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Show A MEAN ADVANTAGE. They wero riding a tandem. Sho was In front a prettv, laughing, pouting pout-ing damsel with a wealth of copper-colored copper-colored hair and a pair of tantalizing, mtschlcf-mnklng eyes. lie sat it the back, gloomy In faco and In Mood. For him the courso of truo lovo ran anything hut smooth. Ho had known her for years had been her school companion, In fact, had been her devoted slave slnco tho very first day thoy had met. Ho remembered remem-bered that day very well. Ho had bought a whole cake of chocolate, aud ho loved chocolate dearly. It was his first hard strugglo with self, but ho conquered, and after a long last look and a sigh ho offered her tho whole eako. And she bIiu took It all with a smile and ate It without offering him is much as a bite. Ho looked back at their lives since, and felt that that chocolate Incident had been constantly repeated over slnco. Ho had given and sho had acceptedstill ac-ceptedstill with a smllo 'tis true, hut smiles did not content him now. Thoy wero so ready, and Bho gave them bo freely to others. Ho meant to havo everything or nothing. As ho sat behind on that tandem and admired her bright hair and caught n glimpse of her dainty pro-fllo pro-fllo every now and then, ho mado up his mind to put an end to his sufferings one way or another that evening. Ho burled himself In thought for some long time, and then a bright Idea occurred oc-curred to him. Hut his long sllcnca evldontly seemed to Irritate tha front rider. "How dull you aro today, Jack," sho said Impatiently. "You haven't said a word for tho last quarter of an hour. Don't you think It Is about tlmo wo turned back?" "What aro you In such a hurry about!" asked Jack. Tho girl laughed a bit consciously. "Well, I promised that I would get home beforo 7 o'clock, and and It's very particular," sho added, with a pout, "Mr. Seymour coming round probably," prob-ably," said Jack. "Mr. Seymour seems to be coming round a good bit lately, doesn't hoT Dut, Claro, I'm awfully so.ry, but I don't think you will got home In time tonight." "What do you mcanl" said Claro quickly. "Well, to tell you tho truth I don't know exactly where wo are." "Don't you know whero wo aro," achocd the girl angrily. "Don't be absurd. ab-surd. Do you mean to say you havo brQOKhLjR0,outZand.have been ctupld enough to loso tho way?" "That's about tho whole size of tho matter," said Jack, cheerfully. "Well, you'll havo to find tho way, that's all about It," said pretty Clare, vindictively. "And I'll tell you plainly mm? ffl3W fn CLUNG TO HIM IN TEMlOn. that I shan't place myself In a similar predicament In a hurry. Mr. Soymour wouldn't havo done such a foolish thing." "Good gracious! Not" laughed Jack. "Fancy seeing Seymour on a tandem." "Ho Is a gentleman If be Is nothing also," snapped Clare. "Well, I hope so," replied Jack. "He's got nothing else to recommend him. Well, wo won't discuss old Soymour. The thing Is to find tho way. Now jump off and we'll have a look about us." Thoy slowed up to whero two roads mot and Cltro did as she was bidden. Thero was no sign-post, and Jack setmed profoundly puzzled. "I think," ho said, after a bit, "we'll leave the tandem hero and go and ex-ploro ex-ploro a bit I'll tako tho road to the left and you tho ono to tho right, and we'll meet again In this spot," "Oh, not nol not Jack," said Cairo, looking round hor nervously, "Its get ting so dark and I'm afraid. I couldn't go down that long, dark lano." "Well, you stay here and I'll havo a look round. I'm not sure, but I think this la what they call 'Cut-throat Corner.' Cor-ner.' " Claro screamed and clung to him In terror. "Oh, Jaok, don't lcavo me," sho said entreattngly, "I should dlo of fright If It I saw anything. Let me go with you please 1" "All right," said Jack, well pleased at tho pressuro on his arm. "Dut you soo wo shall lose time, and maybo get on the wrong track. Supposing we don't get back tonight, Clare, what will the folks say?" A nw torror carao beforo tho girl's eyes. "Dut we must, Jack, we must," sho said earnestly. "Oh, if you have any rogard for me at all you would find a way." "That's Just It, Clare," said Jack. "I have a very big regard for you. Now, look hore, supposo you glvo me a llttlo encouragement promise mo It I got home bofore 10 o'clock that you will marry me." Clare caught her breath In with a gwp. "Anything! anything!" sho said tearfully; "only get me homo." "And If I don't," went on Jack, "vcople will think wo havo oloped, and well It would ho ever so romantic. Wo could " "How dare you?" said Claro Indignantly. Indig-nantly. "I'll never novcr speak to you again unless you got me home beforo 10 o'clock." "Illght you are," said Jack. "And now Jump up and we'll go and seek our fortunes." Tho two mounted tho tandem onco more-. Jack took tho turning to tho right, and for somo tlmo they rod on without speaking. At last something seemed to strike Clare ,and she looked round wondering." "Jack, what aro you doing?" she said. "D6u you know wo havo been going round and round tho same roads for cvor so long?" "Nontcnsc," said Jack gruffly. "We 'have left 'Cut-throat Corner' miles behind be-hind Ub. Havo you any Idea whero wo aro?" "Not yet," replied Clare. "Dut, wait. Yes, of course. Why, look! thoro's tho old church, and thero to tho right Is tho schoolhouso. Jack, I bellovo you have been deceiving me." "Well, and what it I havo?" said Jack stoutly. "Haven't you dccolvqd ra times without number?" "I'll never speak to you again novcr I" said Claro with determination determina-tion In her volco. "Hut you're not homo yet, remember," remem-ber," said Jack. "A promise- Is a promise, Clare." ho pleaded, "And you aro fond of mo; you can't deny It; only you llko to torment me to do something some-thing desperate Do you want me to take you back to 'Cut-throat Corner' and leave you?" "Yes. you'd hotter," pouted Clare, gaining courago as the approached scenes familiar. "I mean It," raid Jack. Clare sighed and shed a tear and then gavo In. "It Is moan of you to take advantage of mo llko this," sho said at last "Dut I suppose I deserve It, and If you like to havo such a horrid, selfish wife well, I supposo you can have her, but I dare say you'll repent your bargain before many months are ouL" "Shall I!" shouted Jack triumphantly. triumphant-ly. "Hurrah! What'll old Soymour say?" |