“Harry Renway,” exclaimed Alice, “if you make our private affairs a subject of public gossip I’ll never speak to you again as long as I live.”
Thereupon Harry demonstrated that he was not as “simple” as he was supposed to be, for he promptly returned the kiss that she had given him on a previous occasion. There could be no misinterpreting “our” private affairs.
“When?” he asked.
“Oh, pretty soon,” she replied, for the flirtatious instinct was still in evidence. Besides, under the circumstances, too much haste might be in poor taste. However, their friends were told of the engagement, and that was something. Tom Nelson was angry and disgusted.
“The fool!” he exclaimed. “A live man wants to have the use of his money, and he has tied himself up with insurance. That isn’t my way.”
“But he got the girl,” some one suggested.
“Not yet,” retorted Tom, “and you never can tell.”
In truth, it seemed as if Tom’s insinuation was almost prophetic, for Alice procrastinated and postponed in a most tormenting way, and Harry took it all in good part for two or three months. There was no particular reason for this delay, as the preliminaries of such a wedding as they would have could be arranged very quickly, and in time it tried the patience even of Harry.
“The semi-annual premium on that first policy is due the day after to-morrow,” he remarked one evening.
“Well?” she returned inquiringly.