The daily Alaskan., 1917-10-26


 "Lookw said Mfr. Bullitt eagerly. Look, slttin' wonder, over under that tree all by herselfl That's a visiting girl named Miss Boke. She's visiting some old uncle or something she's got living here, and bet you couId"-
 "Joe, you got to-
 q bet that Miss Boke's a good danc- CT, Bin," Joe continued warmly. May Parcher says so. She was trying to get me to dance with her myself, but l couldn't or I would of. Honest, Bill, I would of! Bill, if was you I'd sail right in there before anybody else got a start, and Id"-
 "Ole man." said William gently, "you remember the time Miss Pratt and had an engagement to go walk in, and you wouldn't of seen her for a week on account of your aunt dyin' in Kansas City f hadn't let you go along with us2 Ole man, if you"- But the music sounded for the next dance, and Joe felt that 1t was indeed time to end this uncomfortable con versadon. q got to go. Blll," he said. q got to-"
 "Wait just one minute" William i'm plored. q want to say just this: If"-
 Here" exclaimed MT. Bullitt. "T got to goT'
 "I know 1t. That's why"-
 Heedless of remOnstrance, Joe wrenched himself free, for 1t would have taken a powerful and ruthless man to detain him longer. What you | take me for?" he demanded indignant ly. "I got this with Miss Pratt!'
 And, evadmg a hand which still sought to clutch him, he departed | hOtly,
 ! MT. ParCher's voice expressed won- der a little later as he recommended i his wife to turn her gaze in the direc- ton of that Baxter boy" again. Just look at himr said Mir. Parcher. His face has got more genuine idiOcy in 1t i than I've seen around here yet, and ! God knows I've been seeing some mir aclcS in that line this summer"
 He's looking at Lola Pratt" said Mrs. Parcher.
 Don't you suppose can see that? MT. Parcher returned with some irrl- tatiOn. That's what's the trouble with him. Why don't he quit looking at her?"
 "I think probably he feels bad be- cause she's dancing with one of the other boys" said his wife mildly.
 "Then why cant he dance with some body else himSrlf,' Mir. Parcher in- Quired testify, instead of standing around like d calf looking out of the butchers wagon? By George, he looks as if he was just going to moo!'
 "Of course he ought to be dancing with somebody" Mrs. Parcher remark ed thoughtfully. There are one or two more girls than boys here, and he's the only boy not dancing. be- lieve TIP And, not stopping to com plete the sentence, she rose and walk ed across the interval of grass to Will liam. Good evening, William," she said pleasantly Don't you want to | dancer"
 'Nla'am?" said William blankly, and the eyes he turned upon her were glassy with anxiety. Don't you want to dance" Mrs. Parcher repeated Have you looked around for girl without partner?"
 "Glrl?" he echoed in tone of feeble inquiry.
 She smiled and nodded, taking his arm. You come with me-" she said. I'll fix you uD"
 William suffered her to conduct him across the yard. Intensely preoccupled with what be meant to do as soon AS the music paused, he was somewhat hay, but when he perceived that he was being led In the direction of girl sitting solitary under one Of the maple trees the sudden shock of fear aroused his faculties. "What-where'- he Stammered, halt ] ing and seeking to detuch himself from | his hostess.
 What Is it?" she asked.
 q got-I got to- William began un- easily. q got to-
 His purpose was to excuse himself on the ground that ne had to find a man and tell him something important before the next dance. for In the con- | fusion of the moment his powers re- fused him greater originality. But the vital part of his intended excuse re- mained unspokcn, being diSreSarded and cut short, as millions of other mas culine diplomacies have been through out the centuries by the decisive action of ladies.
 Miss BOke had been sitting under the maple tree for long time-so long, h. deed, that she was acquiring pro- found distaste for forestry and even for maple sirup. In fact her state of mind was as desperate in Its way as l Williams. And when a hostess leads a youth in almost perfectly fitting con- ventional black toward a girl who has been sitting alone through dance after dance that girl knows what that youth Is going to have to do.
 It must be confessed for Miss Boko l khoA h.. hDl William