Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 May 1917 — ONE WAY OF SAYING IT [ARTICLE]

ONE WAY OF SAYING IT

By EDYTHE TERRILL.

The rolling links of the Glenwood Golf club stretched off to theSSvest and lost themselves in a series of undulating hills. From where he was sitting on the porch of the rambling clubhouse building, Dick Arnold could see the orange sweater of Doris Ackley flashing in the early afternoon sun. He watched idly as the girl completed her final putt on the home green and then strolled easily toward the veranda, unconscious of his presence. When at last she discovered him, the faintest tinge of red crept into her sun-browned cheeks, but she smiled pleasantly and seated herself on the railing before him. For a long two minutes neither spoke. The girl, her face half turned from him, gazed wistfully across the rolling greens. The man studied her silently. A slight breeze ruffled the brown curls of her hair, releasing them from the bondage of a small straw hat. “Doris," he said suddenly, “you promised to answer me today.” “Why do you want to know so soon?” she asked.

“Because I can’t wait any longer. It means everything in the world to me, and if you’re going to say ‘No’ I’d rather have it over with.” * “Tb tell the truth, Dick,” she said. “I don't know exactly what I’m going to say. We’ve known each other all our lives, and I always thought that some day we would be married. But lately, Dick, especially for the last year or so, I’ve begun to doubt you Just a little. It isn’t that I’ve doubted your love,” she hastened to explain, “but "I’ve doubted your ability to arouse my love.” “In what way?” “For the past two years you’ve been drifting along. Yon have all the money you need and you’ve grown careless; you spend the afternoons playing golf and the evenings playing bridge. And in the mornings you sleep. Is that ■ your Idea of a man’s work, Dick?” “No,” he answered, “it isn’t.” He gazed frankly into the girl’s accusing eyes. “I've been drifting-along as you have said, bnt —but does that make yon love me less?” “I think that perhaps It does.” she answered honestly. “I. have always thought of you as a man's man, Dick, but Instead of that you are growing into a fop.” He winced slightly at her words, but his eyes met hers bravely. “What can I do to make you care as I want you to?” he asked. “I want you to turn about aad do things worth while,” she answered. “This afternoon, for Instance, you mcjet Ned Parley In the final round for the club championship. Ned is a better player than you, but if you resolve to win and show me that you can stand by your resolution, perhaps Hl give you the answ’er you need.” “And you would stake all your future on a golf match?” he asked Incredulously. “It isn’t the match that counts,” she explajned, “it’s what the match stands for.” He rose and squared his shoulders, the heavy muscles standing out strangely beneath the light fabric of his golf coat. z , - “If I win, will you promise to marry me?” he asked. “Yes,” she answered. It was almost six o’clock, and the sun was J beginning to disappear around a neighboring ridge when Doris Ackley discovered the two finalists. The match had narrowed down to a question of putts. Dick tapped the ball gently. Straight toward the hole it rolled. But suddenly it struck a large stick, swerved for a fraction of a second and then came to a halt. And then, to make matters worse, Ned Farley holed a 20-foot putt and won the match. When Dick congratulated his opponent Doris noticed that his face was pale. She went back to the railing on the porch and waited. The sun sank beneath the neighboring ridge and streamed the west with crimson. Twilight fell rapidly, but the girl still remained in her place. Finally steps sounded on the porch and Dick Arnold stood before her. “I didn’t win.” he said simply, “but I tried my level best.” “I know,” she answered. “I was watching you.” “That was the hardest of all—to lose on the eighteenth hole when I knew you were watching.”. —x—— — Something in his voice caused the girTs eyes toToften. “Does a mere golf match count so much, Dick?” she asked. “Didn’t you tell me if I won today you would promise to marry me?” “Yes, but what does that matter?” “I didn’t win, and I suppose the promise is off.” “Why, Dick?” The girl’s eyes shone like twin stars in the gathering twilight?. “Did I say that.if you didn’t win T wnrtt/l refffiW to marry you?” “No, yon didn’t say that—” Something in her face caused his own face to light up with sudden happiness. “Do you mean to say you will marry me, anyhow?” The girt nodded. “You’ve shown me today if you try hard tou can do things,” she swered. “It was only bad luck which defeated you.” (Copyright, 1917. by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate.)