| Show christinas christmas parcel f for or miss melinda package did not contain expected ring but sha became engaged by MARION R REAGAN iss MI nil I 1 INDA IV DA N spinster flanter I 1 11 lid been t pen uniting hit 11 vo vir fir for I 1 eair dorrit to impose 11 in fact ever fine pi rue they irid met forill t ho i to years vears before she the had hail felt thit wit I E eter could he brought aronn aroun I 1 to take the I 1 big plunge with her into the st P i i df matlion matl mon but thines things lint not gon on on so go well as she could lime hope I 1 bhe was ulis sure peter loel lier tier tut he ii as nn an extremely sav inan all abil I 1 it re quiren no little puhl pushing ng t pet get I 1 linn ina up to the point li several everal time Il melinda elinda thought she had hail I 1 llin hilt he had gi glen en him eiery opening ty ly referring col cul to her o own onn nn little home if she sheerer ei er had one and to her lonel life at pre present ent but peter only sat sl ill lent at such remark remarks ignoring them completely or stupidly tell ing her that after all many people led more lonely cheo than she and anti not to be so go discontented mellady looked form ard to the a p apro p r 0 ft aching e h I 1 n g season alth ft ath glee surely he lie wo ild rhe ghe her a ring for christ mas mos after these months of courting the season adian advanced ced and christmas arrived bringing a parcel from mr moffat and a note sent from chicago melinda heart sank when she saw the postmark out of town for then it t Is all oft off I 1 she said sadly badly she glanced at the pack age ten inches square surely no en ga gement ring in that slowly she untied IL it it was writing paper she opened versed the letter from him and real read just a christina christmas greeting hoping rou ton ill write to me frequently I 1 ahall be in chicago for several months sincerely PEITER MOFFAT furious melinda tore the note into bits 1 I shall never look at him again ghe she breathed and after tao the ay rye run after him I 1 rut but been the trouble rye run after him too much I 1 shall never write to him froin out I 1 shall never speak to him again never speak to him again I 1 she repeated emphatically and melinda kept her word peter reter moffat wa was growing a little uneasy three months had passed and no word from melinda it fin illy be came too much even for the patient mr moffat lie ile felt his temper rising steadily against melinda thinks ehe she can play a game like that ehl after ima while rm in town and an then drop me when I 1 go away probably after some other man now this thought brought crimson flashes of jalowy ja joa louy lousy to the already highly colored cheeka cheek of peter moffat by Oe george torge no woman will ill mike make a fool out of mel me I 1 he exploded go to spring field tonight and ru 1 make her marry roe me after all these months of courting her bet too I 1 I 1 it eo to happened that hello W in arthur ich win hat come froni from kan ing ait it i aai haing dinner with her at the h tel tit night peter If moffat tame in from chicago I 1 eter was hur ra rang ing do down n the streit t from the sta station I 1 ton when ho he happened to look in at the I 1 it lighted of the hotel and ther what lie ile stopped acil dead still th till PI cercen monster onster ro rig ris ine ing in big breast ireat it was uns Al elinda with nith another mini 1 first impulse was vas to ru into the hotel punch this impertinent st strander ranzer 8 nil 11 1 c cam arv 1 me I elinda landa off with ith him bat but this ehy thy ness was stronger th in his pas slon and be only turned an anav at grinding his teeth and clenching his hi fists he ile would see melinda in the morning at her house housel 1 the next morn leg ing about nine 0 clock melinda was vas surprised to see ree peter moffat at her door she began to tremble nervously I 1 good morning morn lne peter she gald bald to him hirn and ler ier tended a cold hand peter grunted ie ile come to talk to you melinda he said very seriously indeed tind clod the door behind him they sat in the little parlor of the proa houe house you haven t been playing a straight game with me melinda I 1 hp he began 1 I I know all about it yon you neail t try to explain I 1 saw you I 1 las abt night and ive seen you other nights lits you hare have only been using me as 3 plaything while youve had these other fellows on the side melinda gapped why peter moffat afat you voit she khe could think of noth I 1 ing to say 1 I kno all about it he repeated 1 I 1 e been w i ahching you now novi all tit I 1 e got to isay ay Is that I 1 m not a man mall to be trifled nith either lither your you in marry y me re nt it once or you never will see me again I 1 want an answer right now yes or no melinda felt aa u though ehe she had been suddenly hurled into an fir avalanche she could not understand what had goten gotten into peter or what he flag referring to she did know however falth an ain ecstatic tense sense of delight that he was proposing ni ill marry wb whenever you enever you say so y peter reter she eald said meekie peter feeling really greatly triumphant leaned over and kissed bla bb future wife tenderly well be married tomor row 4 be lie eald said 0 H union |
