The Coolidge examiner., 1933-11-10

silver stars pricked on it, and the
mountain frowned grim and majes-
tic.
Saturday morning dawned palely
| beautiful, and directly after break
fast they started on their ten-mile
hike.
Across the field towards the
woods that skirted the mountain.
they walked swiftly. 1t was al
ready hot and they wished to reach
the woods before the sun was high.
II never had such a wonderful
summer before" she said earnestly.
always before I've had to do these
things alone"
The professor murmured some
thing, his heart pounding, as he
thought that this was a good
chance to broach the subject near
| est his heart. But he decided to
wait awhile. Later, when they
were seated on top of the world.
| he was determined to ask her to
marry him.
All of a sudden he became aware
| of an ominous silence. They were
about half way up the mountain
then. The birds became silent, and
the chattering squirrels were still.
| The wind began to moan and low
rumble presaged a storm.
1--WE must hurry, Mary, and get
into cave or something" he
shouted. It'll be dangerous under
the trees!" They started running.
The wind seemed to mock them and
hoarse murmur set the leaves
dancing. The branches whipped
their faces, fiendishly bending
themselves into distorted shapes.
The rain came suddenly. A tall
pine went down directly across their
path with a rending of branches.
The kissing deluge of water blind
ed them. He grabbed her by the
hand and shouted:
There's a cave ahead. Careful
=" An overhanging mass of
granite made shelter. They
scrambled far back in, painting and
disheveled.
Take off your wet dress" he
commanded. II will give you my
coat. It's dry inside"
81 don't want it!" protestingly
I'm all right, Carl!"
The professor, with his repressed
inhibitions, was suddenly dom
inant male. No longer shy, he be-
came a swashbucklng adventurer
ready to fight the whole world +. =.
and determined on dominating this
female.
Take that soaked rag of dress
off !" he commanded, his voice
stern. Don't be school girlish. :"
She obeyed. The cave was mid
F, night black. Her face was but an
indistinguishable blur. He held his
coat towards the blur and, crop
ing, she slipped her arms into 1t.
Her fluffy hair that smelled family
| of violets brushed his cheek. He
| buttoned the coat up with fingers
that suddenly trembled, and almost
without volition she was in his
arms. His kisses were the most
satisfactory demonstration that any
girl ever had.
Mary! Nary" he murmured, his
lips against hers. Precious! I'm
crazy. just off my head about
youl Tell me, darling, you can
learn to love me. Win you
marry me? / know it's an unheard
of thing. We never set eyes on
each other until a few days ago.
Never. Carl, what are you
talking about? Don't you recognize
me?"
"Why. of course. :" Won
deringly. You're my Mary :"
"Yes, but don't you remember
me?" she persisted. Il was in your
class in botany at Carlisle last
year?"
| you Wnat!
She nodded, her voice choked with
laughter. In the close intimate
darkness of the cave, she felt Sc
cure and so completely happy. Her
arms pulled his head down to her
shoulder. She murmured soft things
| in his unbelievable ears.
I've been in love with you all
the year." accusingly, land you
never knew ! was there. -
Il can't believe it. But if you
say it's so. it's so. But, Mary, it's
the truth that / never saw you be-
fore in all my life until you walked
up the path, up the steps, and into
my life the day you came. How
does it happen, darling. Was
| blind?"
Blind as far as girls were con-
cerned. Carl, how you hated u.s."
Fool idiot" He pulled
her back into his arms once again.
Just then the sun peeped in and
| touched her hair, turning it to a
| CLEAN of gold. He pulled her to
her feet and they groped out into
! the suddenly dazzling world. Be
| fore the entrance he took her into
r.