The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1918-03-14

CieS into the battered suitcase ana
the tattered hand bag. Carol grabbed
her hat from Connie, lelsurely strelling
through the hall with 1t, and sent her
flying after her gloves. "If you can't
find mine, bring your own,' she called
after her.
Aunt Grace and Connie escorted
them trIumphantly down the walk to
the waiting car where the young man
In the new sentimental gray suit stood
beside the open door. His face was
boyishly eager, and his eyes were full
of a satisfaction that had sort Of
excitement In It, too. Aunt Grace
looked at him and sighed. poor
boy" she thought. "He Is nice Carol
is q mean little thlngw
He smiled at the twins impartIally.
"Shall we flip coin to see who l get
in front?" he asked them, laughing.
His mother leaned ont from the back
seat, and smiled at the girls very cor
daily. Hurry, twinnies," she said,
| 1--WE must start, or we'li be late for
supper. Come In with me, won't you,
| LarkieT
"What a greasy schemer she is,'
thought Carol, climbing into her place
without delay.
Jim placed the battered suitcase and
the tattcred bag beneath the seat and
drew the rug over his mothers knees.
Then he went to Lark's side, and
tucked 1t carefully about her feet
ITS awfulIy dusty" he said. "You
shouldn't have doled up so. Shall /
put your purse in my pocket? Don't
forget you promised to feed the chick
cns--l'm counting on you to do it for
me-"
Then he stepped in beside Carol,
laughing into her bright face, and the
cood.hyS rang back and forth as the
car rolled away beneath the heavy
arch of oak leaves that rooted In
Maple avenue.
The twins fairly reveled In the glo-
rics Of the country through the golden
days that followed, and enjoyed every
minute Of every day, and begrudged
the hours they spent In sleep. The
time slipped by "like banana skins"
declared Carol GROSSLY, and refused to
explain her comparison. And the last
day Of their visit came. Supper waJ
over at seven o'clock and Lark said,
with something of wlstfulness in her
voice, "Tm going out TO the orchard
for Il farewell weep all by myself. And
don't any Of you disturb me--Tm so
ugly when l cry"
So she set out alone, and Jim,
little awkwnrdly, suggested that Carol
take turn or so up and down the
lane with him. Mrs. Forrest stood at
the window and watched them, tear.
ful-eyed, but with tenderness.
"Niy little boy" she said to herself,
'my little boy. But she's dear,
sweet pretty girl
In the meantime, Jim was acQult-
ting himself badly. His face was pale.
He was nervous, Ill at ease. He stam.
mered when he spoke. Self-consclous.
ness was not habitual to this young
man of the Iowa farm. He was not
an awkward, ignorant gUnglIng farm.
hand we meet In books and see on
stages. He had attended the high
school in Mount Mark. and had been
graduated from the state agricultural
college with high honors. He was
farmer, as his father had been before
him, but he was farmer Of the new
era, one of those men who takes plain
farming and makes 1t Il profession,
almost fine art. Usually he was self
possessed, asscrtive, confident, but, in
the presence Of this sparkling twin, for
once he was abashed.
Carol was In an ecstasy Of delight.
She was not mnn-eater, perhaps, but
she was early rOmunce-mad.
The Callow youths Of Mount Mark,
Of the EpwOrth league, and the col
lege, were almost unanimous In lay
Ing their alteration at Carols feet. But
Carol saw the elasticity, the buOyan-
cy, Of loves like these, and she couldn't
really count them. She felt that she
was ripe for bit of solid experience
now, and there was nothing cullOw
about Jlm--he was solid enough. And
now, although she could see that his
feelings stirred, she felt nothing but
excitement and curiosity. A proposal,
real onel 1t was imminent, she
felt It.
Carol" he began abruptly, II am
in love-"
"A.are your" Carol had not ex.
pected him to begin In just that way.
"Yes; have been for a long time,
with the sweetest and dearest girl in
the world. l know am not half good
enough for her, butt love her so
much that--I believe could make her
happy"
"D-do your" Carol was frightened.
She reflected that 1t wasn't so much
fun as she had expected. There wus
something wonderful lr his eyes, and
In his Yolce. Maybe Lark was right
maybe It did hurtl Oh, she really
shouldn't have been quite so nice TO
hlmi
"She is yOung--so am T--but know
what want, and II I can only have
her, I'll do anything L" His voice
broke O little. he looked very hand.
some, very grown.up, very manly.
Carol Quivered. She wanted to run