Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-01-27


and Daggancourt's lengthening face
all hastened his resolution to leave
Manaswan and pay flying visit to
Kentucky to spy out the land. The
mules were calling. and 1t was time
| for dreams to become realities! Dag.
gancourt would have bought puir
in Manaswan. loaded their joint eff.
fects on a wagon and started off. But
Matt was not such burner Of bridges
He would prudently inspect mule ter,
ritory and mule conditions and then
return with we'll formulated mule
plans.
While nerving himself to depart and
putting It of from day to day on one
excuse or another. he wrote to Snood
& Hargreaves. the San Francisco
jewelers., saying that he had made up
| his mind to part with the ring and
requesting them to remit him the 3d.
500 by express. deducting whatever In,
terest had accrued. 1t was not with
out pang that lie dropped this letter
into the box. It marked the kneI of
those easy going days at Mrs. Sat
tane's. 1t had now to be mules in ear
| nest. with hard work and frugal living
| and evening clothes put away perhaps
forever.
He spun out his farewell calls. dilly-
| dallied, held back all he could. but
| at last the inexorable morning arrived
| Daggancourt was there in an automo'
| bile. Matt's suit case. packed bursting,
| stood ready on the porch. together with
a large brown paper package Of the
overflow. His pockets bulged with
hard boiled eggs and sandwiches, and
never was q man more apparently des-
tined for instant departure-w when the
| telephone bell suddenly rang and Bird
get came rushing out to say that Mr
Doty wanted Mr. Broughton on the
wire
At the moment 1t seemed an intol-
erable infiction. Mr.. Doty was a
clergyman. a mild creature Of IN anx
ious cordlality. whose acquaintance
with Matt was Of the slightest Matt
took up the receiver with the inten
ton of making short work Of the rev
erend gentleman. an Intention elnpha
sized by the honk Of victor's horn. i'm
periously bidding him to hurry
Hello" he said.
"Oh, Mr.. Broughton." returned
Doty, "this is just to remind You OF
our church social tomorrow night
tickets 25 cents. Including hat check
and to say | simply cannot take n re
fusal. Please tell me that you will
come"
Gomez cried Matt why. I'm lenv
Ing this minute for Kentucky
"Put It off, then" protested Doty
IT have n special reason-a very spe
cial reason-for wishing you to come
Indeed. I must make my request I'm
perative. Oh, Mr.. Broughton. refuse
me II you like. but do not say no to
one Of the sweetest and most gracious
Of our young patricians."
Cant help It," exclaimed Matt
curtly. Sorry to disappoint you. but
really
-Mayn't l try to persuade you. Mr.
Broughton?" said new voice IN his
cara girlIsh voice with the indescrib,
able cadence of good breeding i've
been counting so much on meeting you
tomorrow night-in fact. only agreed
to come for that reason"
Mats own tone s0ftened.
"Do tell me who you are." he asked
II oughtn't even to wait for that, but
I'm too flattered not to-"
"I'm Miss Marshall" she replied
General Marshall's daughter. you
know-or I SUPPOSE you don't know
though
"Miss Marshallr' cried Matt, dazzled
at the name. T had no Idea ! was
talking to angels unawares. OF course
| I know you. in a faroff. cat looking al
king sort Of way. Who doesntT
II know you better than that" she
returned gayly. "Let me count-yes
it's Ave times I've seen you. and once
was 80 close to you In the music
store that I might have touched you.
am sorry I didn't now-hold out my
| hand, I mean-but It's a world where
people are too easily misunderstood
| Isn't II? And here we are. like ships
that pass in the night-with you 60
Ing to Kentucky. Must you really &c
% Kentucky, Mr.. BroughtonT
I'm afraid l have TO-"
Does that mean you've found Mana
swan horribly dull2 But Of course II
does. People only stay here who have
to-like barnacles on rock"
81 don't know. rye liked It well
enough" stnmmered Matt, though
you make me ashamed to admit It
think I'm sorry to leave the old place
specially now"
"That settles 1t. Mr.. Broughton. You
simply must come!" exclaimed the
young lady. please tell me that you
willr'
Matt listened eagerly as she laughed
again and then struck his flag. The
sound of his voice startled him with
its earnestness.
Certainly. II you wish It." he said
ats too charming an invitation from
too charming a person for me to re
fuse"
Apparently Miss Marshall was a lit
tie taken aback There seemed
shade less cordiality In her tone as she
replied, "Oh, If you would much rathel
not, you know-if it's inconvenient Of
anything-please don't let me put yor
out"
"Oh, but I'd love to come Really
and truly would"
With an even more ambiguous: "Oh
thanksl Then we will expect you
Goodbyr the phone was closed
! Poor Daggancourt was terribly cas-
down at the news and expostulatet
tremblingly. with tears In his eyes. III
was 10 humble. 30 Quaveringly re
strained, that his reproaches wer'
harder to bear than II they had beel
more outspoken. Mrs. Sattane and tn
others were merely surprised. yer!
much surprised indeed, and listenet
| With the greediest of ears and tn