Gunnison news-champion., 1917-08-10
CHAPTER xl.
= Loved Her oe."

SVSU ~ <Ass
= lsvsd, Her Be-"
wv YHY." explained innocentiy
Nv to Claire. ''when you get on
w the mainland you get .
marriage license. and un-
less you prefer a church wedding l
would suggest THAT you hunt up the
justice of the peace and get II over
with. don't believe in long engage
ments myself" was perfectly will
Ing to tease this pedantic braggnrt.
We owed him something for that fast
ing article anyway.
"But don't want to marry any one"
he cried. II must not sacrifice my ca
long to the world. There must be .
way out"
IF you don't want to marry Miss
Dunmore, why did you arouse the
spark Of passion In her innocent
breast7" I demanded.
II don't know" He writhed In men.
tai anguish. II didn't dream that !
was even being agreeable to her"
'Some women are more attracted by
Indifference than by attention." I COM
forted. ''OtheN are fascinated BY
downright brute Violence
II suppose there must be some charm
about me that did not dream Of" he
mused modestly. Don't you think she
could forget me II she did not SEQ me
for long whilef"
I'm afraid" l sighed. ''that, having
once met zen. no girl could ever for
get you"
Come now" be said sharply. trying
to detect smile on my face: ut isn't
40 bad ~ that, II could get away
and write her Q letter saying that !
had been taken down with some ILL.,
ness and could not ~ . dying man
hold her to her promise. that would
solve the difnculty."
Rather q nifty idea." l commented.
but a. . novelist you must know that
the heroine always dies to the bedside
Of the stricken hero and nurses him
back to life. There II NO use. Miss
Dunmore would not allow you to die. .
"N0. suppose not" He abandoned
this scheme reluctantly. Another
thought frightened him. The getting
away part Of It h all right. II did
that could get put In jail or some
thing like that where she couldn't pos
slbly see me. While I was there !
could write an article on prison ne
forms.''
heartily indorsed this scheme. The
idea Of seeing him in prison appealed
to me personally. The colossal blind
ness Of Q conceited fathead like that
trying to get away from charming.
sweet young girl like Vida alienated
him from human consideration.
He unused q moment. "I'1l do n"
be exclaimed. ''If ! don't show up.
NUNS the word
"You can't get away" ! reminded
him. There's no boat"
II forgot to tell you that am the
champion swimmer Of the Brooklyn
Athletic club. l think l saw some
bathing suits hanging up In the shed.
With one Of those ON II will be child's
play to me"
Strangely cheered. he let himself OUT
the back way and left me to the 81
lence Of my clans.
left the CLANS to their own devices
for awhile and went hack to the living
room. Vida was there idly taking Nm.
pressiOns from my seal ring ON some
soft kneaded rubber that lay on Lu-
Giles desk. Lucille herself was not In
light. The captain and the best cook
who ever ran = marine engine were
sunk deep in the gloom which sur
rounds the nonreading man when cut
o6 from his kind and his employment.
"Well." said Vida when stood over
her like an accusing Judge. what have
done now7 Shouldn't play with
this rubber this wayr'
You know what you've DONE" ]
said sternly. "You trapped Upton q.
Clair into proposing TO you"
There's nothing wrong about that
Vida protested How do you sup
pose any man ever proposes? You
Nave to tfap them. We're you under
ths impression that adult males went
around looking fora chance to pay for
some one ielse's board and millinery
and hoaiesy and an that sort Of thins1
No. dir: the masculine mind b very
wary. That's why We women have tc
b. - much brighter than the men.
lt's eass Of seif preservation"
Hes aftaM you meant Il Hes 70