The Washington times., 1937-09-27

as SIle drew OH ner gloves ana
seated herself in the chair which
Matresser had drawn UP for her.
Nov make the tea for you.
This is an English domestic
scene. OF course. 1t is all wrong"
she went on. II am here to be
your sisters companion-not
yours"
HAPPY CHANCE
But see how naturally it has
all happened" he pointed out
This is your afternoon off. You
go for a walk. I meet you-a
happy chance. A storm arrives
another happy chance. And we
have tea together at Mrs. Hewells'.
1T gives me the opportunity to
say something to you before go
away, something which knew /
should say very soon but which
might not have been so easy up
at the house"
"You are very mysterious" she
said.
II shan't be for long," he told
her cheerfully. "One more small
piece Of sugar, please, to give me
courage" he went on, passing his
cup.
Il will be perfectly orthodox &C.
cording to the best social tradi-
ton. Elisabeth, will you marry
me?"
will what!" she exclaimed.
"Oh, we'll, Of course, I could
talk about it forever" he con-
tinued, "but having made up my
mind what want in life. I am
following my usual custom and
asking for it.
| It know I have wasted a lot Of
time travelling about in. I suppose,
a perfectly selfish fashion. but for
a time at any rate that has to
come to an end.
IT want to settle down here for
the sake Of other people and there
is no one else I have ever known
with whom wish to share my
life"
But you cannot be in earnest, !"
she expostulated. eft is impos.
sible. You know really nothing
Of me. I might bean adven'
tureSs."
"You could be no more an ad.
ventures in life," he pointed out,
than am an adventurer.
II have an idea that I could
make you happy and I suppose
you know quite well that I could
not have said one word of these
things to you if I did not care.
"You have gathered, I suppose,
that I am not demonStrative.
That is, I think, because I have
been a jack-of f-all-trades an d
turned over many pages Of life.
Love making has not come
very much my way. Look at me.
please, Elisabeth. You know that
am fond of you"
BEWILDERING SITUATION
His hand had fallen upon hers.
It seemed to her an incredibly be-
wildering situation. She was curl
ously and inexplicably happy.
She knew that so long as she
lived she would carry with her
the memory Of this quaint little
room, his strangely spoken words,
the curious strain Of earnestness
which had suddenly crept into his
! tone and manner.
He was shocked and yet thrilled
to find that her eyes were full Of
tears.
"You must think that I am per
fectly idiotic," she said. " will
not pretend that you are the first
man who has ever asked me to
marry him but there is something
so altogether different about the
real thing when it comes"
II hope there is," Ronnie agreed.
"You must not think that am
being silly" she begged, "or try
ing to play the ingenue, but how.
ever I felt about it do not think
I could ever marry you"
"And why not?"
Frankly, because my life is al.
ready full Of other very serious
things" she explained. I'm Eng.
land you are all so happy and com
Portable. Success comes to you so
easily.
you have no broken institu.
tions to lament. You have not a
long procession Of ruined relatives
and friends to keep you sad"
"You can bring as many of them
as you like over here" he prom.
ised. 1--WE will do what we can.
should always want to do what I
could to make your people happy"
But do you not see," she went
on, 1T is more than a personal
matter? 1t is Austria-my coun.
try-that is suffering"
please go on" he begged. 81
only wish to understand.
GIVES PROMISE
II know that you are too great a
man ever to Stoop so low, but if 1
tell you something. you will prom.
ise that you will forget it," Elisa
beth asked MatresSer.
IF you ask me to-yeS."
II hold position in your house
hold and I try to do my duty; all
the same I am nothing more nor
less than a spy-or rather, I
should be if there were more op.
portunity."
Bless my SOUL" Ronnie ex-
claimed. What is there down
here which could possibly help
you?"
IT do not know" she answered
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