Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-08-16

have been mistake"
Felicia said nothing Peter pro-
ceeded to mop his dripping forehead.
The corners of his mouth were drawn
down lugubriously, He looked at the
moment, Felicia could not help think.
ing, amazingly like some sadly di6.
appointed little boy who was about to
burst into tears.
1T isn't bit funny. It's tragic"
Peter chided her why, hank 1t ali.
Felicia. I meant to propose to you
I've been trying to get up my courage
for cons and ages. wouldn't have pro.
posed to any other girl for the whole
world. never should have dared
then. but the darkness gave me cour.
age. I couldn't bear the idea OF be-
ing turned down where 1t was liRtt
enough for you to see me. Oh, yes.
I'm q coward. for all my big hulk.
That's another thing that made me
Suspicious I'd made botch Of things.
You didn't seem = bit inclined Is
turn me down; in fact, you were Just
going to say yes. whom the intruders
came poking out and
Kindly remember II wasn't Il.
Pster," she reminded him.
He mOpped his brow hurriedly.
Eyes, yes, Of COURSE said he. ''You
would have turned me down, wouldn't
your"
Felicia looked at him oueerly. she
started to say something. then bit her
lips and flushed bit. you funny,
infant" she said instead. Il
Peter sat up. Say, I'm homely 90
sin. and I'm q clumsy brute, In mind
as we'll az In body" said he. "But
I'm not wholly bad, Felicia
Indeed you're not" she said.
Peter Gray made certain throaty
sounds, indicative, II one were 10
Judge by the light on his face, 81
great and uplifting Joy.
do you mean I have a show with
you, Felicia?" he blurted out, leaning
eagerly so far forward In the chair
that he threatened to upset 1t. Say,
I'm crazy about you, Felicia, and, 4ls
Felicia Strengthened up In dignified
fashion.
Peter! The very ideal" she said
with well-simulated horror. "You, an
"Oh, thunder!" said Peter, renem-
boring what he had just been telling
her. But, say; suppose 1t had been
you out there on the boathouse piazza
last night. l repeat. supposing 1t had
been you; what - what would you
have said?" tS s5s
That's not fair"
We'll, fair or not. what would you
have said?"
II shan't answer"
Tell me you'd have turned me
down"
She said nothing.
Peter got up and began to pace the
porch with nervous strides.
IL" he began etammeringly,
at length. Felicia. will you marry
me?"
Good heavens!! How many girls
do you want to be engaged to at
once?- she gasped.
Darn IT," said Peter, Il believe
you would have said yes II that had
been you on the piazza. Would your
TITS too late to think Of that Just
now" said she. 3.,
Peter reached her side In one mann.
moth, joyful stride. In another mo.
mont he had lifted her out OF the
chair and was holding her close to
him.
Il know 1t now" he cried happily.
"Peter!" she choked, struggling to
free herself. Peter! For shame!
You mustn't! You're engaged to that
other girl, whoever she Is. It isn't
my fault you made such mess Of II.
Let me go, Peter! Do you hear!''
But for all her pleading Peter
merely held her more tightly.
Listen he said chucklingfy.
There wasn't any other girl didn't
go near the boathouse piazza last
night IL invented that tale to find
out the lay Of the land here. was
coming over to ask you to marry nae
this afternoon. When l got here I had
cold feet. didn't dare. was sure
you'd never have meme, clumsy,
homely old Peter Gray. didn't dare
come right out. wanted to find out
II had ghost OF show first. So---''
Felicia ceased her struggles.
well, Of all the nerve!" she COM
mented.
"or lack Of IT." chuckled Peter,
bending his head to hers.