Show to lc Short Fiction Story 4 r x KEEP HIM GUESSING By LOUISE OLNEY the Newspaper Newspaper ew ht t t. t 1013 1913 by News News- paper Syndicate came down to breakfast a atI tI de late Jato and LIld In the way now nO tu to her Her Her- mother eyed her hery y y aa as if It counting up her charms chums t dear positively you blush now f 1 look Jook at you Do try to be more fl I Its It's your second se-cond season but you like Ilke a novice H Margaret ate grape- grape t tand and Mid said nothing Her Hor only hope hope hope- vain one was one was that John Normans Norman's it would wo not be named Her lIer mother however She Bhe had hod married three iree daughters already but this on one on she che could n not t under understand At t dinner last laet you were like Uke a a a. ae e and just drank drunk in John Normans Norman's e while a-while jc while Effle Effie Dean kept his hi eves hh her across the theta tab table e-e e ahe he a s snatched eato ed hl hIRt hIR t away right under your our eyes oyes and let herl her Any clever girl would have bavo her In to three minutes Of coune mows hea he worth her best beet efforts e passed Don the eon a cup of cot cof- J I didn't want to atop her het sal said eald Mar Mar- farHer t. t Her mother stared Margaret eel sel answered lOt t 1 am am not trying to int interest in- in terest t him If Effle Effie W wants him and can Wt well m him well you ou dont don't understand me Iam am Fact not trying to marry myself off ort off aad Ir 4 I I wont won't help you TOU do It Ill I'll go co to work Or i Lowrie's office office office-If If you yon k keep p throwing IBM ta e at men a heads heads- Mr Fremont ga gasped ped and Don stared nd then chuckled Y for tor little Mar Margie I Something g w aeral The mouse moose can squeak when It beets etu in a tight place I Never mind sis Me ou n shant shan't be married off ort Just Jum because a follow IB is rich and aM popular IB la no reason reaBon why you OU shouts hoWd want to marry him But Bui ButU fit U Jt you JOu do like him mammy mommy Je Is rl right ht about Jon aw dont don't don't dont be 00 so passive keep keep him sing M Men n like him are re veal d to think think- IB is dead dMd crazy y about them Margaret could endure no DO more She rose role roxe and marched out of the tho room her I dark a full tuu of tears tur In the hall ball she ehe watched a white sw sweeter sweater ter nD and a a. little cap And and MC escaped by the side I door her slim tense une an and ana her head nigh gh It was the rat first of October and the leaves Ius were WeTa yellowing the hll trills hills were blue with mat eats t and on the horizon early as it L was enterprising men and girls were f already y beginning to golf She started I for tor fora a walk aiming for tor a lon tonal lonely ly path that k would lead Iliad Into the bigger r patch h of woods She he wanted d to Io lose loae Je But again kope p. p cheated her ber for tor as she turned a corpe cor- cor pe Hal Kerston appeared HJ HH His boyish bland ta face lighted n. with pleasure Oh Joy oy oh ob Joyl he chatted cap In land and Here era she is 18 and without that ever ever- everlasting lasting Norman man at ber her ht lal Hero he Is In her right mind with a smile amile for foran foran forlan lan an old friend I Can I go 0 too Maggie Say yea resl If It you yon say yes yea then Ill I'll n let you nay kay when too When WhOn you are tired of ot Cm pie I ht out If you you'll u 11 fly giro ve tho the word 1 but Rent let me come coma too Going to walk Tea Y Como along aIon w she he eald d with a aall tonne n all at t U I 1 i alway like ilka to walk walls ft you The two went on along kicking Mb leaves the boy laughing but his e eyes s serious The great trees whispered ered In ine in e morning momma wind Margaret forgot her herand herand and was momentarily happy haDDY but h. h soe b wondered what made mado Ha 1 seem em- em such ouch Ta a to her Then h ho like lake Brutus sud- sud d stabbed her with a question V w I 1 hear youre you're to be bo married mamed His wa was hurt burt You know how I always alWays al- al IWa Ways wanted you But If Normans Norman's going coing ito to to make you happy hes he's he's hes a prince prinC all aU allright right bt all right Ill I'll 11 try tIT to be he decent decant about It you know know- know t f.