All-Story Weekly, March 1, 1919 — page 154: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Dut eASS . i . , .) ome —.- Ife eB aes, He looked at her pleadingly and shook a his head. ““T haven’t got it right yet,” he said sad- ly. “I’m confused, I think. You see, this is the first time I ever asked anybody to marry me. I hope you won’t take any offense.” - Miss Dean relented and gave him a kind- ly smile as she shook her head. s “That’s not an offense to any woman, Mr. Tilley.” “I’m glad you look at it that way. —and I’m willing to give up the insects.” She bent her head again and raised her handkerchief to her lips. © “You don’t like them, so I’ll give them up—forever,” he reiterated. ‘I’m not the kind to let insectivora stand between us.” At this renunciation Miss Dean’s body shook. “Tt’s all because I love you,” he added simply. | “Oh!” she exclaimed. “At last!” He looked at her in sudden alarm. ‘““ Have—have I said anyeiag wrong?” he asked. “Qn the contrary, you’ve just reached the beginning,” she answered faintly. He knotted his hands together and squinted at them in a puzzled way. “ How do you mean—the beginning?” “Well, it’s usually done this way: first, you say you love her; second, you ask her to marry you; third, you offer to sacrifice everything for her; fourth, you lay all your worldly goods at her feet.” Tilley sighed and nodded. “Then I got it all backward,” he con- fessed humbly. “I’m sorry I spoiled it. I meant it all in the best way. But—”. He looked up at her suddenly. ‘“T guess you’ve been proposed to before, haven’t you?” he asked. Miss Dean looked at him with an expres- sion of alarm. “Well, I should hope so!” she exclaimed. TJ might have guessed it,” he said mournfully. “J suppose you think I’m pretty poor at it. Have—have you been asked very much?” 5 = ~ Miss Dean looked about her cautiously. ~ “Will you promise not to tell?” she whis- And _ He nodded. “ Six times!” “ Counting me?” “No. You’re seven.” ‘Seven men,” he murmured hopelessly, “Then I suppose—”’ “Oh, no,” she interrupted. men at all. First there was one man who asked me once. Then there was another man who asked me five times. And then there’s you.” ‘And you refused the first one?”’ “Yes; I’m afraid I did.” ‘ And the second one had no better luck?” , “ Worse.” = Because he kept Conine: back so often, T suppose.” “ Exactly,” she said with @ nod. i” the blow.” Tilley reflected gloomily. “Then I expect,” he said, ‘‘ that there isn’t any chance for me?” “T want you to know that I feel very much honored,” said Miss Dean in a kindly tone, “Tf it’s ‘no,’ tell me so!”’ he exclaimed. She sighed gently. ‘“T shall not marry,” she said. Tilley wiped his se Sea and shook his head. “Not anybody?” “T think not.” ““Is—is there anybody else?” he asked _ anxiously, Miss Dean shook her head slowly. “Not Higgins?” She could not forbear to laugh, but checked herself when she observed the lugu- brious face of the naturalist. “Not that I know of,”’ she replied ‘am- biguously. if I wanted him?” “You could get anybody,” he affirmed, with sad emphasis. -“ Beautifully said, Mr. Tilley. That’s what I-call a true compliment. But I don’t think I want anybody.” He sat in silence for several minutes, while Miss Dean studied the last of the tinted clouds, now turned from pink to purple. caf \ i ‘ : : he vy oy ie ‘y' . “ #* oe tee 77¥ TAS ES 8a pm r =f 3 4 id = ” sae, bate Al “Not seven was so persistent that he suffered more from “ Do you think I could get him y , ; 4 . Pus tS 1A r} ee | ; f A -_—* He was not a happy naturalist, —. 2 . rah he ad rr f - ear oe = Deny ik a Soy ; 4 VES AGED Figs tot laird iP i mw Adds a4 fy Keene A RG eta ad! Wee oe roe re * togal> +e ret WN due eT as ht s4 rhs: Sh: res , he ith ee at eee Se Ty Ns pee VI TE: aL rn a bs Tas: es ¥ ‘pat \ iy Sd: PUR AM ei BAe of Sy main bid § ze. M ‘ yi oe eee Pe / ei a Sot A ro