The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1921-09-09

RI sbo,. to cry aloud his happiness to
au ~ world. Instead he caught his
swe heart in a smothering embrace,
sing In shaken voice: Darling,
men will we be married?"
fright now" Clare said, sitting up
suddenly rigid. $50 l can't change
my mind; I'm dreadfully lazy. you see,
and making it up is hard work"
"Pd like the job Of making 1t 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 II 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. Clare put her hands
upon his shoulders, but dropped WIS.,
IDLY as she answered: az 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 l am, but after all,
the girl may have conscience--and-
make you happy"
Plead as he might she would say
nothing more. 81 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 a 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.
"Scandalous-perfectly dlsgraceful
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 statelier. She had already
trimmed it with all the chrysanthe-
NUNS in the garden, not to name
ferns. Then she had to fix 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 q tall, broad-shouldered fellow with
a square jaw, heavy scowl; also a
sardonic smile. Two strides brought
him facing Glare. He made to seize
both her hands, but Arketh shOuldered
between. The newcomer tried to swing
him about, saying the while: "No need
Of q roughhouse. Clare knows she is
never going to marry anybody but
me-"
Next minute he found himself pro-
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
pretense of fainting. Clare stood i'm
movable, but color had flowed back to
her cheeks, her eyes were human, her
lips almost smiling.
LET me speak first" she cried to
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 l
know hate him. knew he had come
home that is why /" She stopped,
biting her lips. Arketh set the intru-
der spinning down the steps, then
turned to the minister, saying as he
caught Clare's hand: "Please be
brief; we have to catch a train for
home"