- f. fib cut out him short angrily tears teara close clone to to falling her small fists clenched at her Neither of ot them saw a tall quiet man mn coming toward them You Tou tool she he walled to Hal her heri i clear vol voice quite distinct Im to hear nothing but John Norman breakfast Norman breakfast dinner supper 1 from my own folks folks and and m my my friends even even you I thought you'd have haYe more sense MMel Whoa When Im I'm going to be married ru announce my engagement properly rm Tra not going to marry Mr Norman despite the worlds world's ins ing In the the- first place he hasn't hunt asked me No man with any self respect would uk auk me after the way my mother and sister Iter have hay thrown me at his t Phe he blinked back tho tears and Hal 1 reached her r hand which she snatched back The big bigman man blue eyed dark duk haired and with a face stood shamelessly listening 1 Margaret went on In the e second ond place I dont don't like a man who mutt musty know what's what going on and on-and and still keeps kep up their hopes hope by hanging around me enough to embarrass me Its It's mean mesa and Dd base bue for me to say aay thu but this but he ho wont won't take a hint I har hardly ly speak to Mm And nd then mother scolds me she me-she she say uy I have M no spirit rye Ive too much to be made mad merchandise of I wont won't be Pretty for him You Ton cant can't help being pretty prett for the tho said eald Hal HaJ Look here hero hero- you here you marry many me Mal Maggie e. e Youve You've always known known m me m. Come on We can have It ft over in an ItU hour bour Couldn't you you love love me Couldn't you you you- Maggie Mawe put her arms up against a 1 tree and put hilt her curly dark head against them thorn and began to cry but in a moment she turned on Hal HaJ who was comforting her vanity she vanity she turned like lIko a little tur fury You go away Rvay this moment Dont Don't wait aft to talk talk talk-ju just Just t go o She hid her hor face again Ha Hal surprised and hurt marched straight oft off ahead of him still eUll unaware of tho the big man in tho the gro gray groy y suit who I stood very near Margaret Ml t cried a moment and then bc began an to wipe her hor oyes Every single man in the tho world either wants ants to marry marr or not to marry marry I she said aloud Why V y cant can't they they they-H M A rustle made mado hor her turn silent in terror Mr r. Norman 1 She Sho was WILB very white and limp and J leaned against tho the tree Ho He took off his hat his Ono fine strong face serious I listened I listened h ho PAid Mid It was was was-bc was beast beastly t- t ly Iy of me but me-but but I needed to know the truth It was very plain truth truth truth-Marga- Marga Margaret ret She stood Blood with eyes downcast playing with her crimson cap caT h her hor r fin fin- gore pors ors trembling tears tear falling on bee hec cheol cheeks checks She choked I l 1 think men are not as vain as you think them I dl did not know know your your family fam fam- Rm- Rm ily 11 was as annoying you you about about mc me I was WI perfectly Deflect unconscious It is Ie due to my- my solf self to eay ay that I have also aloo boen been perfectly perfectly per per- honest honet I have stayed about you I because I I have havo learned to love lovo you I you I wanted to win you I 1 wanted you to you to marry me Rut nut not unless I could could could- unless you vOU could trul truly truly love love me I suppose sup Bup- pose poso that now thin Is la my dismissal Dont Don't you ou think that if It we had been left to ourselves without others meddling that you might have liked mo better Still she was very pale but she looked UP UD and met his glance bravely bra I did I I did lice like you at you at first but first but It U is s not notO m my fault that meddlers meddlers- meddlers No Not it isn't your oUr fault of course rm Im sorry norry I X 1 spoke so to Hal Hat I was very an- an gry ry But Im I'm glad you heard mo me r- r I Something tremulous and sweet Woot dawning dawning- In her face waked hope In him Ho came rome and very gently took toot one of ot her hands Margaret you dont don't want that boy real Hal Rl For a 8 wretched moment she eho did not speak Then she shook her head ve ye- hem Of Ot Of course not not John Norman took h her r other rand hand cant can't you l J learn arn m to care forme for tor forme me mc The shrinking left her and she met his glance quietly Can you Margaret Margaret Margaret Mar Mar- garet 7 Are thin things I to be s spoiled for us Ul b by the these e people who dont don't un understand She let him draw her toward him Tt It I wouldn't be fair Margaret Would It With a quick little movement she Rhe hid her hor fn face e against hi his sleeve and stood limp Ump and bd passive in his ls arms anns Dearest dearest earest His Hi voice olce wan waa low and poignant with jO Joy and triumph You do love Joe me mo She Sha nodded her head against his armIt armIt arm It hurts to care so 10 much she murmured murmured mur- mur |