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Show (Copyright, 190C, by Dally Story Pub. Co.) I "'Faint heart ne'er won fair lady,' some fellow said; I'm going to risk tho Doctor." Thus tho youth, n bright-faced, bright-faced, curly-headed lad not out of his ftcens, throwing his head hack llko tho thoroughbred ho was. "My goodness," gasped tho girl, 'ho'll nay you alive.' "Not until ho subdues that fit of gout," replied tho . youth, his eyes (dancing. "If I'd mako ono pass to-A to-A ward his had leg ho'd holler llko a Joon." Tho girl laughed In spite of herself, then looked grnvo again. It might bo said In passing thnt I s was what tho twain called "Tho Ways and Means Commlttco" In full session. You seo It was this why: Tho lnd nnd tho girl with all tho ardor and folly of youth desired only one thing each other. They talked by day nnd dreamed by night of a. love-lit cottage where they could 'bV remain nlways hand In hand encom-iBT encom-iBT passed by nil the Joys of love. They B wero a likely pair too, high-bred, well BS assorted, full of Ufa and vigor and BB liopo and courage. BV; But, nlns, thero was tho Inovltablo Intern parent In this caso tho undo nnd gunrdlanN of tho girl, Dr. Kirk. Tho doctor had long ago deserted tho .scalpel and tho pill-box for tho worship wor-ship of tho golden calf. And It was BK with eastern devotion that ho bowed !BS before this shrine. So it may bo BY imagined that tho doctor did not view UBS with oven passing favor suits for tho UK hand of his fair nlcco whoso estate BVh of a hundred thousnnd and odd dol-BV dol-BV lars remained under his admlnlstru-BVff admlnlstru-BVff tlon during hor maidenhood. And BVn Ethel was only 17. And sho nnd BBV 4, Archlo simply could not wait four BVf' B' So It was that tho Ways and Means BV Commlttco sat In frequent session. AV And so they sat this bright spring BV afternoon In tho summer liouso. "You know, Archie," said tho girl, BV "that tho doctor will never consent BV to my marriage until I am 21. Ho BV likes to handle tho money too well." BV "Glvo him tho old nfbncy," replied BV Archie, savagely, "I've told you a BV hundred times. I havo got somo com- BJ Ing and I reckon mother would bo BJ decent about It. If not, by Georgo I BY can. mako enough to llvo on. Frnnk BJ Smith will glvo mo a plnco in tho bank." BJ "No, I will not marry without BJ tinclo'a consent," replied Ethel dccls- BJ lvcly. "Nor will I let him havo my H money. We must wait." H "Not by a jugfull," replied Archlo violently. "We'll outwit tho old Tar-IV Tar-IV tar. Trust mo. I'm going In now to sk him." B Tho boy dropped Into a brown H study for somo minutes. Then drop 's ping tho girl's hand ho leaped to his feet with a cry. "Hurrah," ho cried, "l'vo got It. Ho shall ask mo to marry you." m W "Shall I ring for n keeper?" re- fsponded tho girl. "Or havo you only been drinking?" "Look here," replied Archlo. "Alnt tho doctor shining around mother nil tho timo? Hasn't ho got his greedy "My goodness, he'll flay you allvel" eyes on ma's quurtor of a million? Well, I guess." ' "Why, you know sho wouldn't luivo him," replied tho girl. "I don't know any such thing," replied re-plied Archlo wjth mock gravity. "I don't know anything about It. What x right has a moro mon to nttompt to read a womon's heart. In fact, now lhat I think of It, I know sho has tho hghest respect for him one of tho oldest families nnd nil that sort of thing. And, by Jove, I suspect sho I) as ii tender f( fling. Ton my word, I do. Just come and watch my smoke." "But---" "No buts now," ho broke In. "1 must get It off my mind or I'll bust." He mnrched bravely Into tho houso followed by Ethel and a storm of protest. pro-test. "Dr. Kirk," he said solemnly, after ho hud invaded that worthy's library and seated himself under tho questioning ques-tioning hostility of tho shnggy brows. ''I havo observed for n long timo your attentions to