The Washington herald., 1921-05-01

sank D4Ck IN ulb CuAhs AucIN W.
moments silence.
-well. I've told you at last. thank
heavenf- he said. In q low voice But
you don't seem 20 realize that I'm speak
ing seriously
Elsie. stared at him '-Seriousiyr" she
repeated. How can you be serious when
when you've been $50 different all
this timer
That's why ! waited all this time he
explained simply. $50 you would know
was serious when I nnally spoke"
.AlI this timer You mean-I don't up-
derstand- For Q debutante Of two sea-
sons Miss Lester was strangely confused
Her thoughts whiried- but somewhere.
deep within her heart. . lark began TO
sing.
why, I suppose Il seems q bit con-
fusing. but it's really simple enough
He spoke slowly now. seeking the right
words You see-the truth ts-in the
frst place / came here 70 think some
thing out-something very Important
business matter"
was cold
-Don't youf YetT Mr.. Smith seemed
disappointed. but not really surprised.
why. I mean that 1 had something on
my mind-a business problem big one.
I promised my partner I'd take Q couple
of weeks on and think It out-work on
II quietly. you know"
-Ysr" His companion had fastened her
eyes on the distant horizon line. Her
expression suggested that all this might
be tnteIlIgibIe TO others, but not TO her.
M Smith drew his chair closer.
Its connected with my work" he re-
peated. patiently. Girls were not on my
progtam- Any girls. ! INTENDED to cut
them all out Then saw you. I knew
the minute looked at you. my darling,
that II ] looked again. so to speak, /
was lost Ny mind wouldn't be clear. !
wouldn't be able TO think. So / had
another problem to solve. had TO de-
eide whether to drop the original prob
lem and win you. or solve il in a hurry
and run the risk OF your leaving. or of
some one else coming along and swapping
you UP before ] could win you. 1t had
me guessing. ! was ratified by it,
u see" Any other young man would
have detected danger signals in the
gIints in Miss Testers eyes. but this rash
youth rushed onward to his fate what
did you finally decide!- she added pO-
litely.
81 decided 10 work on the problem q
week. and then. II It didn't clear up to
drop II and try 70 win you. But Just
after ! had decided you had your acci-
dent. and. Of course. after that there
wasn't really anything but you. ! wanted
10 tell you right on that you were going
TO marry me-" he added plscidly. I
could see you didn't know it. But 1
didn't dare to stsrtle you. Of course. so
] had to be very careful had to hold
onto myself by my boot straps. / want
ed you TO get used to the idea Of having
me around before ! told you / was going
to be around all the time
Elsie Lister sat up in her steamer chair
and looked at him. and he stared back
at her with something in his gTSy eyes
that quite Unexpectedly made her heart
turn over She tried to laugh. but the
laugh ended in little gulp that vo
half a sob.
Herbert Alton Smith" she said slow
ly. you really are the most absurd hu-
man being ] have ever met. Hasn't Il
occurred to you at all that just possibly.
IL you're really asking me to marry you.
might refuse your"
Herbert Alton Smith shook his head
''of course you may at FIRST" he ad-
mitted, regretfully. You may the FIRST
time, or the sixth. or the tenth. That's
quite possible But you're going to mar
ry me in the end, you know, and you're
such a sensible girl that I'm hoping
you'll soon see how silly it is 10 waste
much time. Especially" he added SOM
berly, "as l shan't be able 20 put my
mind on anything else till it's all settled.
oh. my darling"-he abruptly caught her
hands and drew her toward him-"why
make me wait? For a whole week you've
known me. you've seen that adore you.
and that ! can't even breathe comfort
ably when I'm away from you. Nature
has spent millions of years making you
and me and bringing US together. so we
could love each other. And here you are
trying to pretend you don't know it"
His lips were speaking against her
cheek. She felt his heart beating close
to her side. She turned her face q little
more toward him. so that she could look
into his shining gray eyes.
Il don't know what TO say" she stau-
mered. breathlessly. Its so odd 70 be
teaching you how to show ordinary eour.
tesy 10 me. and then TO have you sudden.
ly-"
kiss you-" Herbert Alton Smith
promptly suited the action TO the words
-'No-no?"
He looked At her reproschfuIly.
Don't turn away. darling. I've Al
these millions of years to make up. be-
sides the hideous waste Of time since ",
met. kiss me-" he repeated urgently
That's right but 9 bit pertunctory. Nov
do it again. q little more as II you real
iIed that we've really found each Other.
That's better. much better. Now. Abou
our msrrisge- Why not have IL here
before we leAve-say Tuesday or Wed
nesdsy. With millions Of years and
lost week to make up
Down on the beach the waves crep
toward them and retreated with
chuckle. From q speckless sky. the har
vest moon smiled down In sympatheti,
understanding.