The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-05-08

Their has expressed this wish for your
presence at home. Nothing but good
reason could excuse your absence to
him."
Sallie turned her scarlet turban IN
her hand. considering. Presently her
defiant face frightened.
"Well," she exclaimed, "here Is
reason which will not only satisfy
dad, but please him as well. I'm GO
ing to the public library to study up
on natural history"
"Sallie," murmured her mother help
lessly, but there was tender light in
her eyes, as they rested on her daugh-
ter's lovely, mutinous face.
Sallie, with novel tucked under
her arm, made her way up the marble
steps Of the library to the secluded gal
lery. where few were won't to be
found.
Beneath the other arm was berib-
bOned box of chocOlates-saved for
some solitary occasion such as this.
Upon the whole 1t appeared that Sal
lie would not have too dull an after
noon. But wonder of wonders, back
upon the bench behind the cases OF
strange birds and beetles, sat young
man. absorbed in book, and also
helping himself generously from box
Of candy.
AS she hesitated, the young man,
who had nice, friendly eyes, with
nice, friendly smile to match. looked
mp from his book, and said quite nat
urally:
do not let me drive you away.
There Is plenty Of room here for
both"
So It proved. Sallie had never be-
fore entered so easily into CONVERSE
ton. 1t began by their strange sim
ilarity OF tastes, for in addition to
the chocolates, 10! the young man was
reading that very novel which Sallie
had struggled away under her arm.
And when they had discussed, with
the same points of interest, the novel,
the delightfully."- unconventional young
man drew Sallie's attention to the
birds and beetles, and his talk concern
ing them was as interesting as real
stories from book.
Sallie could not believe that five
o'clock had come and that she must
hurry home to dinner.
I'm coming down here again to-
morrow" the young man announced
carelessly.
II have to come" Sallie told him.
Then she explained about the visiting
professor. and how "dreadfuly tired"
she was Of professors and students in
general and the nice young man
smiled.
Fed up. eh?" he remarked inele-
gantly, and SaIlie agreed.
She had the air Of joyous con-
spirator when upon the following day
she babe her mother good-by, and start
ed again for the library. The nice
young man was there before her. He
chad been there" he impatiently ex-
planned. "for three-quarters Of an hour
or more"
And today, the subject of the book
being exhausted. the two spent the
afternoon wandering about among the
cases OF animals and birds. while the
young man talked In his original way
about them ALL
At FIVE o'clock IL was he who sug-
gested that the time Of departure had
come.
"But I'm not going home" Sallie
reminded him. "undl after dinner hour
when the professor will be back with
dad In his study"
"Perhaps." the young man suggest
ed. "you might not dislike this fell
low rs much as you think. Even bug
professors are human. Now. take me.
my name Is Laidlaw. and"
SaIIie stared into his laughing eyes.
"You can't mean" she said slowly,
shat you--are-Professor Laidaw."
The nice young man bowed
"That same" he smiled. "Will you
70 home with me now 10 dinner
please. Miss Sallie Thayer?"
And SaIlie went