The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-02-17
CHAPTER vI-Continued

-15-
Its worth a moment of the keen
est happiness mortals can know! Di-
vine happinessl Isn't that enoughT
Divine? / thought that there
word meant somepin else-I thought
it belonged to Jesus"
"A divine moment, Nicely, such as
few ever know In the stereotyped
marriage relation, my girl, believe
mei''
at amt that expec' you to marry
me, Mr.. Creighton-I know / can't rise
to that. But if I can't rise to that,
can't fall to nothin' else between
you and me, neither!"
The earnestness of her resistance
was beginning to alarm him. Surely
she did not mean all she was saying !!
She only wanted to be coaxed, per-
suaded. Surely 1t only needed little
patience on his part to bring her to
the yielding point? But patience was
thing he was so unused to exercis-
ing that it taxed his nerves and his
temper almost more than he could
bear. The little hussy must be very
experienced, she knew so well how to
enhance her own value and stimulate
his desire by her stand-ofishness!
"Think, Nicely, how stupid it is not
to seize every chance that comes our
way (few enough they are!) for hap
piness Look at all the colorless years
ahead of you, and don't miss this one
ipeffable hour such as will never
be offered you once you're married r.
evil your marriage hold you from
any more such hours?"
'That's neither here nor there my
marriage, Nicely, is quite another af-
fair"
sMeanin' it amt none Of my affairs?
Well, but it's the affair of your wife,
anyhow, whether you have any such
grand hours"
'My dear, we won't discuss my pos
sible wife!'
s.rd feel awful sorry" said Nicely,
slowly shaking her head, "for your
wife, Mr.. Creighton"
He laughed uneasily. "Judging by
the way I'm pursued by manageable
girls, Nicely. your view of me as a
husband can't possibly be the one gen.
orally held by many ladies of high
degree! You don't know your luck,
my girl !"
Eyes, well. but them ladies of high
degree run after you to marry you.
.fYou amt astin' me to marry YOU" !.
I'm offering you a love such as 1
yshall probably never feel for the girl
marry! Oh, Meelyw He reached
for her hand, but she drew it away.
Nicely! You'll lose me, you know.
IL you keep this up! You can't keep
me dangling forever, you know!" The
words, "keep me dangling" startled
his own ears, SO Ridiculous was the
idea of girl such as Nicely keeping
him dangling! IF you do lose me,
you'll only have yourself to thank 7"
"What would 1 be losin' in losin'
your" she asked as one humbly seek
ing information.
you'd be losing happiness, wouldn't
you, my dear?" Il
Happiness! Would / keep happi-
ness-and you-by doing what you
want? It's put out that you're going
to marry your cousin-a grand lady
with such title or what. After you've
got her. where would I come in?"
All, thought st. Croix, light dawn
ing on his troubled mind, so 1t was
that that was holding her back !-she
had heard of his betrothal and was
jealous
II give you my word, Nicely. that
I am not-as yet-engaged."
II heard you was" she repeated
stubbornly. "What would that cousin
think of you If she knowed-about
me?"
'That need not worry you!"
"Oh, needn't it!'
"Why should 1t? I have not seen
this cousin since we were both chill
dren-and am not-definitely-be-
trothed to her"
"But you're plannin' to be-"
'sWell. surely, my dear girl, It will
hurt you far less If l marry some one
don't love-some one don't really
know--a person I've not seen since
she was a homely little bow-legged
kidd"
'Bow-legged' 7" exclaimed Nicely
Indignantly.
Eyes, and pigeon-toed and towhead-
ed and freckle-faced! You'll not be
hurt by my marriage" he exclaimed
fervently, you beautiful thlng!"
eyes, well, but how about hurtin'
herl When you even love another
one!"
''She'll be doing the same thing.
pxobably!" he defended himself. tits
Rrely family arrangement" he an
ID; browning lmpatiently at being
46Fced into discussion OF his per-
sol, a, affairs; to his peculiar ideas Of
fitness it was a dissertation to- even
so much as name his cousin-his fu-
ture wife,. no 0oubt-to a girl like
Nicely Schwenckton. %
"Are you so sure she'll be willin'
to marry YOU without lovin' You and