Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-02-27

He spoke again, and now his amaze
ment was followed by a fury that
made his face livid.
I'D like to wiring his neck" he said
between his teeth. II will, the next
time see him!"
Edna raised her eyebrows and looked
at him steadily. She was so sorry for
him her throat ached, but she had the
situation in her hands now and she
meant to keep it there
"Sit down, Hilary, and stop putting
on big scene" she said quietly. You
and have been friends ever since we
were babies and fought for each others
toys. Everybody knows it. We're not
engaged to be married and everybody
knows that, too. Why shouldn't any
man who loves me ask me to marry
him? In fact, two other men have
done it, in the last three years-since
you graduated and came home to go
into business. never mentioned that
to you. Why should I?
"One doesn't prattle about such
things. I'm sorry spoke of Bob's pro-
posal-but he certainly made no secret
of 1t himself. That's one of the things
I like about him. He seems to be proud
of loving me. He would shout it from
the housetops! And as all my other
friends know he meant to propose, and
will know by tomorrow that he has
proposed, don't see any reason why
you shouldn't"
You don't?" He was in front of
her now, very close, staring down at
her, his face still white from shock.
She did not answer but merely wait
ad for hin, to on on
Il can't believe it," he said at last,
spacing out the words.
What is it you can't believer"
That you're going to marry that
fellow. If you weren't, you wouldn't
tell me he proposed"
II didn't say I was going to marry
him. said, and I shouldn't have con-
fided it even to an old friend like
you, that he asked me to. was wrong
to tell you. Girls aren't supposed to
talk about those things"
She stopped. He had suddenly bent
far forward and was staring into her
eyes. Also he had caught her hands
but didn't seem to know he had.
and you didn't say yes?"
II certainly didn't say yes"
"Oh, well, then, that's all right"
He was recovering his self-control
as rapidly as he had lost it. But why
the devil did you give me such a jolt?'
WAS it jolt?" she asked quietly.
"Of course it was a jolt"
His usual complacency had now re-
turned, as obviously as the blood had
returned to his cheeks. He was also
trifle Inundated, however, and he felt
abused. Edna saw this as he slumped
into his chair again, and suddenly de-
cided to give him another jolt. He
could take it, and he needed it.
II shouldn't have told you, or any
body else," she repeated thoughtfully
But it was such nice proposal that
it has been in my mind all day. In
fact, it was the incest proposal I've ever
had. Usually, men are awkward about
such things"
Especially If they're really In love-"
Hilary said. That was catty and she
promptly made him regret it.
1T was absolutely sincere. It was
simple and maryland really beauti-
full" she said as if following her own
train of thought. He began by saying
that he loved me. That's the way a
man should begin," she added almost
dreamily He said he wasn't justified
in asking me to marry him and leave
my comfortable home and worry along
for a couple of years on his income,
which IS only 5000 year.
He said he was afraid In his pro-
fession-he's young lawyer. you know,
on salary In a big law firm. He said
he'd work hard and get on, and that
1t would be rather interesting to US