Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1913-07-10

"i'm going to be married"
just sent her Il fine Airedale. and she
wished to make sure the kennel mas.
ter was treating the dog properly. Lat
er we were all to ride
l made haste to excuse myself say.
ing that personal matters required at
tention.
Certainly. Arnold; you shall do aa
you like. Mr. Pepperton is ditiicult
bird to catch. SO we hope for you at
luncheon. and Of course we expect you
for dinner"
Pepperton looked at me inuairingly
l judged that he had known Miss Dc.
tavia a good many ycarS-the tone OF
their intercourse was intimate. and yet
he plainly was ut Il loss to understand
just how came to be so thoroughly es
tablished in her good graces confess
that as glance back over these pages
1t looks odd to me!
AS l paced the hall waiting for
horse to be saddled, Pepperton led me
out on the terrace above the garden.
Pm bursting with great secret, old
man. I'm going to be married"
WHAT
I'm going to be married"
l grasped Il chair to support myself.
This was almost too much. Could 1t
be possible that Hezekiah had miscal-
culated the list of reflections in the sill
yer bound book, or that Cecilia herself
had been deceived? Pepperton misread
my agitation and with hearty laugh
clapped me on the shoulder.
"Oh, I'm not intruding on your pre-
serves, old man. Cecilia is the second
finest girl in the world-that's all. I'm
engaged to Miss Gaylord of Stock
bridge. I'm telling few old friends, in
advance of the formal announcement
to be made next week at a dance the
Gaylords are giving"
l crushed his hand in both my own
and, seeing that he misconstrued the
fervor of my emotion, FASTENED to set
myself Alright.
You're q lucky dog as usual, Pep.
But you don't understand about Cecilia
Hollister. It's not I'm not In the run
ming at all. but Hartley Virgins is!
Pm here trying to help him score
whats this? You're here to repre-
sent Wiggy?"
well, he didn't exactly send me
here, but when | came | found that
Wiggy wasn't playing the game with
quite the necessary zipOlogy. There's
more required than appears-a little OF
the dash and snap of the old adventur-
ers-the ready tongue, the eager, thirsty
Sword!"-
Pepperton pursed his lips and looked
me over carefully with twinkle In his
eye.
"You are contributing those elements!
You are Octaviaized-is that it," Pep
perton laughed until the tears came.
81 prefer Hollisterized as the broader
term. Brother Bassford has it. too.
and there's always HeZekiah"
"Ah, Hezekiah the unpredictable! |
knew there was a skirt futtering some
where. | saw her yesterday-sto
to see Bassford who's a good old chap.
HeZekiah of the teasing eyes was
whitewashing the chicken coop, and
Michelangelo couldn't have done 1t bet
ter"
Pep | said, lowering my voice, III
you love me keep close to Cecilia all
day. You're an engaged man and in
practice. Give an imitation Of devo-
ton. Keep her out Of doors-keep
male human beings away from her.
Don't fail me in this. Eve got TO pull
off the greatest coup of my life today.
There's a band Of outlaws hanging
round here who will propose TO Cecilia
the first chance they get, and they
must NOT. Wigs got TO speak before
night or lose out forever. No-not
word Of explanation. You've got TO
take my word for II"
'I'H be the goat Go ahead, but
build n fire under Virgins can't
stay here forever"
Peppertons engagement smoothed out
one wrinkle. and | felt sure that |
could trust him as an ally. The groom
was holding my horse in the porte
cochere, and mounted and rode away
10 the Prescott Arms.
| found Ormsby, Sballenberger. Ar
buthnot. Henderson. Hume and Gorse
slumly sitting in semicircle before
the hall fireplace. Deepest gloom per
vaded the inn. | have rarely seen mel.