Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-08-28

IN TWO PARTS-PART TWO
TINE man did not look at her. She
was very lovely, and he felt an in
SAN but entirely comprehensive
desire to kiss her-to kiss and kiss her
but he did not look at her. Instead,
he looked at a fat, buzzlng bumble bee.
z-zz-zzz, hummed the bee.
Z-zz-zzz, hummed the mans pulses.
He said, at length, If you GO not
love him, and do not think you could
be happy with him, then you certainly
should not marry him. No
you will have to call the wedding OIL.
Barbara caught her breath sharply.
Now he was a man! No shilly-shally-
ing about him. No coward, he. How
fortified she felt with his moral sup
port behind her. Now, she felt little
terror contemplating the furore she
would cause.
"Well?" said the man finally, inter-
negatively.
She blushed guilty.. Il was just
thinking of mama. ! expect I'd better
tell her"
The man nodded. Yes. But there's
plenty of time yet. It's only ten
o'clock. Perhaps you'd like to talk it
over with me a while longer. Would
you?"
She felt she would. She felt the
need to become thoroughly imbued with
his strengthening irmness.
But we can't stay here" she whis-
pered. suddenly fearful. Were bound
to be seen-and then what? Mama
would be furious"
I'VE could go for a walk suggested
the man.
"Yes-to Merlin pool said Barbara.
II go there a lot. l used to pretend, :
she added shyly, that it was enchant-
ed. That's why l call it Merlin pool.
It's real name is Perkins creek
The man rose to his feet and put
out a hand to help her.
Let's hurry she whispered. Some
one will be after us if we don't. Oh,
let's hurry"
They sat down near the pool and she
felt his gaze upon her, 20 that she
blushed and felt her heart pounding
queerly. She said, because she simply
had to say something, You know, l
used to imagine, when l came here as a
little girl, that behind those trees were
sharp, bright eyes and that Don huge,
black boars with sharp shouts and
at me. And that lions would follow,
and wolves with pointed teeth. Just
like in the tales of King Arthur.
And then I'd imagine that a little
frOg-like that one there-waS really
an enchanted prince and that if l
were only nice to it-perhaps even kiss
it as in the fairy tale-he'd turn i'm
mediately into a wonderful knight in
silver armor."
And she smiled at him-a beautiful,
bashful smile; her mouth closed, only
the lips withdrawn to reveal the tiniest
portion of her teeth. A delicious smile.
Then she said: You know, l was very
nearly married once before"
The man was startled. mo"
Eyes. Absolutely" She blushed
crimson. He's in the tea trade now.
Somewhere in ~Africa-some place
called Ceylon."
You mean the island of India?"
Eyes. OF course"
What is he? English? Americana"
I'm not sure. 1 never asked him."
Where did you meet him?"
I'm Biarritz last winter"
"And-?"
And he wanted to marry me-" She
blushed again. HE loved me-"
And you-?"
She was silent a moment. we'll
wanted some one to love me. / was
very lonely"
And you let him?"
"Only one little kiss-one evening
nothing much, really"
"Disgraceful!"
But, listen!'
mo. Absolutely not"
you're not li%stening?' She laughed.
Her laughter was a precious thing.
II am mott"
There was a silence, intensified by
the sigh of the wind and the song of
the water.
Then Barbara giggled-the lovely
child of that lovely laughter. Aren't
you really curious to know more?"
Eyes, of course. When did you see
him last?"
"As we left Biarritz. He caught MT
while mama had turned away. We
stood on the terrace of the hotel. Then
he drew me in-and gave me a cham
payne cocktail"
Did you drink it? Did you like it?"
Eyes. Oh, yes. He drank and I
drank and we looked at each other.
Marry me, darling said he. I will
go away and make a lot OF money on
tea and then come back for you. Do
marry me, dearest
"'But / can't l said. I care for
another"
"Whom?" asked the man.
mo, l can't tell you. But I told
him because it was only right that he
should know-though / also told him
that the mar would not even look at
me-"