The Washburn leader., 1916-05-05
y have bsoken had she been per-

" have bsoken had she been per-
mitted.
Never had her mother been so
voluble with that destructive volu-
bility which wearies and sickens.
At intervals Dcna glanced at Nick's
puzzled, amused face and clasped
her hands harder to keep from cry
ing out.
All that week her mother discuss
ed her prospects and gave the ad-
vice her own experiences warranted.
Once Dena cried in agony, "But
can't you see that he may not even
think of marrying me?" and fell
thereafter into fearful silence.
But the following Saturday even
ing he came again, and again Mrs.
Naughton sat in the room and talk
ed every minute. Nick and Dena
parted without having said half 4
dozen words to each other.
But this time Nick looked neither
puzzled nor amused. His eyes mar
rowed speculatively as he watched
Mrs. Naughton.
When at last he went away Dena
knew to certainty that he would
never come again. But each Satur-
day evening her mother made her
take up her role and play it through.
She had to dress and sit and wait.
Tonight she would not she
would not. For once in her life she
would assert independence.
ffNow run up and get ready" her
mother commanded as they rose
from the table. ''I'll do the dishes y
Dena turned and faced her des-
perately. tI'm not going to change
my DRESS" she said brcathlessly.
"You amt? Do you want him to
see you in your common clothes ?"
"He won't see me-"
"What do you mean? What ails
you?" Mrs. Naughton was aston
ished.
Dena turned wearily away. 81
mean that he won't come again
ever," she said and escaped upstairs
to her room. Mrs. Naughton looked
after her, her restless eyes steady
| enough for once and her restless
tongue still.
Dena heard her moving about
the dishes ratified violently. Pres
| emily she called from the foot of the
stairs:
"I'm going out for SPELL"
Dena was lying on her bed crying
now unrestrainedly. She lifted heI
head and managed to ask:
"Where?"
cover to Mis- Henderson's.'
Dcna's head went down with a
groan. She knew that her mother
would drag her poor little secret
forth and dissect it mercilessly be.
fore the hungry eyes of the old gos
sip who was almost her only friend
The outer door opened, closed, ane
then all was still. Dena cried unit
she could cry no longer.
The doorbell tangled, and sh'
sprang off the bed, polished he1
cheeks hurriedly with her damn
handkerchief and ran downstairs
Her hands trembled as she opened
the door, too dazed to realize who
was waiting to enter.
"Good evening, Dena," said {
! pleasant voice. 'sMay I come in?"
He put her aside gently, entered
and closed the door himself. Dens
stood motionless with surprise an6
"Aren't you glad to see me? Die
you think I was never coming
again?" He took her hands and
looked down at her tenderly. Their
Dena's voice came, and she looked
up at him.
eyes, 1 did think so. And
didn't blame you, for I understood
Oh, NICK!
He took her into his arms. 'But
I found, dear, that nothing on eartl
was a sufficiently big obstacle tt
keep me from loving you and want
ing you and seeing you again to tel
you so. If I come back in a month
for you, can you, will you, be ready
to 60 with me-"
ooh, Nickw Dena cried, and he1
six weeks of trouble and doubt ant
despair melted from her like gar
ment of snow in this new sunshine.
Parrots In q Fire.
'1n case Of fire save the parrots
last" said the bird store keeper t.
the fireman. "They are best able tt
take care of themselves. When q fir.
starts in a bird store most DersOnl