Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-08-04

with. | don't believe in long engage.
mcnts myself" was perfectly will.
Ing to tease this pcdantic braggart.
Ing article anyway.
"But l don't want to marry any one"
he cried. II must not sacrifice my ca.
rccr to romance ami sentiment. l be.
long to the world. There must be q
way OUT
"lf YOU don't want TO marry Miss
Dunmorc. why did YOU arouse the
spark of passion in her innocent
i'rcast?" demanded.
81 don't know lie writhcd III men.
tai anguish. IL didn't dream that
was even being agreeable to llr."
"Somc women are more attracted by
indifference than by attention." l com.
fortcd. "Cthcrs are fascinated by
downright brute violence"
Il suppose there must be some charm
about ME that did not dream Of" lie
unused modcstly. don't YOU think she
could forget me II she did not see me
for Il long whilc?"
"I'm afraid l sighed, that. having
once met YOU. no girl could ever for.
get YOU"
"Comc now" he said sharply. trying
to detect Il smile on my face; lit isn't
as bad as that. If | could got away
and write her II letter saying that
hid been taken down with some i'll
ness and could not as dying man
hold her TO her promise. that would
solve The difficulty"
'Rathcr IL nifty idea" | commented
''but rs Il novelist you must know that
the heroine always flies to the bciSid,
of the stricken hero and nurses h:;n
back To lie. There Is no use. Miss
nunmorc would not allow you to die"
NO | suppose not" He abandoned
this scheme reluctantly. Another
thought frightened him. THE getting
away part of 1t is all right. If | did
that l could get put in Jail or some,
thing. like that where she couldn't pos.
sibly see me. While was there /
could write an article on prison re
FORMS"
heartily Endorsed this scheme. The
idea Of seeing him In prison appealed
to me personally. The colossal blind.
ness Of n conccited fathcnd like that
trying to get away from charming,
sweet young girl like Vida nlienntcd
him from human consideration.
He unused n moment "I'll do it."
he exclaimed. "If don't show up,
NUNS the word"
"You can't get away" l reminded
him. "rherc's no boat"
~ forgot to tell you that am the
champion swimmer of the Brooklyn
Athletic club. think | saw some
bathing suits hanging up in the shed.
With one Of those on 1t will be child's
play to me-
Strangely checrcd, he let himself out
the back way and left me to the ST.
lence OF my c1ams.
l left the CLAIMS to their own devices
for awhile and went back TO the living
room. Vida was there idly taking I'M
preSsions from my seal ring on somu
soft kncndcd rubber that lay on I.u.
Giles desk. Lucille herself was not in
sight. The captain and the best cook
who ever ran Il marine engine were
sunk deep in the gloom which sur
rounds the nonrcading man when cut
off from his kind and his employment.
"Wcll," said Vida when stood over
her like an accusing judge, "what have
done now? Shouldn't [ play with
this rubber this way?'
"You know what you've DONE" |
said stcrnly. You trapped Upton S.
Clair into proposing to you
"Thcre's nothing wrong about that"
Vida protested. "IIow do you sun.
pose any man ever proposes? You
nave TO trap them. Were YOU under
the impression that adult males went
around looking for chance to pay for
some one clse's board and millinery
and hosiery and all that sort OF thing:
NO, Sir; the masculine mind is very
wary. That's why we women have to
he so much brighter than the men,
, It's case of self preservation"
"He's afraid you meant it. He's go.
ing to try to swim to the mainland in
order to get away
"What! Swim to the mainlnndT
eyes. He's Il woman hnter."
GOOD heavens! lie must not do
that" Vida was genuinely concerned.
"You might tell him that you are
! engaged to some one else. That might
reassure him."
II will" Vida got up determincdly
. and went to the door. (Which way
did he go?'
"Rlght down to the shore, think"
I said. Gle seemed tri1e daZcd,
/ though, and might have wandered"
Funny thing" interjccted Captain
Perkins, "tho way Teller will wan
der sometimes. My brother, he used
to walk in his sleecp. l was goin' to
tell you where the zebra bit him that
| time"
"Yes' said Vida eagerly. "telI us
where the zebra bit him."
you'll have to hurry to catch him.
interrupted, cor 1t Will be too late"
The telephone bell rang.
Hello. This Is Blaney. Is Clair
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