Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-05-22

for number SIX" she concluded with
the manner Of a queen who. about to
give her chief executioner his orders
for the day. glances calmly over the list
Of victims.
That's a good idea. Dick is insult
ferable. ] hope you haven't counted
wrong"
"A we were saying, about the note
book she resumed, 1.-The fifth man has
already been respectfully declined.
Ihe dates OF the proposals are written
In the notebook. so l learned from the
book that Mr.. Ormsby, eN1r. Arbuthnot
and Mr.. Gorse had proposed on the
steamer. Professor Hume, you know.
tried his luck at Hopetield, and Lord
ArroWood must have stopped Cecilia as
she was riding to the station on nv
bicycle yesterday morning. His goose
is cooked"
He stopped to tell papa goodby and
spoke very highly of YOU. Papa and
you are the only gentlemen he met in
America. But now we come to Mr..
Virgins"
I'VE do; and why in the name Of all
that is beautiful and good hasn't be
tried his luck"
Because. knowing Cecilia's admira-
ton for him." replied Hezekiah de-
murely, 81 have kept him so diverted
that he hasn't been able to bring him
self to the scratch"
"You didn't want him to blunder in
as the first. fourth or sixth man?"
Hezekiah gravely nodded her pretty
head.
"And while you were engaged in this
sisterly labor. Cecilia has been afraid
that you were seriously interested in
him!"
THAT is like Cecilia. She's fine, and
wouldn't cause me trouble for any
thing. and there was no doubt of
Hezekiah's sincerity.
"But now that l see the light and un-
derstand all this, how can we make
sure that Wiggy will be on the spot at
the right moment? While we sit here
he may be the sixth man! 1 might
take care of Wiggy by asking Cecilia
to marry me, being careful to have him
appear Johnny on the spot when I had
been duly declined"
"Um! I shouldn't take any chances if
I were you," she replied, feigning to
look at an imaginary bird in a tree top,
"for if you had counted wrong and
were really the seventh man she would
have to accept you!"
"Hezekiah!"
ooh, I really didn't mean what you
thought I meant. We don't need to
discuss it any more. That's the ordeal
I've arranged for you," she answered,
and set her lips sternly.
"But, my dear HeZekiah, by what
means can this be effected? I don't
dare tell him the combination he's
playing against or sit on him until his
hour strikes"
Certainly not: you mustn't tell him
or anybody else. You know the plan;
but you're not supposed to, and no.
body must know I've meddled. Mean
while Cecilia must expose herself to
proposals at all times. Aunt Octavia's
heart would be broken if she thought
Providence had been tempered with.
She likes Wiggy we'll enough, except
that his ancestors were all Tories, and
he can't be a Son of the Revolution"
She rose and pointed to her coat.
drop it into the boat for me, Chin
neys. We meet in funny places. don't
we? Papa expects me for luncheon,
and 1 must row back and get my BIZ
cycle. You?. No. you can't go along;
you've got a lot Of thinking to do. and
you'd better be doing it."
A few minutes later, as 1 swung
along the highway toward the Pres
colt Arms, l say Cecilia Hollister rid
ing toward me at a lively gallop.
She crossed the bridge without check
ing her horse. and then, with a hurried
glance over her shoulder. she pointed
with her crop to a byway.
l hurried after her and found her
waiting for me in a quiet lane. She had
|~dismounted and seemed greatly dis
turbed as I addressed her.
II hadn't expected to meet you. l
thought you rode off with your aunt to-
ward Mount Kisco."
"We did. but on our way home Aunt
Octavia stopped to call on a friend, and
as I didn't feel in a mood for visits this
morning, l rode on alone. I was walk
ing my horse in the road beyond Bed
ford, just after l left Aunt Octavia,
when who should ride up beside me but
Mr.. Virgins. He had evidently been
following me-"
She expected me to express surprise.
and with the information that Heze-
kiah had just impaired fresh in my
mind l dare say she was not disap
pointed in the effect of her words.
was thinking rapidly and fearfully. II
my friend had sought her in the high
way and offered himself in some frest
accession of ardor he might even now
be a rejected and hopeless man, but
was unwilling to believe that this haG
happened.
Wont you tai me what happened
in the road whSl Hartley rode up be
side you?"
"Oh, nothing happened; really. moth