The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1916-12-22

that sort Of thing. was seen waItfng
rather aimlessly about the aisles OF
his great store in the vicinity OF the
gloves.
ITS Stacey himself" whispered
Lucy.
The merchant idly turned over Q
few pairs.
Let me see." he said to Mary Alice
Brown. have you some Of those new
washable channels, size seven and
three-QuartersT
Il think so, Mr.. Stacey"
Those are the ones" said Stacey.
Let me see. what time is It? Dear
me. I'm afraid I'm too late" The usu-
ally alert and decisive Mr.. Stacey
peered about him, as IL in perplexity.
"You see, I'm in a rather embarrass-
ing position. the fact is. l promised
a friend Of mine a pair Of these gloves.
and l said I'd send them to him before
closing time. You don't happen to
know where Mr.. willett's-Mr. John
Willet's-office is. do you, young ladyT
He looked innocently at Mary Alice,
over the tops OF his glasses.
Yes. sir. know. It's in the Grad
dock building"
That's right, that's right. Well.
now. suppose you do this errand for
me. Take this message to Mr.. Willett.
and be very careful to deliver 1t just
as give 1t to you. Say, Mr.. Stacey
wishes me to tell you that he has sent
you what he promised Do you under
standp'
To say that Mary Alice was quite
unsuspecting would be doing her intel
ligeLee scant justice; yet she certainly
could not see into the mystery. 1t
might have just happened; still
She told the clerk in John Willett's
outer office that she wished to speak
20 Mr.. Willett personally. She said
to tell him Miss Brown was there.
| from Stacey's. The clerk came back
and very politely ushered this unusu-
ally pretty girl into the inner office.
| Hello, Mary Alice" said Willett.
Mary Alice walked up to Willett and
took the cordial hand he held out to
her. He acted as IL he had actually
expected her. Then the message:
mfr. Stacey wishes me to tell you
that he has sent you what he prom
| ised."
Il should say he had, and mighty
promptly, too" cried Willett: and the
funny part was. Mary Alice hadn't
given him the package containing the
gloves. She laid it on the desk.
"Sit down. Mary Alice. want to
talk to you"
He paid no attention to the gloves;
SO this was a plot. She began to feel
excessively uncomfortable.
MARY Alice, what do you think Of
my boy"
The girl jumped. "FrancisY This
was a foolish question. Of course; but
Mary Alice felt foolish.
Francis. You thought enough OF
him once to save him from drowning"
But. Mr.. Willett-"
MARY Alice. has Francis been
making love to you?"
"Ye-no-well-why, Mr.. Wlllett,
what a question"
That's all right. He has. Of course
Now. Mary Alice. do you love Fran
| cis?"
She said nothing this time
That's all right, them" went on
Willett. Il just wanted to say to you.
little girl. that nothing would please
me so much as to have my boy marry
as nice al mean. marry you"
| But I'm afraid"
you needn't be. But there's some
| to-
sible girl. guess. You have brains
enough to know that a wise young
woman never marries a man whose
habits
| II don't think he"
| Yes. he does: don't you tell me. I
have it on the best authority that he
does. Do you see him often? After
moons or Mornings"
| Sometimes little while in the
morning. but not very often-lately.
He's-he's rather put out with me,
guess"
| He'd better not be. he'd better not
be- l want you to cultivate him-en-
courage him. Mary Alice. You'll make
him fine wife. If you love each other
But he must stop this foolishness.
He'll stop for you"
NO. he won't"
| He won't? How do you know?
Have you tried 1t? thought you said
he didn't drink much? How did you
| come To-
Mary Alice related her experience ut
the Boreas Country club.
| MARY Alice, which Of 1s ia crawl
FIRST you say he wanted to promise.
ana you wouldn't marry him; and then
you say you wanted him to promise.
and he refused"
'Its-you and Mrs. Willett."
You mean you thought"
THAT you wouldn't want Francis to
marry shOpgirl. So | said that II
he made good. and his mother and
father wanted me to marry him at