New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1926-07-23

ing TO MIN, you know L nate 10
talk this over with you. But what
can I do? I've got to know where
I stand with you. Even Mons is
always scolding me for letting you
take up my time. She says l ought
to go around with other men be-
sides you, unless you mean bust
ness"
She sighed deeply.
But l don't want to go round
with any other men, Bill" she went
on in voice that was as smooth
as honey.
She laid her head on his shoulder
and gave him long. slow, sullen,
sweet kiss. Then another and
still another.
mo one but you, Billy-boy," she
whispered, her soft lips against his.
She felt his big arms go around
her, straining her close to him in
the warm. scented summer dark
ness. And she chung to him, her
face burisd against his coat sleeve.
Little Sister, when l first knew
you, you said you wouldn't marry
the best man alive" he began. and
Ian the resentment was gone out
of his tone.
She knew from the very sound
of his voice that she had won her
lpoint, and she held her breath,
waiting for him to go on.
so I took you at your word" he
said. And I was glad in a way,
because I'm not exactly the marry
ing kind myself. But if you've
changed your mind and want to get
married, it's all right with me, You
know I'm crazy about you and I'll
lido anything you want me to do.
Only a man hates to feel that a
girls trying TO marry him. He
hates to feel that he's being
roped in"
Still Merry said nothing. She
knew that she had said all there
was to say.
There are times when silence is
more precious than gold, and this
was one of those times.
She let Bill go on talking, and
when he left her under the willow
, Tree DIT tIlt SdlG lIell NE III llS was
an engaged man.
She stood there, watching the
ltail-lfght of his hired car vanish
down the street and thought of
night a year ago when she had
watched Tony's blue roadster dis
appear into the night.
! Life had seemed' to open up be-
ro,a I,,r in ,Up01arfI1I rain how
vista, then. But it wasn't nearly
so wonderful now as she had ex-
pected~it to be.
/ She tried to look ahead of her
into the years, and could see moth
ling but cut-and dried marriage with
Bill Erskine. Nothing so fine, so
thrilling and so wonderful in that!
1t was a pretty bleak outlook, as a
matter of fact.
But with little laugh she turned
and went into the house,
II guess I'd laugh, no matter
what happened" she said to her
self, as she mounted the narrow
staircase in the darkness. IF l
didn't laugh, I'd cry"
She wondered why she felt so
blue and down-cast. She had done
the thing she had set out to do.
She had pinned Bill Erskine down
to a proposal of marriage.
And even if she wasn't in love
with him, there was no one else
with whom she was in love. Then
why should she feel as if getting
Engaged to Bill was cutting herself
/ off from all the gay and happy and
worthwhile things of life? She
couldn't have told why to save her
| soul.
But her heart was like lead in
her breast, as she stood before the
mirror in her nightgown, brushing
/ her bright hair and getting ready
for bed.
II guess ] don't know what
want" she finally made up her
mind, lying awake in the dark, hot
little room under the caves.
We'll, I've put it over at last.
Bills going to marry me in Sep
tember," she told Mons the next
morning at breakfast,
September" Mons repeated
acidly. as she poured hot water
into her coffee. That's a long way
off. There's many a slip between
June and September. Did he give
you a ring?"
Merry shook her head. mo, but
he's going to send me one," she
I ho n
/ last night on late train"
Three days later she found
! little square package waiting for
her on the hall table when she
came home at night.
81 suppose this is my engagement
ring!" she said breathlessly to
Mons, who had come running out
screen slamming.
| She tore off the brown paper
wrappings with impatient fingers,
and opened. the little white box
inside of them.
Within it was not the solitaire
diamond ring that she had eX-
Ipected, but a platinum bracelet.
! II W do Il pttidNlAul BitIt VI jew
elry, thickly crusted with tiny dia-
monds. In the center of it was
set the smallest Of small Swiss
watches.
Puzzled, Merry looked at it, her
poppy red mouth pursed up thought
fully. Then she looked up at
Mons questioningly
There was a bitter smile on
Mons face.
quite nice engagement ring,
/ Merry she observed. TITS the
first time I've ever heard of giving
a watch for an engagement pres
emil" She had nothing but scorn
for the beautiful watch bracelet.
1.-THE jeweler must have sent the
wrong piece of iewelry," Merry
said, frowning. This watch must
belong to someone else = and my
ring has probably gone to the per-
son the watch was intended for"
| Bl1t fh'prp was mista Ike