The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1922-04-07

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, Caliph," 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, I'm 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, l
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 l promised. in
stead of getting into fight and scar
forgive me, because I'm paying for my
fun nOw-with interest"
every well. Caliph. I'll forgive you
on one condition"
"Who am l to resist having condi-
ton imposed upon me? Name your
terms. shall obey"
I'm weary of being called Miss
Ruey. l want TO be Dolores-.to you"
"By the toe nails of Noses" he re-
tiected. 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 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.
well, 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"
"Caliph, you're a singularly persist
ent man, once you get an idea into
your head. Please understand me- once
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 ! are just good friends. I'd
like to know where you got the idea
we're engaged to be married"
"Why-why-wel aren't your"
certainly not"
"Well, yOu-er-yOu ought to he. /
expected-that is, l planned-I mean
Bill told me nd-and-and-er-i
never occurred to me you could posi-
bly, have the-er-crust-tO refuse
him. OF course, you're going to mar
~ him when he asks you?"
"Of course l am not"
"Ah-h-h-h !" John Stuart Webster
gazed at her in frank amazement.
"Not going to marry Bill Geary" he
cried, highly scandalized.
II know you think l ought to, and
suppose 1t 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 left?"
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.
$40 you mind telling me just why
you took this extraordinary attitude?"
you have no right to ask. but I'll
tell you. l refused Billy because I
didn't love him enough-that way.
What's more. never could"
He rolled his head to one side and
softly, very softly, whistled two bars
of "The Spanish Cavalier" through his
teeth. He was properly thunder
struck-so much so, in fact. that for
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
It. I might as we'll confess l hustled
the boy down from the mine just so
YOU two could get married and light
out on your honeymoon. l 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 to relieve me. after | had
the mine in operation. Poor boy. That
was frightful song-and-dance you
gave him"
81 suspected you were the m:tch-
maker in this case. I must say think
you're old enough to know better, Ca
liph John"
'You did. Ell? Well. what made you
think 500"
She chuckled "Oh. you're very OBJ
vious-tO woman"
"I FORGOT that Won reveal tba mast