The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-09-02

said the young husband. but guess
we could stand a good deal if We had
his money"
well. maybe. if you keep on the
way you been. baby II be as well fixed
as the Sheridans. You can't tell" She
glanced back at Bibbs. who had turned
north. He walks kind of slow and
stopped over. like"
so much money in his pockets it
makes him sag. 1 guess" said the
young husband. with bitter admira-
ton.
Mary. happening to glance from
window, saw Bibbs coming. and she
started, clasping her hands together
in a sudden alarm. She met him at
the door.
"BibbsT' she cried. what is the
matter? 1 saw something was terribly
wrong when I You look" She
pause1. and he came in, not lifting his
eyes to hers. Always when he crossed
that threshold he had come with his
head up and his wistful gaze seeking
hers. "Ah, poor boyr' she said, with
gesture Of understanding and pity. 81
know what it is!''
He followed her into the room where
they always sat, and sank into a chair
You needn't tell me- she said.
They've made you give up. Your ia
theirs won-you're going to do what
he wants. You've given up"
Still without looking at her, he in
cIined his head in affirmation.
She gave a little cry of compassion.
and came and sat near him. "Bibbs. ="
she said, Il can be glad of one thing.
though it's selfish. / can be glad you
came straight to me. It's more to me
than even if you'd come because you
were happy" She did not speak again
for a little while; then she said:
"Bibbs-de you tell me about
it? Do you want to-"
Still he did not look up, but in a
voice. shaken and husky. he asked her
a question so grotesque that at first she
thought she had misunderstood his
words.
Mary he said, could you marry
me?
what did you say. Bibbs?" she
asked, quietly.
His tone and attitude did not change
"Will you marry me?''
Both her hands leaped to her cheeks
she grew red and then white. She
rose slowly and moved backward from
him, staring at him, at first incred-
uIously. then with an intense perplex-
ity more and more luminous in her
wide eyes; it was like a spoken ques-
ton. The room filed with strange
ness in the long silence-the two were
so strange to each other. at last she
said:
what made you say that?"
He did not answer.
"Bibbs, look at mer' Her voice was
loud and clear What made you say
that? Look at mer'
He could not look at her, and he
could not speak.
What was it that made your she
said. 81 want you to tell me-"
She went closer to him. her eyes
ever brighter and wider with that in
tensity of wonder. You've given up
to your father" she said. slowly,
land then you come to ask me-" She
broke of. "Bibbs. do you want me to
marry you:"
YES" he said, just audibly.
Nor she cried. You do not. Then
what made you ask me? What is ii
that's happened?"
Nothing"
Wait" she said. LET me think.
It's something that happened since our
walk this morning-yes, since you left
me at noon. Something happened
&b,+ Che rfopnod obrr714I1 ,,-;sL, .
tremulous murmur of amazement and
dawning comprehension. She remem-
bered that Sibyl had gone to the new
house.
Bibbs swallowed painfully and con.
trived to say, 81 dol do want you to
marry me, if-if-you could"
She looked at him. and slowly shook
her head. "Bibbs, do you" Her
voice was as unsteady as his-little
more than a whisper. DO you think
| Tm-in love with your
| Mo- he said.
Somewhere in the still air of the
room there was a whispered word; il
did not seem to come from Mary's
parted lips, but he was aware OF it
"WhyY'
i've had nothing but dreams
Bibbs said. desolately. ''but they
weren't like this. Sibyl said no CIR
could care about me- He smiled
family. though still he did not look Al
Mary. And when l first came hons
Edith told me Sibyl was so anxious tC
marry that she'd have married me- She
meant it to express SibyTs extremity
you see. But 1 hardly needed either
Of them to tell me. 1 hadn't though
of myself as-well, not as particularly
captiyatingP'
Oddly enough. Aary's paIIor changed
to an angry flush. Those tWor' sh,
exclaimed, sharply; and then. witt
| thOroughgoing contempt: "Lamhorn
That's like themP' She turned away
went to the bare little black mantel
and stood leaning upon it. Present.,
she asked: when did Mrs. Roscoe
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