The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-05-19
Author OF "Cappy
Kicks" The Valley
of the Giants" Etc

mOOO. he STlnileu NJ Het ooyiohiy'
"No. Tn not dead. On the contrary,
I'm feeling real chirpy. Won't you
come in and visit for a while, Miss
Rueyf"
"Well, since you've invited me, I
shall accept" Entering, she stood be-
side his bed and took the hand he ex-
tended toward her. "This is the first
opportunity I've had, Miss Ruey," he
began, "to apologize for the shock I
gave you the other day. / should have
come back t o you as I promised, IN
stead OF getting into a fight and scar
ing you half to death. I hope you'll
forgive me, because I'm paying for my
fun now-with interest"
"very well, Caliph. TIL forgive you
on one condition"
"Who am I TO resist having q condi-
ton imposed upon me? Name your
terms. I shall obey"
"Tm weary Of being called Miss
Ruey. I want TO be Dolores-to you"
'By the toe nails of Moses" he re-
fiected, "there is no escape. She's de-
termined TO rock the boat" Aloud he
said: "All right, Dolores. / guess Bill
won't mind"
BILLY hasn't a word to say about It."
she retorted, regarding him with that
calm, impersonal, yet vitality interested
look that always drove him frantic
with the desire for her.
SWELL, Of course, I understand that"
he countered. Naturally, since Bill
is only q. man, you'll have to manage
him and he'll have to take orders"
"Caliph, you're a ~singularly persist
ent man, once you get On idea into
your head. Please understand me, n C
for all Billy Geary Is a dear, and it's
a mystery to me why every girl In the
world Isn't perfectly crazy about him,
but every rule has its exceptions-and
Billy and I r Just good friends. I'd
like to know where you got the idea
we're engaged to be married"
"Why-why-well. aren't your"
Certainly not"
swell, you-er-you ought to be. I
expected-that is, I planned-I mean
Bill told. me Observation-Disclosures
never occurred to me you could posi-
bly, have the-er-crust-to refuse
him. OF course, you're going to mar
ry him when he asks your"
"Of course I am not"
"Ah-h-h-hl" John Stuart Webster
gazed at her In frank amazement.
mot going to marry Bill Geary!" he
cried, highly scandalized.
81 know you think I ought to, and !
suppose 1t will appear quite incompre-
hensible to you when / do not"
"Vvhy Dolores, my dear grill This
Is most amazing. Didn't Bill ask you
to marry him before he leftY"
Eyes, he did me that honor, and I
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.
"Do you mind telling me just why
you took this extraordinary a~ttitude?"
"You have no right to ask, but I'll
tell you. I refused Billy because I
didn't love him enough-that way.
What's more, I never could"
He rolled his head to n side and
very softly, whistled two bars
Of 1.-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 1t all now. It's as clear as
mud" he announced finally. "You re-
fused poor old Bill and broke his
heart, and so he 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
1t. I might as we'll confess i hustled
the boy down from the mine just 80
you two could get married and light
out on your honeymoon. I figured Bill
could kill two birds with one stone
have his honeymoon and get rid Of his
malaria, and return here In three OF
four months to relieve me, after / had
the mine In operation. Poor boy. That
was a frightful song7and-dance you
gave him."
Il suspected you were the match
maker In this case. I must say I think
you're old enough to know better, Ca
liph john"
You did. eh7 Well, what made you
think SOP"
She chuckled. ooh, you're very OBJ
vious-to q woman"
II 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"
I'm on the sick list" he pleaded,
and 1t 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 hopelessr'
Absolutely. Caliph.''
"Hum-m-m!"