Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 July 1909 — A ROMANCE IN A CAB [ARTICLE]

A ROMANCE IN A CAB

The stopping of his cab made Mr. Arthur Cargill look up from his paper. The way was packed. All at once he recognized a girl’s face, frightened and pale. “Jump in!” he cried. The girl saw him just in time, caught the extended hand and was by his side, panting and safe, In a moment. “My dear Miss Chesterton,” he said, “why do you run such risks?” “I don’t know. Suppose I’d been knocked down and run over?” “And by my cab,” murmured Cargill. Cargill, quite by accident, laid his hand upon Miss Chesterton’s. By this time they were approaching ihe Trocaderd. where Cargill had propesed to dine. . Miss Chesterton’s ‘-right had evidently quite put her " :i destination out of her head. The i't> drew up impassively. Miss Chestorten suddenly awakened. “Where are we?” she asked. "At- the Trocadero,” said Cargill, ’ s- lien- I hope you are going to dine with me.” "But I promised to be at Hampstead by 7. and I couldn’t think of dining with you as I am, Mr. Cargill.” “You can’t possibly reach Hampstead by 7. It is 6:30 now, and it’s precisely as you are that I want you to dine with me. “Now,” said Cargill, “come along. I insist on you coming. Remember, I saved your life.” “If you put it like that, Mr. Cargill,” she said, “you leave me no option.” “Dining,” he said, “is an art. Not one lady in a thousand understands it. The harmony must be preserved. It is not less subtle than music. Now, your misfortune this evening has been the means of giving me a great deal of pleasure. If you hadn’t jumped into my cab I should have been dining miserably—alone.” “You would probably have been quite happy,” Miss Chesterton said. “Believe me—no,” said Cargill. “To tell you the truth, I was thinking about you just before. I intended to call upon you tomorrow.” Miss Chesterton turned her head aside and sought earnestly for her pocket handkerchief. “1 should have been glad to see you.” she said. “I suppose you will consider it will be unnecessary to call now?” he asked. “Oh, no,” she said; “mamma will be in.” “I say it with all respect to your mother,” he said, “but I didn’t particularly want to see her. I wanted to see you.” “About the collie puppy you promised to get for me?” Miss Chesterton asked .hurriedly. “No, the puppy had nothing to do with it” “No,” Miss Chesterton agreed humbly. “I don’t want to spoil such a pleas-

ant evening—pleasant to me, at any rate.” “And to me, too,” she said. “Thanks," said Cargill, “but I’m going to risk it—if you could only promise not to be annoyed at what I’m going to "say.” He felt his way cautiously and watched her face sidelong. He was very much in love with Miss Chesterton, but he was still well enough in hand to go carefully. “I’m sure y<su wouldn’t say anything to annoy me, Mr. Cargill,” she said. “That’s a kind of permission for me to go on, isn’t it?” “Yes, unless you were going to propose something very dreadful." “I was going to propose,” said Cargill, catching at the word, “that you should marry me.” Miss Chesterton instantly felt that the eyes of all the room were upon her, but a glance assured her that she was as much alone there as in a church. “Is that so very dreadful?” Cargill asked. “No; it’s very kind,” said Miss Chesterton. “I didn’t quite put it in the form of a question, but 1 will now. I’ve been in love with you for quite three months—of course you didn’t notice it My dear girl”—he laid hold of her hand under the table—“will you be my wife?” Her fingers closed upon his, and she turned a flushed face toward him. “But the art of dining?" she said. “We should never get on together, should we? I know nothing about it, remember.” “Pll take the risk,” Cargill said. “Then you don’t take any interest in bazaars,” she said. * "None whatever, but if you particularly wish you can run a bazaar of your own and manage it all yourself." “Not for the world,” said Miss Chesterton. “Are there any other objections?” asked Cargill. “Because, if there are, we may as well settle them now.” “I can’t think of any more at present.” “Then you say ‘yes?’ ” “Mr. Cargill,” she said, “don’t you think you have me at a disadvantage—almost at your mercy? You see, you saved my life this evening and then gave me a very good dinner afterward.” “You admit the dinner was good?” “Excellent.” “Then forget about the life saving. I give that up—count it out” “But I can’t,” she said. “Then count it in,” he said. “I will.” said Miss Chesterton, “and T say yes.” There was a long silence, in which both Miss Chesterton’s hands were under the table. Suddenly she cried out: “It’s nearly 9 o’clock!" “Yes,” said Cargill. “I’m going to see you home now.” “Tn a cab?” she asked. “In a cab.” he. said. “If there’s any fund for pensioning decayed cabmen I shall subscribe largely to it” Try The Democrat for job work.