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Show Luck of the Black Cat t"YELI' then 1 shaU not go" A sala PRUllne. v "But Pauline, Its so rl dlculous protested the youngr man who had just gone back into the house to get the young- woman a for eotten handksrche' "It I am so ridiculous as all that" said Pauline, drawing herself up haughtily 1 don t suppose you want Me to marry you any more." Tou haven t married me at all yet rejoined the young- man ruefully "But I dldn t say you were r dt&ulous I said that It seems ridiculous to he swayed his way and that constantly by all scrts ot llttl uperstttlons "But 1 ten said Poullne eagerly "It won t take you a minute Just to sit down and count ten- and it would make me so happy She was plainly wheedling "It makes me feel like a fool snapped Wharton as re flopped down on the step an? rapidly counted ten Pauline an aotvn the steps and thrust her little hana into his Just long enough to give an appreciative little squeeze You re Just the most darling thing she said. THE QCFSTIO-V Dick looked down at her gloontly Then he laughed. Absurd little money" he ejacu lated as h helped her Into the wait Ing motor car TVhen are you going to marry me I don t know sa d Pauline. "You see" she chattered along without giving h m an opportunity to purs e the subject "It lsn t that I think anv thing Is really truly going to happen but so many things no happen that It doesn t do anv harm to take precau tlons don t yoo know? Now yester day Jane dropped her umbrella Just as we were starting out to call on Mrs Emmett That jneans a disap polntment, yo i know So I was sure she d he at home because we very particularly dldn t want her to be and she was and T belle e even Jane will pav more attention to me now Dick looked unhappily down the road 1 guess I mu t have done nothing but dr p umbrellas since I met vou he said. "Why Dick'- said Pauline. Why? At this po nt she glanced down the open stretch of road In front of them and gave a terrified little gaso Oh Dick she cried "stop the car " Dicl " n d tn el U fflll PMt that eat I shall die. or w,y,? wiU r ""be therelr be our Z frain wreck when we go on ""'"S flP and well both o. killed. Dick you know I don t be I n now how much I love you. how rr-t rTe 1 ever "Planed Quit, now crazy r am about you I I rd $?. ,aiV2h,naf ln th world for yon. thatcTt"" ' pI'ase not drlve Past Dick looked steadily down the road and not at the attractive young woman who sat beelds- him. He knew the effect those pleading eyes always had i on him loud do anything for mer he said 'Would y ou for instance ga ' with me now to a minister a and I marry me'1 j He felt rather than heard Pauline ' little gasp j "But would nt we have to have a' license or) something? she Quavered. "We can go and get one first re. plied Dick his eyes on the cat Pauline burled her face In her hands for the fraction of a second, t seems perfec ly terrible she whiskered to be married without any brld esnraids or veil or flowers or any thing But It would be awfuller to pass that cat Dick won t you please, please, turn around and not nake me marry you right this minute I will do It some time honestly I will but It will be so horrid to hae evervbojy talk ng about it and saying w eloped I shan t mind a bit, said Dick serenely "Dick da you honestlv r ean If" Pauline asked tremulously Wont jou turn around unless I unless we unless I promise?1 No I won t "Perhaps if we sit here awhile the cat will go away That wouldnt change the situa tion I know something about these things rryself and they tell me It doesn t make any difference It s ust as bad luck to cross the road after the cat s eone as It s to go past it Truly queried Paul e humbly We e elL But why did you do such a mean, sneaky thing cried Pa 1 ne s s ster d stracted y when he two appea ed before her and confeB ed at ey had done Oh I couldn t bear he t o t of a big fuss wedd ne a Paul ne brazenl And nei he cou d D ck " si e a ded as an after 1 ought CouU n Dickie bird'' |