et her a drink of
water, she wants it; and if she asks to pay her bill at a hotel, she
wants that; to accuse her of anything else would be prying into her
private matters. If she didn't want to eat at your expense the first day
she was throwed with you--well, that was her business. I think it is
spunky, myself. I reckon you didn't come right out and talk marrying?"
Henley ended with a rather anxious look at his friend.

"No, Alf, I was afraid to--I don't know why, but, as much as I wanted to
ease my mind on the matter, I just couldn't get it out. It seemed to
lodge in my throat; in fact, I was scared half the time. Every time I'd
say a thing, no matter how little, I'd wonder if it injured my case or
not. Alf, I'm a goner--a clean goner. I'll never have a minute's peace
till she's mine. It's going to be slow work. I asked her if I couldn't
drive out to see her next Sunday, but she wouldn't hear to it. She
finally said I could come on the first Sunday of next month to hear a
brag preacher that is billed to appear for the first time on that date.
It's a dern long time to wait, but she's laid down the law, and I'll
have to obey it."

During the drive home Dixie seemed wilfully uncommunicative, and she and
Henley were silent most of the way. As they were on the brow of the hill
overlooking Chester, however, she drew a deep breath and said: "Well,
Alfred, I certainly had a bang-up time. Carrie Wade may make her brags
of how she runs things, but I certainly had a rip-roaring time."

"But," ventured Henley, his eyes on the jostling back of his horse,
"from what Long intimated--at least from what he hinted--it appears that
you and him didn't come to any, that is to say, any _positive_
agreement."

The girl laughed heartily, covering her face with both hands, and bent
downward.

"You men are so silly, Alfred. You want an important thing like that to
be over in a minute, while a woman--a woman naturally would like for it
to last. If that fellow could insure me, in some shape or other, that
he'd keep acting and talking like he did to-day, _after we was married_,
I'd be more interested than I am. But hot-headed ones like him cool down
about as quick as they get het up. As a general thing the marriage altar
seems to rest on a big cake of ice, and overheated couples catch colds
that make 'em sniff the rest of their lives."

"I've been waiting to hear you say how he--what you thought of Long's
looks," stammered the match-maker;