Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-06-10
CHAPTER XVIII.

terO had been buried with all the POM
and circumstance Of national hero
Mother jerks, too, had gone to her ap
pointed resting place, and Ell BueI
Amigo had been closed forever. RIcar
do had issued proclamation annOunc
ing himself provisional president o.
SObrante; convention Of revolution
airy leaders had been held, and prOvi
slOnal cabinet selected. A day for the
national elections had been named the
wreckage Of the brief revolution had
been cleared away, and the wheels OF
government were once more revolving
freely and nOiSelessly. And while all
Of this had been going on, John Stu
/ art Webster had lain on his back, star
Ing at the palace ceiling and absolute
! ly forbidden to receive visitors. He
was still engaged In this mild form of
gymnastics on the third day when the
door Of his room opened and Dolores
looked in on him.
"GOOd evening, CaIiph," she called.
aren't you dead YETI"
1t was exactly the tone she should
have adopted to get the best results,
for Webster had been mentally and
physically ill since she had seen him
last, and needed some such pleasantly
as this to lift him out of his gloomy
mood. He grinned at her boyishly.
mo, Tn not dead. On the contrary,
I'm feeling real chirpy. Won't you
come in and visit for a while, Miss
Ruey?"
"Well, since you've invited me,
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
gave you the other day. should have
come back to you as | promised, in
stead Of getting into a fight and scar
ing you half to death | hope you'll
forgive me- because I'm paying for my
fun nOw-with interest"
every well, Caliph I'll forgive you
on one condition"
"Who am | to resist having a cOndi.
ton imposed upon me? Name your
terms. | shall obey"
"Tm weary of being called Miss
Ruey. | want to be DOlores-tO you"
"By the toe nails of Moses" he re-
hectpd "there is no escape She's do
termined to rock the boat" Aloud he
said: "All right, Dolores. I guess Bill
won't mind"
BILLY hasn't word to say about 1t"
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, l understand that"
he countered. Naturally, since Bill
Is only man, you'll have to manage
him and he'll have to take orders"
"Callph, you're a singularly persist
ent man, once you get an idea into
your head Please understand me, once
for all Billy Geary Is 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 XCeptions-and
Billy and I are just good friends. I'd
ike to know where you got the idea
we're engaged to be married"
"Why-why-welI, aren't your"
Certainly not"
"Well, yOu-er-yOu ought to be. l
Is, l planned mean |
Bill told me nd-and-and-er- |
never occurred to me you could posi-
)ly have the-er-crust-tO refuse
lin. OF course, you're going to mar
y him when he asks your"
"Of course am not"
"Ah-h-h-h I" John Stuart Webster
yazed at her in frank amazement.
Not going to marry Bill Geary!" he
'ried, highly scandallzed.
81 know you think ought to, and
suppose it will appear quite incOmpre-
lensible to you when do not"
"Why Dolores, my dear girl! This
s most amazing Didn't Bill ask you
o marry him before he eft?"
Eyes, he did me that honor, and
leclined him."
you what"
She smiled at him so materially that
lis hand itched to drag her down to
lin and kiss her curving lips.
"DO you mind telling me just why
IOu took this extraordinary attitude?'
you have no right to ask, but I'll
ell you. l refused Billy because |
Iidn't love him enOugh-that way.
What's more, l never could"
He rolled his head to one side and
oftly, very softly, whistled two bars
# 1.-THE Spanish Cavalier" through his
eeth. He was properly thunder
truck-sO much so, in fact, that for
moment he actually forgot her pres
nee the while he pondered this most
Incredible state of affairs.
81 see 1t all now. It's as clear as
mud" he announced finally. "Y0u re-
used poor old Bill and broke his
Ieart and so he went away and hasn't
lad the courage to write me since. I'm
Ifrald Bill and l both regarded this
-LA ,,xor Ill o.,o- hat