Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-08-08


to be mine at first sight, 1 believe
Please don't look SO uneasy. I'm not
going to propose to you" She laughed
her little ironic laugh.
$50 that is the way things stood,
eh?" he said, still little amazed by
her candor.
Yes. And what is more to the
point, / am quite sure / should have
said yes If you had asked me. Sounds
odd, doesn't it? Rather amusing, too.
being able to discuss 1t so unreserved-
ly. isn't it?"
Good heavens, vivi" he cried I'M
comfortably. Il had no idea you
cared"
Cared" she cried, as he paused.
"I don't care two pins for you in that
way. But 1 would have married you,
just the same, because you are worth
marrying. I'd very much rather have
you for husband than any man l
know, but as for loving you! Pooh!
I'd love you in just the way mother
loves father, and / wouldn't have been
a bit more trouble to you than she is
to him"
Cad. you don't mind what you
say!"
Failing to nab you, Brandy, dare
or, who knows? maybe a mere prince.
1t isn't very enterprising, is it? And
certainly it isn't a gay prospect. Real
| ly. 1 had hoped you would have me.
1 fiatter myself, 1 suppose, but, hon
| estly now, we would have made a
rather nice looking couple, wouldn't
WEI"
you fatter me-" he said
But" she resumed, calmly exhal-
| ing, you very foolishly fell in love
with some one else, and it wasn't
necessary for me to pretend that 1
was in love with you-which 1 should
have done. believe me, If you had
given me the chance. You fell in love,
first with Hetty Castleton."
"First?" he cried, frowning.
| "And now you are heels over head
| In love with my beautiful sister-in-law.
Which all goes to prove that I would
have made just the kind of wife you
need, considering your tendency to
| fiuctuate. But how dreadful it would
have been for a sentimental. loving
girl like Hetty!"
| He sat bolt upright and stared hard
at her
See here, Wv, what the dickens are
| you driving at? I'm not in love with
L
checked himself sharply. What an
ass 1 am! You're guying me-"
In any event, am right about Het-
| ty," she said. leaning forward. her man
| ner quite serious.
| IF it will ease you mind" he said
stifiy, Il plead guilty with all my
heart
| She favored him with a slight frown
of annoyance.
And you deny the fuctuating
charger"
Most positively. I can afford to be
honest with you, Wv. You are a
corker- l love Hetty Castleton with
all my SOUL"
She leaned back in her chair. Then
why don't you dignity your soul by be-
ing honest with herr"
What do you mean?"
For a half-minute she was silent.
Are you and 1 of the same stripe,
after all? Would you marry Sara
without loving her, as 1 would have
you, Brandon"
Good heaven. I'm not going to
marry Sara!" he blurted out 'Tt'e
meyer entered my head"
Perhaps 1t has entered hers"
NONSENSE! She isn't going to
marry anybody. And she knows how
feel toward Hetty- II 1t came to the
point where 1 decided to marry with
out love, pom my soul, Wv, 1 believe
I'd pick you out as the victim
Wonderful combinationi" she said
with a frank laugh. 1.-The quintes
sence of mo love lost But to resume!
Do you know that people are saying
you are to be married before the win
ter is oyer?"
Let EN- say it," he said gruffly.
ooh, WE'LL she said, dispatching 4
all with gesture, IF that's the wa,
you feel about it. there's no more tt
be said"
He was ashamed. II beg your par
don. 1 shouldn't have said that"
You see," she went on, reverting t,
the original topic. people who know
: Sara are likely to credit her with mo
tives you appear to be totally ignoran
of. She set her heart on my brothe
: Challis, when she was a great dea
= younger than she is now, and She go
> him. If age and experience count 70
anything, how capable she must b.
by this time"
/ He was too wise to venture an opin
l. ion. Il assure you she has no design
v on me-
Perhaps not. But fancy that evel
u you could not escape as St Anthem,
did She is most alluring."