my mother." Tho doctor grow purplo but tho boy went on unconcernedly: "And I will say frankly I havo observed It "Faint heart ne'er won fair lady, r." with pleasure for I always respected and esteemed you sir." Tho doctor softened a trifle, nnd Interjected In-terjected "Well sir." This abrupt Interjection nearly floored tho young man, but ho never flinched. "Well sir, ho replied. "There Is a clrcumstanco which I thought you should know beforo tho affair goes any further. According to tho terms of my fatlnr's will, If my mother marries beforo I nni of age, or am married mysolfT tho entlro proporty, her shnre as well as my own revorts to mo." "What?" exclaimed tho doctor. "Is that so?" "Yes, sir," replied Archlo. "And 1 thought you should know It. "Not thnt I want to throw a straw In your way. Quite tho revorso, I assure you. But as I am tho only man of the family and as theso property matters mat-ters should always bo understood between be-tween gentlemen I thought It only right to speak to you." "Quito right, quite right," remarked remark-ed tho doctor, ruminating, "of course thero has been no formal what shall I say understanding between your mother and myself. How old aro you my boy?" "Nineteen," replied Archlo. "I am very sorry to bnvo been compelled to say this, not only on your account, but on mother's. I am not, of course, her confidant In such matterB but I am aware sho respects you highly and nnd I wns nfrnld well I thought It bettor to set things right now." "You young rascal," roared tho doctor, doc-tor, smirking and poking Archlo with his cane. "You seo too much. You don't mean to say your mother Is becoming be-coming Interested In me." "I fear so, sir," ropllcd Archlo gravely. Tho doctor swelled up llko a hugo turkey cock and chuckled: "Lookco here," ho said, turning suddenly sud-denly on Archlo, "You'vo boon shining shin-ing nbout my Ethel cvor slnco I can remembor. Why don't you bring things to n head. Great Scott, young man, when I wns young wo used to mnrry early and get a good stnrt." "I'm afraid sho wouldn't havo me," replied tho conspirator shamelessly, "Tush, tush," rejoined tho doctor. "Fnlnt heart ne'er won fair lady, sir. I'll bet sho'd Jump at the chanco. You'vo got a pretty fortuno coming and you'ro a well-favored young buck." "I feared also that you would oppose op-pose her mnrrlage so young," remarked remark-ed Archlo meokly. "Not at all, not nt all," replied tho doctor. "Ridiculous, this talk against youthful marrluges. It's tho timo to marry." "And may I go to hor with your permission 6lr," asked Archlo eagerly. eager-ly. ' "Cortalnly, certainly," wns tho reply. re-ply. "Good luck to you. Don't tnko no for nn answer. Within tho hour Archlo led tho blushing and still unbelieving Ethel Into the dreaded lion's dun and thoy knelt to recelvo tho blessing of her guardian who was as fervent on bll j part as Archie wa3 on his. , Neither did the doctor opposo nr early wedding. Nay ho favored nu oven urged it, greatly to tho surprlo of Ethol to whom her betrothed .'o-fused .'o-fused to reveal tho method by w'4Jch ho had won over tho doctor. They wero married within tho month nnd It wns the following day when tho doctor mot his- Waterloo. Ho went all girdled for hi victory. "How In tho world did Archlo ovor gain your consent to marry yout nelco so young," asked tho widow. "1 was not really In favor of It but Archie Is so dominant llko his fnth or." Then tho doctor determined to make the hold strike. "Ho told me, my dear, dear, mad am," said he, bowing low, "that you could not marry before him without sacrificing your fortune, nnd mndam llko him I wns Itnpntlcnt." "Tho senmp," cried tho widow. "Ho told only n half truth. I cannot marry mar-ry at all without sacrificing my for tune to him." Just how the doctor got out of tho houso or what ho said, nobody excepting ex-cepting the widow knows, tho doctor least of all. |