The Forrest City times., 1914-05-08

and then shook her head. I'd like to be able to wish you good luck"
 He stared You don't mean to say she'd be fool enough" he began in credulously, but caught himself up in time. Of course, I'd have to take my chances" he concluded, with more hu- mility than she had ever seen him dis play Do yol know of any one else?"
 No she said seriously, She doesn't confide in me to that extent, fear. I've never asked"
 Do you think there was any one back there in England?" He put 1t in the past tense so to speak. as If there could be no question about the present
 "Oh, I dare say
 He was regaining his complacency. That's neither here nor there" he declared. The thing I want you to do, Sara. is to rush this confounded DOT trait. l don't like the idea, not a little bit"
 T don't blame you for being afraid of the attractive MT. Booth" she said,
  brows.
 I'm going to have it over with be- fore l go up to town, my dear girl" he announced, in q matter-of-fact way. I've given the whole situation a deuce of a lot of thought, and I've made up my mind to do it. I'm not the sort, you know, to delay matters once my minds made up. By love, Sara. you ought to be pleased. I'm not such a rotten catch. if l do say it who shouldn't"
 She was perfectly still for long time, so still that she did not appear to be breathing Her eyes grew dark CT, more mysterious. If he had taken the pains to notice, he would have seen that her fingers were rigid.
 T am pleased she said, very gently
 She could have shrieked the words How she hated all these snug Wran- dalls,
 T came to the decision yesterday" he went on. tapping the arm of the chair with his finger tips, as if timing his words with care and precision Spoke to dad about it at lunch. I was coming out on the five o'clock as I'd planned, but he seemed to think I'd better talk it over with the mater first Not that she would be likely to kick up a row, you know, but-well. for policy's sake. See what l mean? Decent thing to do, you know. She never quite got over the way you and Chal stole a march on her. God knows I'm not like Chal."
 Her eyes narrowed again. "No, she said, you are not like your brother"
 "Chal was all right, mind you, in what he did" he added hastily, noting the look 'I would do the same, 'pon my soul I would, if there were any senseless objections raised in my case But, of couse, it was right for me to talk 1t over with her, just the same. So I stayed fin and gave them all the chance to say what they thought of me-and, incidentally, of Hetty Quite the decent thing, don't mother after all. See what I mean?'
 She is quite satisfied, then, that you are not throwing yourself away on Miss Castleton, said Sara with a deep breath, which he mistook for a sigh
 "Oh, trust mother to nose into things. She knows Miss Castleton' g pedigree from the ground up, There's Debrett, you see Whats more, you cant fool her in a pinch She knows blood when she sees 1t. Father hash { the same sense of proportion, however. He says you never can tell
 Sara was startled. What do you mean"
 "Oh, it's nothing to speak of; only a way he has of grinding mother once in a while He uses you as an exam pie to prove that you never can tell, and mother has to admit that he's right You have upset every one of her pet theories. She sees it now, but --whew, She couldn't see it in the old days, could she?"
 T fear not" said she in low voice. Her eyes smouldered. Tt is quite nat ural that she should not want you to make the mistake your brother made.
 "Oh, please don't put it that way. Sara. You make me feel like a con- founded prig. because that's what 1t comes to. with them, don't you know. And yet my attitude has always been clear to them where you're concerned. was strong for you from the begin ming. All that silly rot about"
 Please. please," she burst out, Quivering all over
 T beg your pardon he stammered. "You-you know how l mean 1t, dear girl"
 Please leave me out of it, Leslie, she said, collecting herself. After mo ment she went on calmly And so you are going to marry my poor little het- ty, and they are all pleased with the arrangement"
 If she'll have me, he said with a wink, as If to say there wasn't any use doubting 1t. They're tickled to death"
 "Vivian?"
 "Niv's a snob She says Hetty' s ,oo uoo1 fCr y,o blnod ard bnpa