Shoshone journal., 1924-01-04

~ i4hAOAihS iilulf IL 6uQuCulJ OCCuITtQ
W her, why not do 1t thoroughly.
81 "Mr. Peters," she cried, you a
quite mistaken"
p Il beg your pardon" said John p
ters, with not little asperlty. "Notl
Ing Of the klndl"
you arei"
s. Il assure you l am not Qulcknes
n In the draw is essential"
y You have been misinforned."
well. l had It direct from the maj
at the Rupert street range" said Mr.
: Peters stifly. "And If you had evel
seen picture called Two-Gun Thomas
"Mr. Peters" cried Billie desper-
ately He was making her head
swim with his meaningless rawlings.
Mr.. Peters, hear mel am not mar
ried to a man at Ealing Westl"
Mr.. Peters betrayed no excitement
at the information. This girl seemed
for some reason to consider her situa-
ton an extraordinary one, but many
women, he was aware, were in a SINH
lar position. In fact, he could not at
the moment think of any Of his femi-
nine acquaintances who were married
to men at Ealing West.
'1ndeedY" he said politely.
Won't you believe me?" exclaimed
Billie wildly.
"Why, certainly, certainly" said
John Peters.
Thank God !" said Billie. am not
even engaged It's all been terrible
mistakel"
When two people In a small room
are speaking on two distinct and diff
ferent subjects and neither knows
what on earth the other Is driving at.
there is bound to be certain amount
Of mental confusion: but at this point
John Peters, though still not wholly
'qual to the intellectual pressure of
he conversation, began to see faint {
of light behind the clouds. ,
n a nebulous kind of way he began !
understand that the girl had come
consult the firm about a breach-of- I
romise action. Some unknown man q
Ealing West had been trifing with f
er heart-hardened lawyers clerk
he was, that poignant cry, I'm not Il
1gaged% had touched Mr.. Peters
40 she wished to start proceedings.
II. Peters felt almost in his depth
gain. He put the revolver in his
ocket, and drew out a notebook.
"I Shoul1 ha oIoI - 49,.
said with professional courtesy.
n the absence Of the Guvnor :"
Il have told you the factsl"
This man at Ealing West" said Mr..
sters, moistening the point of his
neil, "he wrote you letters propos-
& marriage?"
No, no, mol"
AT any rate said Mr.. Peters, dis
pointed but hopeful, ''he made love
you before witnesses?'
"Neverl Never There is no man
Ealing West There never was a
IN ct Ealing West |"
IL was at this point that John Pc
IS began for the first time to enter
n serious doubts of the girls mental
lance. The most elementary ac-
alntance with the latest census was
ough TO tell him that there were any
moer OF men Mt Ealing West. The
ice was full OF them. Would a sane
man have made an assertion to the
ntraryf He thought not, and he
$ glad that he had the revolver with
H. She had done nothing as vet ac-
ely violent. but 1t was nice to feel
Apared. He took 1t out and laid
in his lap. wa
The sight OF the weapon actad on wa
lie electrically. She flung out her 30 -
aus In a gesture of passionate an ~
H. and played her last card.
L love you'll" she cried. She wished
could have remembered his FIRST
ne IL would have rounded off the
Itence neatly. In such moment c
could hardly call him Mr.. Peters, her
ou are the only man love- tim
MY gracious goodnessl" calculated "
feters, and nearly fell over back. wol
rus To naturally shy man this fac
o ""ohg unexpected decla- "
Ion was disconcerting: and the the
* was, moreover, engaged He nov
shed Violently. And yet. even IN +
moment OF CONSERVATION. he slip
10 not check a certain thrill No pat
ever thinks he is as homely as 7
really is, but John Peters had al Low,
rs come fairly near 10 a correct esti. nse
e OF his charms, and Il had ALWAYS b,s
ned to him that in inducing his one
Gee 10 accept him, he had oona ~
le' lie now began TO wonder Il he bs,
= NOT really rather OF devil Of a vo,,
y after all. There must. he felt mi
precious few men going about one
aple Or Inspiring devotion iike this lon,
ne strength OF about slx and half NJ
u'ef casual congsnafion. MI,
al'neF thoughts succeeded lhis litte ,oo,
.rf N e9mpsceDcg mo gla nas p.t
! Thai HRs the faa " lhe matter M.
fpi pp epa began ~ ndge toward hi.
ANW ~ enmpsl Heald he se n.
'l'f alqllll, ene ~ epsAi h ~ lea