News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-11-10
CHAPTER Ill.
Complications.

| N been wanting this opportunity
for days, and now that I've got
it 1 don't propose to be interrupted
That's why l locked the door"
Rodney had come over to her.
II want to talk to you," he said i'm
petuously. MARY, will you marry meT'
why, really" began Mary shyly.
81 don't know what to say" hesitat-
ed the girl, feeling her ground.
"Say yes,' cried Rodney, waiting fe-
verishly to hear her answer.
1t came at last shyly, YES" where
upon Rodney cried, You angel!' joy
fully and tried to grab her. But
things must not go quite so fast, Mary
thought intuitively, and drew away a
little from him, though, to tell the
truth, she would willingly have let
him catch her as she felt now.
mo, no; wait a moment" she said.
"We'n be married right away" went
on Rodney unabashed.
"But suppose your father disap-
proves?' said Mary.
"He won't know anything ABOUT it
until were married, and then what
could he do?' objected Rodney.
"He might cut you off, suggested
Mary sasely.
"Would you carer" asked Rodney.
81? No, no, indeed" said Mary hasti-
ly. 81 was thinking of you, dear"
Don't you bother about me-" cried
D. hn nj
and then come home for the parental
blessing"
"No. l couldn't do that" said Mary.
ut wouldn't be right. I'm his private
secretary. He trusts me and brings
me here to his home, and then to find
I'd married his son on the sly-no,
Rodney, we couldn't do that"
"You do make it sound rather bad"
said Rodney. Il shouldn't want to
treat father badly. We've always been
pretty good friends, he and l. guess
I'd better tell HMM a week or SCI
Mary's self composure had been rap
idly returning during this colloquy, and
she was surer of what she wanted.
Indeed it piqued her a little that Rod
ney should have made such a proposal
to her, so that now her own inclina-
lions and the old gentleman's upstairs
ran in the same channel. She spoke
up quite resolutely:
"Why, Rodney, if you love me you
will want to get this awful suspense
over with
"But suppose he does object?" Rod
ney argued, seeing his light of happi-
ness grow dim.
Even then l wouldn't give you up"
said his sweetheart.
"Mary!'
"You could go into business" she
went on, make big man of yourself,
make me proud of YOU
You talk just like the heroine in a
play l saw last night" protested Rod
ney. "She wanted the hero to go to
work, and he did, and then for four
acts everybody suffered"
Don't you want to work ?" asked |
Mary anxiously.
81 should say not" Rodney answer
I'd quite seriously. 'Imagine going to |
bed every night knowing you'd got /
to get up in the morning and 90 to
business"
you'd be happier, wouldn't YOU"
lueried Mary, eff you had job?"
''Please don't talk like father" pro-
ested Rodney. Hes preached a Job
1t me ever since l left college. Why
should l work? Father made millions
tut of soap and is forever complaining
hat he's always had his nose to the
that he's never known
what fun was, that it's all made him
I'D before his time. / can't see the
ense of following an example like
hat-I really can't. He's got enough
or you and me and our children and
heir grandchildren. I've explained all
his to him, but can't seem to make
i'm understand. But it's simple-why
york when there's millions in the fam
ly? And why even talk of it when
GU and are in lover
He leaned hungrily toward her.
tretching out his arms to her, and fin