Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1916-04-27


/ Roscoe was literal young man, all
stocks and bonds, and he had been
| brought up to believe that when man
I married he married and settled down"
/ He knew that young married people
might have friendships, like his wife's
| for Lamhorn; but Sibyl and Lamhorn
] never ''f1irted''-they were always very
/ matter of-fact with each other. Roscoe
would have been troubled if Sibyl had
! ever told Lamhorn she hoped he was
susceptible.
"Yes-we're neighbours" he said,
awkwardly. Il live across the street"
"Why, nor she exclaimed, and
seemed startled. Your mother told
me this afternoon that you lived at
home" Slowly a deep color came into
her cheek.
NO" he said; "my wife and [ lived
with the old folks the first year, but
that's all. Edith and Jim live with
them, of course"
! "I-I see," she said, the deep color
/ still deepening as she turned from him
| and saw, written upon card before
the gentleman at her left, the name,
! Mr.. James Sheridan, Jr" And from
that moment Roscoe had little enough
cause for wondering what he ought to
reply to her disturbing coquetries.
Mr.. James Sheridan had been anx-
| iously waiting for the dazzling visitor
to get through with old Roscoe" and
! OIL q oh
coe" was the younger, but he had al
ways been the steady wheel-horse of
the family. AS their father habitually
boosted, both brothers were capable,
Woodworking young business men,"
| Physically neither was Of the height,
breadth or depth Of the father Both
wore young business mems mustaches,
and either could have sat for the tailor
shop Autographs Of young business men
wearing rich suitings in dark mix
lures"
Jim, approving warmly Of his neigh
boris profile, perceived her access of
color, which increased his approba-
ton. whats that old Roscoe saying
! to you, Miss Vertrees?" he asked.
"These young married men are mighty
forward nowadays, but you mustn't let
'em make you blush"
''Am 1 blushing?' she said. care
you sure?" And with that she gave
him ample opportunity to make sure,
repeating with interest the look
wasted upon Roscoe. Il think you
must be mistaken" she continued Il
think it's your brother who is blush
ing. I've thrown him into confusion.'
Howl
She laughed, and then, leaning to him
little, said in a tone as confidential
as she could make it, under cover Of
the uproar by trying to begin with
him a courtship 1 meant for your
This might we'll be a style new to
jim; and it was. He supposed it a
nonsensical form Of badinage, and yet
it took his breath. He realized that he
wished what she said to be the literal
truth, and he was instantly shared by
| that realization.
"By GeOrger' he said. II guess
you're the kind Of girl that can say
anything-yes and get away with it,
too!'
She laughed again-in her way, so
that he could not tell whether she was
laughing at him or at herself or at the
nonsense she was talking; and she
said:
But you see I don't care whether l
! get away with it or not. [ wish you'd
tell me frankly if you think I've got a
chance to get away with you?"
"More like if you've got chance to
get away from me-" Jim was inspired
to reply. Not one in the world, espe-
cially after beginning by making fun
Of me like that
Il mightn't be so much in fun as
you think" she said, regarding him
with sudden gravity.
WELL" said Jim, in simple honesty,
you're a funny girln'
Her gravity continued an instant
longer. Il may not turn out to be
funny for you"
$50 long as you turn out to be any
thing at all for me, l expect 1 can
manage to be satisfied And with
that, to his own surprise, it was his
turn to blush, whereupon she laughed
again.
YES" he said, plaintively, not
wholly lacking intuition, Il can see
you're the sort of girl that would laugh
the minute you see man really means
anything"'
"'Laugh'v' she cried, gayly. "Why,
it might be a matter of life and death!
But if you want tragedy, I'd better put
! the question at once, considering the
mistake l made with your brother"
Jim was dazed. She seemed to be
playing a little game Of mockery and
nonsense with him, but he had
glimpses Of a flashing danger in it; he
was but too sensible Of being out
classed, and had somewhere a con-
sciousness that he could never quite