Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1921-11-17

to shout, to cry aloud his happiness to
all the world Instead he caught his
sweetheart In a smothering embrace
asking In q shaken voice Darling,
when will we be married."
Right now" Glare said, sitting up
suddenly rigid. $50 | can't change
my mind; I'm dreadfully lazy, you see,
and making 1t up is hard work"
I'D like the job of making it up for
you--shall we say next week. Arketh
began. She stood up, raised both her
hands above her head, and aswered
almost solemnly: "As you choose. But
somehow IL feel 1t must be now or
never"
BE ready at eight in the morning
| shall be here then with the minister,
the license and Aunt Lura," Arketh
cried joyously. Glare put her hands
upon his shoulders, but dropped Wis
IDLY as she answered II shan't feel
safe until we are in your old home.
Promise to take me there straight
away"
If Arketh was amazed then, his be-
wilderment Increased when he told
Aunt Lura of Clare's speech. She had
sat speechless throughout his tenn
pestuous telling, but wide-eyed, her
breath coming short and quick, hands
clinched hard. When he had finished
she kissed him, saying in voice full
Of tears; my boy-you-you must
know how sorry | am, but after all,
the girl may have conscience-and-
make yoa happy"
Plead as he might she would say
nothing more Il am going with you;
that should be explanation enough
She greeted him in the wan morning.
Neither of them had slept; nor had
Glare apparently. She was dead
white, with dry, burning eyes; no
more Quicksilver, but figure Of dole.
Il dared not hope you could be SO
kind" she whispered to Aunt Lura,
under cover of her stepmother's bah
bling
andalous-perfectly disgraceful
marrying this way with no word TO
anybody" said Mrs. Clifton. "And
with no clothes, nor cakes, nor brides
maids Why, everybody would talk for
year" Crushing-that was the word
for it--she never expected to hold her
head up again
Notwithstanding, the lady wore a
satisfied air, yet delayed matters a
full quarter of an hour with utterly
useless arrangements. No. 1t wouldn't
do to use the living room, the hall was
SO much stateier. She had already
trimmed Il with all the chrysanthe
NUNS In the garden, not to name
ferns. Then she had to Ak her hair
properly. Wasn't she to give away the
bride? Altogether she got everybody's
temper on edge by the time the we'd
ding party was placed to her salts
faction.
The minister had just opened his
book when the door was flung wide
by Il tall, broad-shouldered fellow with
Il square jaw, a heavy Scowl also q
sardonic smile. Two strides brought
him facing Clare He made to seize
both her hands but Arketh shOuldered
between. The newcomer tried to swing
him about, saying the while mo need
Of q roughhouse Glare knows she Is
never going to marry anybody but
me-"
Next minute he found himself pro
PEELED steadily, not violently but ire
sistibly, toward the door. Not for
naught had Arketh wrestled with ore
sacks and mine equipment Three
inches lower, he had yet more power
by half than the intruder
Get out unless you had rather be
kicked out !" he said his voice steely.
Mrs Clifton screamed and made q
pretense of fainting Glare stood Inn
movable, but color had flowed back To
her cheeks, her eyes were human. her
lips almost smiling.
LET me speak first" she cried 10
Arketh. "Afterward you may not want
to send him away. For three years.
swallowing hard, 81 have let Arle Reed
play at love-making with me. He had
he has--something inside that-that
makes me seem to love him while
know | hate him. knew he had come
home; that is why L" She stopped
biting her lips Arleth set the intru-
der spinning down the steps. then
turned to the minister. saying as he
caught Clare's hand: please be
btnf; we have to catch train for
home"