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Show Slow Stephan They all laughed at Stephan with tho cnrolcss uuklndness of youth and the burden of their laughter was that ho wnB so slow. Ho oven was slow at roscntlng their tun at his expense. Liko most big persons, Stephan moved pondorousty and his speech was heavy and slow. Something In his mild blue eyes seemed to question, but that wns all tho notice ho took of tho others' taunts. Tho reason thnt ho had bo llttlo tlmo to davoto to worrying ovor his countrimon's opinion of him wns that Stophan's mind was taken tip with Hosn to tho exclusion of all else Ho hadvfallcn In lovo Instantly with her pert llttlo smiling fnco and charming ways. Hosa darted across tho lino of Stophan's vision and left him gasping, gasp-ing, figuratively speaking. Sometimes ho gasped in reality that was when Hosn turned tho batteries of her quick wit upon him nnd left his mind whirling becnuso of his Inability to reply to ono speech beforo sho attacked at-tacked him again. Sho laughed at him along with tho others, ct sho did not boom displeased at his devotion. de-votion. Stephan wns good looking, nlthough this fact had novor occurred to him. Ho wns modost, nnd cllowed himself to bo olbowed out of tho way by others moro au'daclous If loss worthy. Hosa was nlwnys surrounded by admirers ad-mirers nnd SUphnn lurked dismally In tho bnckgrotnd, patlontly waiting for n glauco in Ulo direction. Rosa's glances camo htc way nt times. Stolla, who was Hosa's most lntl-mnto lntl-mnto friend, Jeered Hosa for being fond of her slow admirer. "Why do you wasto tlmo on Sto-phnn?" Sto-phnn?" demanded Stella. "Ho Is so big and so Blowl Ho nover dances or anything! Ho Just sits nnd looks at you!" "Maybo that's It," Hosa answered with a toss of hor hend. Stolla shrugged hor shoulders. "1 liko Bomo ono who Is gay, myself," sho said. "Somo ono liko Josof." Hosn smoothed hor apron and frowned. Josof was very attcntlvo to her. Ho hnd sparkling eyes and a llttlo mustacho, which ho kept curled nnd sharply polntod, nnd ho mndo pretty speeches on tho spur of tho moment nnd was vory suro of himself. him-self. Hosa lllrtcd with Josof nnd led him on, but that was moroly girlish coquetry, and sho shrank from anything any-thing moro. Of Into 'Vosef had woarled her. Stolla, watching Hosa, burst out or a sudden. "I supposo you think you'll cntch Borne ono grandor than Josof but let mo toll you " Hosa turned on hor. "Oh, Josof I " Bho mimicked. "Why don't you marry mar-ry him yourself If you think ho's so lino? I would It I liked him as much as you dot" Stella, routed, retreated, scarlet ot faco and vengeful of mind. Hosa, as if to provo her powor, wob kinder to Josof and paraded htm before Stolla and tho others. Perhaps this unusual leniency on hor part really pleased him, for ho seemed more natural and sincere Hosa oven thought sho had misjudged him. Thero scorned moro to Josef than sho bad surmised pep baps ho was not such a shallow man nftor all, Doforo sho knew how It happenod sho found herself engaged to marry Josef. All tho other girls envied her and tho oxcitemont' of proparlng for tho wedding bora her up. Hosa assured as-sured herself that sho was happy. This usually was after sho had caught a glimpse of Stophan, In tho background back-ground as usual, looking dumb devotion devo-tion nt her. Stophan hnd a vory sober faco thoso days. Tho thought of him Irritated Hosa strnngoly Onco when Josef spoko slightingly of him Hosa had started to reply furiously, but bit hor Up and wns sullenly silent. Sho know Josef would not enro for hor anger. Sho had grown to feel thnt ho did not enro deeply for anything. Stephan had been nsked to tho wed. ding, which wnB at tho church at an oarly hour, but ho was not thoro. "He'd bo lato to his owif" wedding!" somo ono laughed. "So why not nt another's?" ' Some ono olso wns missing tho bridegroom. At ilrst thoro was only restlessness on tho part of thoso who wore wnltlng. then enmo whisperings and surmises. After an hour n messenger mes-senger was sent nnd reported that Josof had not been nt homo for two days. Stephan arrived as they woro trying to calm tho hysterical Hosa, dosolato In hor wedding finery. It was an hour nnd n half after the tlmo set for the wedding For n moment Stophan lookod nt tho weeping girl nnd his hands clinched Then quietly he walkod to hor sldo and, brushing the others aside, bent over her. "Hosn," ho hnlf whispered, "look at me It Is Stephan. Forgot that wretch of a Josef! I'll have tho papers to marry you In half an hour if you'll sny yes! You know that I lovo you I" Rosa's ilttlo hands clutched his sleeve nnd sho ont on his shoulder. A wonderful happiness was stealing over br "I I'm glad Josef Is not hero!" she whispered, |