The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1921-04-21

said "All right. Dolores. guess BIZ
won't mind"
BILLY hasn't word to say about II,
she retorted. regarding him with thai
calm. impersonal yet vitality interested
look that always drove him frantic
| with the desire for her.
well of course, I understand that. .
he countered Naturally. since Bill
Is only man, you'll have To manage
| him and he'll have 10 tnke orders"
"Caiiph, you're 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,
hut every rule has it's exceptions--and
Billy and I are 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"
well, you--er-yOu ought to he. I
expected-that is, planned-I mean
Bill told me observation-disclosures
never occurred to ME you could posi-
bly, have the--er-crust-t0 refuse
him. or course. you're going to mar
~ him when he asks you?'
"Of course am not"
"Ah-h-h-h," John Stuart Webster
gazed at her In frank amazement.
mot going TO marry Bill Geary." ne
cried. highly scandalized.
II know you think l ought to, and
suppose II 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 Ieft?"
'Yes. he did me that honor, and
declined him"
"You what -
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 attitude?"
"You have no right to ask. hut I'll
tell you. | refused Billy because
didn't love him enough-that way.
What's more, | never could"
He rolled his head to one side and
softly. very softly. whistIed two bars
of ''The Spanish Cavalier" through his
teeth. He was properly thunder
struck--so much 50, In fact. that for a
moment he actually forgot her pres
ence the while he pondered this most
Incredible state OF affairs.
II see It 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
II. l might as well confess I hustled
the hoy 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 70 relieve me. after 7 had
the mine in operation. Poor hoy. That
was frightful song-and-dance syou
gave him.
~ suspected You We're the match
maker in this case. must say think
you're old enough 10 know better. Ca
liph John"
"You did. chr Well, what made you
think SOP"
She chuckled. "Oh, you're very OBJ
vious-to woman"
1T 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" ne pleaded.
sand 1t isn't sporting of you to discuss
me. You're healthy--so LEI MS discuss
you. Dolores do you figure Bills case
TO be absolutely hopeless?"
Absolutely, Caliph.'
"Hum-m-m
Again, Webster had recourse to med
ltation. seeing which. Dolores walked
TO the pier glass in the corner, satisfied
herself that her coiffure was Just so
and returned to his side, singing softly
a little song that had fioated ont over
the transom of Wehsters room door
into the hall one night:
Spanish cavalier
Went out to rope steer
Along with his paper cigar-r-roi
"Caramba" said he.
"Manana you will be
Mucho bueno carne por mio!"
He turned his head and looked IN at
her suddenly, searchingly as there
anybody else in Bill's way?" he de-
81 admit It's none of nv
business, but
eyes. Caliph, there is some one else"
II thought So" This rather vicious
y. "Fm willing to gamble 100 to l,
light unseen, that whoever he is, he
sn't half the man Bill is"
That" she replied coIdly. ais mat
Ter of personal opinion"
"And Bill's clock is fixed for keeps?" !
"Yes. Caliph. And he never had a !
nance from the start"
"Why not?"
"Well l met the other man first. Ca
iph."