Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1916-12-21


Dear. she said, Il am the happIest
woman in the world"
And Jim, looking wretchedIy from
Ethers happy face to the grinning one
Of his brother. realized that 1t was not
so easy to tell her as he had thought
1t would be.
He arrived home In Harry's wake,
raging. Nothing would satisfy him
but that Harry should 60 to Ethel and
at once confess the prank that he had
played. But Harry was adamantine.
"Jim, old man, it's for your own
good" he said TITS time you were
married; you like Ethel. you know, and
one day you'll come to ME and thank
me for what / have done"
"Get out Of my house !" stormed Jim.
''From this moment you are no brother
Of mine. Confound you, it's another
girl / was thinking Of" he added.
1t was, for now Nora Doyle began
to assume very different aspect in
his imagination. He knew that II he
had any sense he would have proposed
to Nora long before.
But he could not tell Ethel. She
looked so happy, her manner was so
loving, her greeting so aifectionate.
And sadly Jim came to the conclusion
that he would have to marry her.
Nora Doyle and he seemed always 70
be meeting now. Ethel asked Jim that
their engagement should remain Sc
cret for the present; consequently
Nora suspected nothing. And Jim
found 1t impossible to avoid telling
her of his love and Of his tragic mis-
take.
He avoided her, but still they met ;
he would go for long country tramps,
and he would encounter Nora on the
way; he went to town once, and Nora
happened to be taking the same train.
And at last. utterly worn out, he re
solved to ask Ethel to marry him at
once. The sooner II was over, the
sooner he could learn resignation.
Ethel's manner had been little GER
emonious of late. Jim had not seen
her for two days. As he entered the
garden Of her house he heard her
voice, then mans and, TO his aston
ishment, II sounded like Harry's. The
next moment he had turned the corner
Of the hedge and come upon Harry
holding Ethel In his arms.
He stood still, struck speeches.
with a mixture OF wild relief and al.
most ungovernable fury. The pair
surprised, started apart; then Ethel's
ringing laughter broke upon Jim's
ears.
You tell him, Harry" she said.
"We're engaged, old man." said Har-
ry, approaching his brother little
warily.
"What do you mean7" shouted Jim.
Nov, don't get mad, my boy
knew you loved a certain party, but
were holding on, and that you'd lose
her II you didn't hurry up; 80 Ethel
and contrlvcd this little trick on you.
We've been engaged all along, and
"Forgive me, jim" said Ethel, com
ing forward.
But Jim had bolted---bolted is the
only word that can be used 20 describe
the method OF his movement. Harry
and Ethel, watching him, saw that his
course was uphill. Immediately toward
Noras house.
ut workedls said Harry ecstatichlly
Ethel, you're wonder. You're mn
angel. Kiss me as many times a.
you've kissed jim"
An hour later, little shHmefaccd
Jim scanlon returned. Its all right,
he said. "she's accepted me. And
why shouldn't we an be married on
the same dayT"
Just what Ethel suggested" an.
swered Harry. "say. are you glad
nowY"
Harry" said Jim earnestly, u
thank you from the bottom OF my
heart"
But he did not quite understand the
meaning OF Harry's very enIgmatle
grin-till he remembered.