The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-07-31
BY Edmund Smell,

, he must furnish you with every proof
that Chai-Hung is dead"
The Copmissioner pressed the bell.
"It's hell Of nuisance" he an
nounced somewhat testify, land I'm
only going through with it for your
sake and Monica's."
Pennington closed the door after.
him and strollcd toward where Mrs.
Whey was sitting, the Siamcse cat
curled up fast asleep in her lap. A
chair-a long cane affair, with
cushions in chintz covers-was
drawn up SO closely that its protrud-
ing arm almost touched hers. The
very proximity of the thing thrilled
him and he accepted the invitation it.
offered. /,
"You wanted to talk to me-" he
ventured at length.
The girl regarded him thoughtful
ly.
EYES," she admitted. 81 want you
to tell me what ought to do. 1t
seems so dreadful not TO have some
definite object in life. It's been
borne upon me rather forcibly lately
that I'm no real use to anybody I'm
supposed to be keeping house Cor
my brother. He looked after himself
very we'll before l came out The
truth is-Id nowhere else to go. 1
interfere with his work; he's per-
petually ANXIOUS for my safety, and
he's seriously exercised as to my flu
ture." She picked up her fan and
yawned behind it. "Things can't 20
on like this forever, can they?"
Il suppose not" agreed Pcnning-
ton, inwardly cursing his luck that
prevented him voicing what to him,
at that moment, was an amazingly
simple solution to the difficulty.
"There's only one thing for it,"
continued Monica desperately. "I've
got to get married."
Pennington crims oned to the roots
of his ruffled chair.
Married." he echoed blankly.
Il suppose you're going to tell me
that I've had one husband already
and ought to be satisfied with that"
Il wasn't"
: Swear. to me that you didn't even
think it,
II swear" said Pennington, re-
covering himself somewhat. "To
tell the .unvarnished truth, was
wondering"
Who the victim was to be-.
That's just what I wanted to talk to
you about. I've received proposal
Of marriage!"
She paused to observe the effect of
her statement upon her hearer. but
she could only see the few unruly
hairs that sprouted up at the back
of his head, just where the irregular
parting ended.
"Verbal?" he inquired with exag-
gerated disinterestedness.
mo, in writing. Would you like
to see it,"
"Good Lord, MOI"
He turned toward her, his boyish
face twisted into an expression of
Mortified amazement.
"Oh, I wouldn't have shown it to
any ordinary man. You see, don't
regard you as an ordinary being"
What's his name?" asked Pen
nington grizzly.
1T begins with d." she volun-
teereO WlckeQly.
"Dawson!"
Il didn't say it was Dawson!" She
looked down at her fingers. "Would
you advise me to marry him ?" she
continued innocently.
"Great heavens, Mrs. Whey! Why
do you ask me that? Why not con-
suit your brother, a woman friend,
anyone but me ?"
Thirty second later, the brain
storm had passed and he found him
self on the threshold of his own
room at the Commissioners bungk-
low.
As he slammed the door after him.
the only thing that came to offer
consolation was the Siamese kitten.
1t had somehow crept in before him
and he almost trod on it before he
was aware that it was there. He
rescued it gently and placed it on
the folded blanket at the foot of His
bed.
Continued in Our Next Issue)