FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   >>  
of beans." Polly stared freezingly at Tom, but he was completely mesmerized with the romantic picture he was presenting, and so he continued oblivious of his companion's expression. "We'll send Baxter flying, after this, and help poor Paul to hold his place with Nolla. I'll wire Paul to fix it so he can come East for Christmas, and surprise Nolla. Then we'll all announce a double engagement, eh?" Tom turned to watch Polly's face as she surely must second his plan, but he changed his mind when he saw her frown. "As usual, Tom, you're much too late in your brilliant ideas. Others are ahead of you. Paul has been here tonight and gone again, and Nolla will never have any engagement to announce--if she waits for Paul's declaration. "As for _me_! My announcements are being engraved now." Tom caught his breath in consternation at this news. "Your announcements, Polly! _Oh_, and you jilted me, after all!" Polly enjoyed turning the knife in the wound, because she felt so wretched herself for having ruined Eleanor's happiness. "I could not jilt anyone who never proposed, could I? I have maintained for a long time, and everyone who knows me is aware of it, too--that I am engaged to my profession and I have ordered my announcements to that effect. I propose sending out my business cards the first week of January!" The relief to Tom was so great that he sighed aloud: "Oh, thank heavens for that!" "I knew you would be glad, Tom; so you see you are sensible after all, and can thank heaven that you had no cause to be jilted!" laughed Polly, maliciously, but she felt no satisfaction in this outcome of her understanding with Tom. CHAPTER XV MUTUAL CONSOLATION It was at this point in Polly's independent speech that the door opened and Mr. Dalken came in with his two repentant lovers. Tom saw that the clouds had been dispersed and now there seemed to be a clear sky for Paul. But he was curious to hear what had happened during the short time he had been smoking that cigarette. Polly also saw Paul return with Nolla, and when she saw the happy smiles on both faces, she groaned, and turned to go to the library where, so little time before, the tragic lover had escaped with a determination to never look at another girl as long as he lived--excepting his mother. Tom followed Mr. Dalken to the dining-room to learn the particulars about the two individuals who had meekly followed the host back to the apartme
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   >>  



Top keywords:
announcements
 

turned

 

engagement

 

jilted

 

Dalken

 
announce
 
speech
 

independent

 
CONSOLATION
 

opened


MUTUAL

 

relief

 
sighed
 

January

 
business
 

heavens

 
maliciously
 
satisfaction
 

outcome

 

understanding


laughed

 

heaven

 

CHAPTER

 

happened

 

determination

 

escaped

 

tragic

 

library

 

excepting

 

meekly


individuals

 
apartme
 

particulars

 

mother

 

dining

 
groaned
 

curious

 
repentant
 

lovers

 
clouds

dispersed
 

smiles

 
return
 
smoking
 

cigarette

 

wretched

 
surely
 

double

 
Christmas
 

surprise