica1ly so, sir. am amazed at your questioning it''
 Hardnap with three steps was ir girl. The beggar had followed noise 1ess1y.
 Betsy
 Then we are"
 "Nothin. Sit down. came to see yoq; I-I wanted to talk to you r." Her eye met the beggar's and Hardman turned on him.
 Get outi You've had your hour s quiet. What are you staying for P
 You are much mistaken,'' said the began. crisply; ''it has not been quiet"
 Don't send him away. Richard. He's been very kind. even if he is a poor relation. l don't think you ought k@ f@0 l,s- IT clever.
 Poor relation 7'' Hardman was near to sputtering. "I never saw him until this evening: He's beggar."
 Quite so, sir, quite SOL said the little man with the safety pin. "My only connection with Mir Hardman, Miss, is his crackers. I've eaten them all, and most of his other victuals, but why dwell on unpleasant details p
 And you're not minister, either, not even with such manner?"
 Certainly not, Miss. Please be less suspicious. must beg of you both to leave me entirely out of your discussion. The young lady has come here, sir, to find out whether she said yes or no, when you-well, sir, at the wedding She's in quite a state. Now do you by any chance happen to know what she said?"
 Hardman looked at the girl and the girl locked at Hardman. Then they both looked, away. "No," said Hard- man, and his voice was unaccountab1y mild. But as this did not straighten matters in the least, the silence con tinued. The girl opened her mouth to speak and closed it. Hardman showed symptoms of remark, but nothing came of it, yet, as he did not turn on the beggar, he must have been thinking deeply. The beggar himself, with a calm that should have supported them both, said: "I see nothing for it, sir, but for you to-er again:
 Hardman b1inked very rapidly, and his large confusion moved the girl to speech. Don't think of it Richard. I know it was just the wedding that made us do it, and of course no was what l meant to say, and 1t was what you wanted me to say, and so every things quite all right-isn't it? It was just nonsense. understand, and that's what I came tonight to say.'
 The beggar had slipped out, and Betsy, I don't know which you said. I've been good deal of a huff, know now what I want you to say, and if you're willing to say it."
 "But I don't know which it is, Rich ard'
 sYes, of course"
 "No, don't"
 "Yes, I say"
 Are you contradicting me. Dick?"
 "BetsyI" }
 Well, not now"
 "To-morrow?"
 ''No, the day after"
 And a matter of two minutes later, the beggar hearing, And thought you were the wrong girl" felt moved to enter and say,
 "A perfectly reasonable mistake, sir it is frequently made.
 Now. Richard, there's no use in getting angry" There had been an explosive movement on Richards
 "He's not the sort of person one :an get angry with.''
 brushed his hat on his fhreadbare sleeve. "I was thinking. Miss, that I'd be going. and I just wished to 'ay that it had been a most agreeable l evening. and I hope I haven't by any possible chance intruded, Nothing | could have been farther from my in entions." "You haven't" smiled the girl. l You've been a great help to me in 1 making up my mind" The beggar 'miled too. "But, you see, you know ! great deal about me-
 Don't say it, Miss. There's all ways something one forgets to tell"
 while I know pothing at all | bout you. We want to know who you are, and-you don't mind?-how rou happen to be what you are.'' 'FWe1l, Miss, to put it plainly No. m second thoughts that's impossible. | To put in frankly, Pm just beggar, nd a good deal of tramp, and a waiter the last time I worked. In act. I've been a waiter rather often.
 liked the conversation and the 'dors. But that was just one of my my heavy accom- low. How I happen to Ie what I am-we1l, that's because I've always looked with equal favor n both sides of a question. A per ect1y open mind, Miss" The beg -ar's eyebrow drew a rnockino s1ant-