Judsonia weekly advance., 1918-02-13

no encouragement to oyerstep the nor nal bounds of cordiality. She was ab- solutely sure of herself and of her love for Jack Barrow. Furthermore, Mir. Andrew Bush, though well preserved. was drawing close to fifty-and she wat twenty-tws. That in itself reassured her.
 Thus the third month of her tenure drifted by, and beyond the telltale glances aforesaid, MT. Bush remained tentatively friendly and nothing more. Hazel spent her Sundays as she had spent them for a year past-with Jack Barrow; sometimes rambling afoot in the country or in the park, sometimes indulging in the luxury of a hired buggy for drive.
 | But MT. Bush took her breath away at tim and in a manner totally un- expected. He finished dictating a batch of letters one afternoon, and sat tapping on his desk with pencil. Ha- gel waited a second or two, expecting him to continue, her eyes on her notes, and at the unbroken silence she looked up, to find him staring fixedly at her. There was no mistaking the express sion on his face. Hazel flushed and shrank back involuntarily. She had | hoped to avoid that. It 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 mel"
 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 a show of dignity.
 "Mr Bush! !" she protested, and tried to release her hand.
 But MT. Bush had no intention o1 allowing her to do that.
 "I'm in deadly earnest" he said eve loved you ever since that Sun day I saw you in the park feedins the swans. want you to be my wife Will you?"
 "Tm awfully sorry" Hazel stam mered. She was just the least bii 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 it was absurd-even though she appre- ciated the honor. But she did not f1n- | ;cI fbot CT dpnsf- oh, it's simply impossible. I couldn't think of such thing"
 "Why not?" he asked. q love you. You know that-you can see it, can't youY" He leaned a little nearer. and forced her to meet his gaze. T can make you happy; I can make you love me. I can give you all that woman could ask"
 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. I 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 fiat ly. There was note of dominance in that last statement that jared on her. Mir. Bush was too sure of his pow. CTS. And have no desire to experi ment with my feelings as you sug gest-not for all the wealth and social position in the world. I would have | to love a man to think of marrying him-and I do. But you aren't the man. I appreciate the compliment of your offer, and Pm sorry to hurt you, but I can't marry you." His face clouded. "You are en- gaged?"
 "Yes,"
 He got up and stood over her. ITO some self-centered cub-some puny egotist in his twenties, who'll make you 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 your"
 Miss Weir rose. 'I think shall go home," she said steadily.
 You shall do nothing of the sort 1 There Is no sense in your running away from me and giving rise to gos- sip-which will hurt yourself only."
 "I am not running away, but can't stay here and listen to such things from vou It's imDosafh1o updor tho circumstances, for me to continue working here, so I may as we'll go now"
 Bush stepped past her and snapped the latch on the office door. "I shan't