Palisadian., 1923-08-10
A Two-Part
Elopement
By MARTHA WILLIAMS

If it's all the same to yOu-s'posin'
we got married." Dennis Bayne said
with an engagingly embarrassed grin.
Ware Norton, his sweetheart, stared
at him as though he were some strange
and repulsive object, answering: "Of
all things! | like your way OF putting
things! oh, dol"
Mighty rlad to hear it-hope It's
as much as l like you," Dennis re-
turned sheepishly-he was unconquer-
ably shy, withal SO naive he had not
sensed her undernote of sarcasm. In
deed, he took all things at face value
being himself almost sinfully given
to speaking exact truth.
Tell me-just how did you come to
| think of It" Ware queried, amuse-
ment drowning out her sense Of maid
en- outrage.
why reckon 1t was because you
made me-always teasin' me and say
In no other girl should have me-you
Know you been at that ever since
you put up your hair"
Ware flung up her hands laughing
aloud-peaI after peel until tears ran
down her cheeks.
AT last she gasped: $50 my sins are
finding me out! Denny-I can't be-
lieve 1t. Can't understand how you
could pay attention to my foolishness
Why don't you know If l really cared
about you that way I'd have been
stapdoffish and chilly as an iceberg?
But you tempted me-always blushing
up behind your ears-and making me
pretend harder than ever. And 1t
pestered other folks so finely"
you near Duncan and JinnyT
Denny interrupted. Il have felt right
down sorry for 'em while-do you
mean to say you got pleasure from
maxim those two miserableY
Ware nodded defantly. Maybe 1t
was wicked" she &C untered. But
they've no business to be such softies
couldn't they understand"
mo more than l could" Denny an
swered DULY. He had paled through
his healthy tan, his mouth had set and
there was sudden hardening Of the
whole face. He lifted entreating eyes
to Wares face, going on: Honey
say you're jokin' now. Say you didn't
really play with-the three of us? 1t
hurts to think you could. Whyl I'd
e'en Almost rather see you dead, with
white rosebuds all over you, than
think you could do this-act lies just
to make the rest of us suffer"
Ware flushed deep scarlet.
IF you have nothing better to talk
about-suppose you go home" she
said. rising. IF you-or any of YOU
had had common sense you'd have
seen 1t was all game-one l couldn't
make you play unless you chose to
do it. l liked you-that l don't deny.
like you still-if liking will satisfy
you. But when it comes to marrying
you--well!
MY husband. If ever have one.
must be :. man. You're just six foot
two of good looks, good temper. good
humor-with no more will of your
own than a baby-not as much as
some babies I've had to wrestle with.
| Maybe you can't help it-brought up
tied to your granny's apron strings.
I'll be bound she'd have known Letter
about my fooling and all. If you
had inherited her grit, as you will her
money. I'd take you whether or no.
But that's out of the Question-so
here we play quits. The man l marry
must do all his own counting with NO
help from me-"
"I'll be sorry for him-when he gets
you-and sorrier for you" Dennis said,
turning from her to walk stately
away. Ware listened to his gallOping
horse will. quick shiver, as If some
thing vital. but hitherto unknown had
been violently torn from her con-
sciousness.
Orphaned almost from birth. an
heiress, and badly spoiled. she had
given scant promise in childhood Of
the beauty that flowered later. an elfin
beauty, something eerie, indeed, draw
ing almost unaware. 1t was like a
deadly weapon in hands not criminal
but mischievous.
Moreover her nature had been
warped by plying comments through
out her childhood, open Sights when
she got beyond very small girlhood.
All. along she had craved praise, con-
sequence. flattery.
To have gone away to her convent
school an ugly duckling and come from
thence a creature Of infinite charm,
had not been wholesome She had
chafed at her environment. She fitted
as i'll indeed among the provincial
gentlefolk r. gorgeous tgoplc bird
among larks and linnets.
But she did not revolt openly-her
grim guardian aunt would have no
other. But once she was free the
world should be her province. all its
ways and wonders she would seize
upon and enjoy.
Meantime she would practice her
woman arts upon such stuff as Fate
offered: this not with cruel intent but