The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-02-22
CHAPTER l..
"A Strange Engagement.

oTduSo EuSdkcittut.
The Liberty Teacher looked
unbelievingly at the sedate elder
ly couple who had made her this
wild proposition. Mr.. De Guen-
Their took up the explanation
again.
"You see now why l requested
you to Investigate our reputable
ity?" he said. Such a PROPOSE
ton as this, especially to a young
lady who has no parents or guard
ian, requires considerable
guarantee of good faith and hon
esty of motive"
"Will you please tell me more
about it?" Phyllis asked quietly.
She did not feel now as If 1t were
anything which had especially to
do with her. 1t seemed more like
an interesting story she was I'M
raveling sentence by sentence.
Her hostess caught up the tale
again. "a
angela has been nearly dis
tracted," she said. And the idea
has come to her that II she
could find some conscientious
woman, a lady, and a person to
whom what she could offer would
be consideration, who would
take charge of poor Allan, that
she could die In peace.
"But why did you think of
asking me?" the girl asked,
breathlessly. "And why kloes
she want me married to him?
And how could you or she be
sure that | would not be as much
of a hireling as any nurse she
may have now?" sss -
Mrs. De Guenther answered the
last two questions together.
Mrs. Harrington's idea is,
and l thing rightly, that n con-
scientiOus woman would feel the
marriage tie, however nominal, a
bond that would Obligate her to
a certain duty toward her hus-
band. As to why we selected
you, my dear, my husband and I
have had an interest I'm you for
some years, as you know. We
have spoken of you as a girl
whom we should like for a rela-
tive"
why, isn't that stranger"
cried Phyllis. dimpling, That's
just what I've thought about
you!"
Mrs. DeGuenther flushed, with
delicate old shyness.
THANK you, dear child" she
said. 81 was about to add that
We have not seen you at your
work al these years without
knowing you to have the kind
heart and sense of honor requis-
lite to poor Angela's plan. Mr..
DeGuenther has asked his friend,
Mr.. Johnston, the head of the IL
brary, such things as we needed
to supplement our own personal
knowledge of you"
"But-but what about me?"
asked Phyllis Braithwaite a little
piteously, in answer to all this.
"Unless you are thinking of
marriage" Phyllis shook her
head-"you would have at least
a much easier life than you have
now. Mrs. Harrington would
settle liberal income on you,
contingent, of course, on your
faithful wardership over Allan.
We would be your only, Judge as
to that. You would have a couple
of more months of absolute free
dom every year, control of much
of your own time, ample leisure
to enjoy 1t. You would give
only your chances of actual mar
riage for perhaps five years. for
poor Allan cannot live s'ionger
than that and some part of every
day to seeing that Allan was not
neglected. II you bestow on him
half Of the interest and effort I
have known of your giving any
one of a dozen little immigrant
boys, his mother has nothing to
fear for him."
Mr.. DeGuenther stopped with
grave little bow, and he and
his wife waited for the reply.
| The Liberty Teacher sat Silent,
her eyes on her slim hands It
was true-a good deal OF. any
how. And one thing the had
not said was true also: be- sud
niness and accuracy and ekIBngth
her stock in trade, were Earring
thin under the pressure s0& TOO
long hours and too hard work
and too few personal iu13 rests.
Her youth was worn dow4&
And--marriage? What 1Ance
Of love and marriage had he, b
working girl alone, too 81 %
see any thing Of the class men
she would be willing to NY?
1 All that she had to give In
taking this offer was he1s free-
dom, such as 1t was--and those
flattering perhapses that whisper
such pleasant promises when you
are young. But. then, she would
not be young so very much long,
er.
Well-her mind suddenly
came up against the remember
ance, that In her passionate wish
ings of yesterday she had asked
for a husband who would give
her money and leisure to be rest
led and pretty, and--a rose gard