Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-12-02
BY Will Payne

Monday morning she opened her eyes and
at once contemplated Il difficulty. He'd said
that everything at the office was to 60 on Just
rs though he had never proposed marriage to
her. That might answer for a. little WHILE.
but 1t seemed clear now that n she said no
she could hardly stay on at the Office. 1t
would be too .awkward-and unseemly. I'm
doubleday he had got her over there to Chi.
cago In the hope that she was going to say !.
yes: Saying no and keeping the job would be
sQualid. It would have to be yes-or back to
Slow River. That hadn't struck her last
night, but it seemed clear enough now.
Monday afternoon Krom came into her
cabinet sfrom upstairs carrying his small
black bag-the barbered and comparatively
dandided krom who looked 10 oddly like
unlike the one she had first known. He
stopped to tell her that he was going to
Slow River again; thought he'd drive up in
his car, getting there at nine or ten O'Clock;
fine day for a drive. She agreed to that;
reminded him that he was to show her his
picture; sent her love. to Steinman. They
talkal as much as ten minutes-an extraordi-
nary social session for Krom. And as soon
rs he stepped into the inner hall she forgot
him. her mind being absorved Will some
thing else. e.
Several times that afternoon she mechani-
cally rubbed her lips together, as though they
"CAS UAJ' oAC q e VOAos NC 3 CAA
bling slightly now and then as she handled
papers or adjusted a sheet in the typewriter.
There was a steady drag and tension in her
mind.
At Ave O'clock HARDWOOD called her in to
dictate a letter ofsome length Concluding
mo hurry about this; get it out In the
morning.: time to go now"
He said it pleasantly, smiling-kind, con-
: siderate Of her. as always. All day long he
had kept the truce absolutely. Anybody at
any moment might have stepped into the
Office and senior heard nothing but an alert.
amiable employer and his stenographer car
rying on the days work. Unless. perhaps.
one carefully looked into the employers eyes
or once or twice detected a little catch in
his voice-a sort Of swift, stifled sigh-there
would not have been the least hint that the
man in the office had proposed to the woman
on the day before. She loved him for that.
The days work was done then. She slipped
the pencil into the note book and closed the
book, laying a long, slim hand upon it. Her
eyes fell; her lips trembled; her breast
swelled. She stood up, note book in hand.
raised her eyes to his face. and said low, with
u faint, fairly whimsical little smile:
II think I'll say yes"
He stared an instant; then his face glowed
and he sprang up and stammered:
Really, Bess?s Really? I was afraid you
wouldn't. Ah, Bessie! Bessie!'
She was in his arms then: he was kissing
her. And suddenly she didn't mind. that at
all. AS though she had taken the plunge,
broken the ice, the pull and jangling Of her
nerves ceased.
~ had to Think she said. with a little
laugh, and kissed him back. and deceased her.
self somewhat from his close embrace. He
didn't resist that, but let her 60 altogether,
d. only holding her hands. and sat down wit
lessly on the corner of the desk by which
they both stood. His eyes were full Of her
face: he gave a foolish little laugh and NUT
tered:
Its wonderful, sou know
Some way she had hardly supposed that
he could be so strongly moved. At once he
spoke again with earnestness:
I'm going to make it all up to you. Bessie!
I'm going to pay you: You shan't regret it"
"1f I can make it up to your she said.
A little motion freed her hands and she re-
minded him.. III want to go up to Slow
River"
OF course, she meant that she wished to
tell her mother. IN go with you.' he re-
Piled ~quickly-for there must be no ques.
ton of opposition from Mrs. Maiden.
She laughed and shook her head. mo,
sir; you'll sit right here until I come back"
1t came to him that she was. already quite
assured and at ease. The matter had been
settled once for all. and she took it into her
own hands rs though they had been married
a year. He laughed as he realized it and
replied:
well, you're the boss, now"!'
But something popped into the back Of his
head. Bess was the boss now; and that day
he had learned that Mrs. Letitia Bellknap-
who supposed she was the boss-would re-
turn to Chicago for the winter next week.
Awkward, but he figuratively ran his big
touring car over Mrs. Letitia Belknap at full
speed and scattered her to dust.
There was a party Tuesday night, SO it
was on Wednesday that Elizabeth went up
to Slow River. She sent her mother only
a wire saying. Coming home for two days;
well; everything lovely" For she wished to
save up the great surprise. She alighted
from the train in midafternoon.
Three weeks and q half had elapsed since
she stood on this same worn brick platform
waiting to take the train Tor Chicago. But
st what had happened since then! And this
familiar scene was now subtly changed.
She remembered when this railroad sta
ton, of irregular field stones, cemented with
black mortar, had been built-back in her
pigtail days-replacing a ramshackle little
affair of wood, painted dun brown. Slow
River had then been proud Of its smart. new
stone station. with a fine red brick platform
instead of the dirty old plank one; and ever
since then it had been definitely in her mind
that the new station was something to be
4 rather proud Of.
But she perceived now that it was a com
ically ugly little building. with jigsaw wood
en- ornaments-once painted bright red
tackled to It's gables and tiny porch. Tkt
smoke of numberless locomotives had turned
the stone sooty and reduced the red wood
work to dinginess. There was the usua
crowd OF country town oilers INDUCING tn
mild dissipation of watching No. 3 come IL
and depart-mostly Ill dressed. .loaferish
|, loose mouthed. Four passengers besides her
self alighted and the drivers Of three com
petitive public conveyances were clamorin,
for their patronage.
AS &he bus which she selected rolled VI
Main Street she noted. with p touch Of sur
prise. how much the Mitchell hardware build
ing, with Judge Liscomb's office on tn
second floor, needed paint. THE, Office cam
y. HACK To her=itssHoodWork 40 jncrusted wit