The Yale expositor., 1918-03-28

buggy for drive.
But Mr.. Bush took her breath away
at tim, and In a manner totally I'M
expected. He finished debating q
batch of letters one afternoon, and sat
tapping on his desk with pencil. Ha-
eel waited second or two, expecting
him to continue, her eyes on her notes,
and at the unbroken silence she looked
up, TO find him staring ixedly at her.
There was no mistaking the express
sion on his face. Hazel flushed and
shrank back invOluntarily. She had
hoped to avoid that. 1t could not be
anything but unpleasant.
She had small chance to indulge In
reflection, for at her first self-conscious
move he reached swiftly and caught
her hand.
Hazel" he said bluntly, twill you
marry met"
Miss Weir gasped. Coming without
warning, 1t dumfounded her. And
while her first natural impulse was
to answer a blunt "No," she was fius-
tered, and so took refuge behind q
show of dignity.
"Mr. Bush :" she protested, and tried
to release her hand.
But Mr.. Bush had no intention Of
allowing her to do that.
I'm in deadly earnest" he said.
'Tve loved you ever since that Sun
day saw you in the park feeding
the swans. / want you to be my wife.
VIII your"
"rm awfully sorry" Hazel STAN
mered. She was just the least bit
frightened. "Why, you're" The
thing that was uppermost in her mind.
and what she came near saying, was:
you're old enough to be my father"
And beside him there instantly flashed
vision of Jack Barrow. OF course 1t
was absurd-even though she appre-
ciated the honor. But she did not fin
ish the sentence that way. III don't
oh, it's simply impossible. couldn't
think Of such thing"
"Why not?" he asked. 81 love you.
You know that-you can see 1t, can't
you?" He leaned little nearer. and
forced her to meet his gaze. 81 can
make you happy; can make you love
me. 1 can give you all that woman
could ask"
"Yes, but"
He interrupted her quickly. "Per-
haps I've surprised and confused you
by my impulsiveness," he continued.
"But I've had no chance to meet you
socially. Perhaps right now you don't
feel as do, but can teach you to feel
that way. can give you everything
money, social position, everything
that's worth having-and love. I'm
not an empty-headed boy. / can make
you love me-"
"You couldn't" Hazel answered fat
ly. There was a note of dominance
I'm that last statement that Jared on
her. Mr.. Bush was too sure of his pow
ers. "And / have no desire to expert
ment with my feelings as you sug-
gest-not for all the wealth and social
position in the world. 1 would have
to love a man to think of marrying
him-and / do. But you aren't the
man. / appreciate the compliment
OF your offer. and I'm sorry to hurt
you, but can't marry you"
His face clouded. "You are en-
gagedT
Eyes"
He got up and stood over her. ITO
some self-centered cub-some puny
egotist In his twenties, who'll make
you a slave to his needs and whims,
and discard you for another woman
when you've worn out your youth and
beauty" he cried. "But you won't
marry him. I won't let you'll"
Miss Weir rose. "I think / shall go
home" she said steadily.
you shall do nothing of the sort
There is no sense in your running
away from me and giving rise to gos-
slp-whlch will hurt yourself only"
81 am not running away, but / can't
stay here and listen to such things
from you. It's impossible. under the
circumstances, for me to continue
working here, so may as well go
now"
Bush stepped past her and snapped
the latch on the Office door. II shan't
permit It." he said passionately.
"Girl, you don't seem to realize what
I'm going TO have you"
'Please don't be melodramatic, Mr..
Bush"
"Melodramatici If Il is melodrama
for a man to show little genuine feel
ing, I'm guilty. But / was never more
in earnest in my life. want a chance
to win you. value you above any
woman have ever met. Most women
that"
"Most women would jump at the
chance" Hazel interrupted. swell,
I'm not most women. / simply don't
care for you as you would want me
to-and I'm very sure never would.
And, seeing that you do feel that way, |
it's better that we shouldn't be thrown |
together as we are here. That's why |
I'm going"
"That is to say, you'll resign because
I've told you I care for you and pro-
posed marriage7" he remarked.
sExactlv It's the only thing TO do |