The Little River news. (Ashdown, Little River County, Ark.) 1897-current, 1920-11-13

"Of course am not" &
"Ah-h-h-h!" John Stuart Webster
gazed at her In frank amazement
''Not going to marry Bill Geary!" he
cried, highly scandalized.
81 know you think ought to, and
suppose it will appear quite incompre-
hensible to you when / do not"
"Why Dolores my dear girl This
is most amazing. Didn't Bill ask you
to marry him before he left?"
Eyes, he did me that honor, and 1
declined him."
"You what!"
She smiled at him so materially that
his hand itched to drag her down to
him and kiss her curving lips.
7, DO you mind telling me just why
you took this extraordinary attitude?"
'You have no right to ask, but I'll
tell you. I refused Billy because l
didn't love him enough-that way.
What's more, I never could"
He rolled his head to one side and
softly, very softly, whistled two bars
of "The Spanish Cavalier through his
teeth. He was properly thunder
struck-so much So in fact, that for a
moment he actually forgot her pres
ence the while he pondered this most
incredible state of affairs.
81 see it all now. It's as clear as
mud he announced finally. ''You re-
fused poor old Bill and broke his
heart, and oshe went away and hasn't
had the courage to write me since. I'm
afraid Bill and I both regarded this
fight as practically won-all over but
the wedding march, as one might put
it. l might as well confess / hustled
the boy down from the mine just so
you two could get married and light
out on your honeymoon. / figured Bill
could kill two birds with one stone
have HIS honeymoon and get rid Of his
malaria, and return here in three or
four months to relieve me, after I had
the mine in operation. Poor boy. That
was a frightful song-and-dance you
gave him." -.
II suspected YOU were the match
maker in this case. must say think
you're old enough to know better, Ca
liph John"
"You did, chr Well, what made you
think soy
!, She chuckled. "Oh, you're very OBJ
vlous-to a woman"
IT forgot that you reveal the past
and fOretell the future"
"You are really very clumsy, Caliph.
You should never try to direct the des-
tiny Of any woman"
"Tm on the sick list" he pleaded.
sand it isn't sporting of you to discuss
me. You're healthy-so let us discuss
you. Dolores, do you figure Bills case
to be absolutely hopeless?"
Absolutely, Caliph."
{ s'Hum-m-m!"
Again Webster had recourse to med
itation, seeing which, Dolores walked
to the pier glass in the corner, satisfied
herself that her couture was just so
and returned to bis side, singing softly
little song that had floated out over
the transom of Webster's room door
into the hall one night:
A Spanish cavalier
! Went out to rope steer.
Along with his paper cigar-r-ro1
"Caramba" said he.
; ''A1anana you will be
I Mucho bueno carne por mio!"
He turned his head and looked up at
her suddenly. searchingly. IFS there
anybody else in Bills way?" he de-
manded. II admit it's none Of my
business, but"
Eyes, Caliph. there is some one else"
81 thought So" This rather vicious
~. I'm willing to gamble 100 to l..
sight unseen, that whoever he is, he
isn't half The man Bill u.s."
'sThat." she replied coIdly. ais mat
yter of personal opinion"
,"And Rill's clock is fixed for keeps"
Eyes. Caliph. And he never had a
chance from the start"
"Why not r.
"Well. met the other man first, Ca
liph."
"Oh! Do you mind telling me what
ssthis other man does for living?"
Ties mining man. like Billy"
"AIl right Has the son of a horse
thief got minc like Bill's? That's
something TO consider. Dolores"
"He has mine fully as good as
Billy's. Like Billy he owns a half
interest In il, too
"Hum-m-m How long have you
known him?"
"Not very tong"
'sBe sure You're right then 60.
ahead John Stuart Webster warned
her. "nont marry in haste and repent
at leisure Dolores. Know your man
before Won lei him buy The wedding
ring There's 4 heap Of difference, my
denr, between sentiment and sentimen
I, tality."
'T'm SIRE of my man Calph."
He WIS silent aHnin thinking rapid
" swell q course, /" ho began again
(, presently Wide qhere was the slight
est possibility Of Bin winning you.
would nave died before saying thar