CONNIE’S OFFER.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume X, Issue 28, 15 July 1893, Page 670

CONNIE’S OFFER.

BY MARY WILSON. WELL, my belief is that they’d all get married i somebody offered them the opportunity. I think half of them don’t get a chance.’ Dick turned his head on the cushion of his invalid chair and looked at Connie with indolent, half-closed eyes, and a smile that was too lazy to express anything. Connie swung her hammock a trifle farther, but she only laughed softly as she lay with her pretty hands clasped above her curly head, and her little feet peeping out from the hem of her white dress. * You don t believe me, then !’ Dick said, opening his blue eyes a little wider. ‘ \\ hy no, indeed I don’t. I know there are a thousand modest ways for women to invite offers of marriage, and when there is one w*ho never has any it is sure to be because she doesn’t want them.’ * Sure of that ?’ ‘ Quite. I never bad an offer, but I will wTager—anything, that I have one before December is out. Now’ what will you bet, Dick ?’ ‘ Anything. I see no signs of that kind. You are not in love with any of these fellows are you ? Why, you never had a sweetheart in your life,’ * It doesn’t follow that I never will. It [didn’t occur to me to get one before. I shall now, if only to prove to you that a woman can do as she likes.’ ‘ You don’t care for men, Connie, you are different from the rest.’ * I’m not sure of that,’ said Connie, getting up. ‘ I believe, since I think of it, that I do like men pretty well. Shall I bring my painting here? that last picture must be finished to day, and I am rested now.’ She was very busy painting and Dick was watching her when Dr. Allen called to see Aunt Amy. When his professional visit was ended he came out on the verandah, and Connie asked him to rest awhile. ‘ See, my hammock is just the coolest place you can find ; try it, won’t you. Doctor?’ The doctor hesitated, and was lost. He dropped into the hammock and fell to watching the pretty girl who sat near him. She chatted and smiled and dimpled in the prettiest way imaginable. The doctor admired ; Dick wondered. He had seen her nod coolly at the doctor when he came to look after Aunt Amy’s imaginary ills, but never before had she taken the least pains to amuse or attract him in any way. Dick was amused. ‘ Half believe she’s right,’ he thought, as he saw the doctor’s admiration increase. ‘ Won’t you go for a drive, Miss Connie? The afternoon is perfect,’ he said, after a while. ‘ But ar’n’t you busy ?’ Connie asked. He assured her that he was not, and she hurried to put her paints away.

Dick wondered still more. The idea of Connie leaving duty for pleasure was a new one. The picture would hardly be dry in time for shipping, if it had been finished to-day. His sprained ankle had something to do with that. Never before had Connie neglected any piece of work. She loved her art above all things. It was everything to her. At another time the doctor would have left the house with scarcely a word from the little artist. ‘ 1 think she's right,’ Dick thought when she came down in a trim blue costume, and a wide blue-ribboned hat shading her face. ‘ I believe she’s right, but I’d have exercised my powers on someone besides a stupid country doctor. Blessed if she didn’t fasten on to the first man she saw ! Tom Alien's a fool if ever there was one. Fell right into her flimsy little trap ! bless me if he didn’t. He never did know enough to come in out of the rain.’ Dick gave his hurt foot a vicious little kick, and forgot that Tom Allen had always been bis best friend. Connie enjoyed her ride, and she knew the doctor enioyed it also. It was all very funny. When she came home, Dick had been rolled into the drawing room, and Bessie Weller was playing softly and singing the sweet Scotch songs that Dick loved. Connie stood at the doorand looked in. Dick was lying back in his chair in evident enjoyment, while Bessie sang ‘Robin Adair’ iu her soft, expressive way. ‘lt takes very little to entertain Dick,’ Connie thought as she went on upstairs. ‘ And the idea of Bessie staying when I was gone and Aunt Amy iu her room ! I always knew she was bold under all her softness.’ Connie forgot that she had always loved Bessie dearly. Awhile after. Aunt Amy came down and Bessie went home, and Dick and Connie played a game of chess on the old board they had fought over years ago when Aunt Amy had brought them to her home, little orphaned cousins. The old lady watched them now aud sighed. She had hoped that the little fortune her husband had left her would not be divided. She had thought that both the children might love to stay here in the old place, but look ever so carefully and she could see no sign of the attachment she had hoped for. Even now Dick was determined to win the game, and refused to let Connie recall a move although she pleaded with such sweetness. He would not relent, and later, when he begged her to sing a particular favourite, she would not do it. ‘ I don’t know why they are so indifferent. Connie is pretty, and Dick is a handsome, clever boy. Oh, well, there’s no doing anything with them,’ and Aunt Amy said her nerves were worse, and went away to her room. The doctor came often now, and Connie lavished her smiles upon him, and indeed upon all the men who came within leach of them. She had always been so carelessly cool and indifferent to them that each telt himself especially favoured now, and it began to be a question how many offers Connie would have and which she would accept. Dick looked on in disgust and talked it over with Bessie, who wondered, in her quiet way, what had come over her friend ; for Connie was cool and unloving to this dear little friend. 1 She is really bold. The idea ot taking advantage of Dick’s accident to get into his good graces. I didn't think it of Bessie,’ she thought. December was nearly out. Dick was hobbling about now. Connie had gone to gather roses in the garden, and it happened that Dick was there. He threw away his cigar as she came down the walk. ‘ Can I help you ?’ he asked. ‘ I have all I want now, except some white buds to go with these red ones. There are three on that new bush at the end of the walk ; I’m just going after them,’ she said. ‘ I gathered them, Connie, late yesterday. I sent them to Bessie ; she wanted them.’ ‘ Oh, certainly,’ with elaborate acquiescence, ‘ I might have known. Of course Bessie must have them.’ ‘ I suppose you wanted them for Tom Allen,’ he said. ‘ I need not contradict you,’ she said, with a cool little smile. Dick s face grew red. ‘lt is a scandal the way you are making a fool of that fellow. I believe, though, that you mean to marry him, idiot that he is.’ ‘ Think so ?’ she said quietly, looking up at him. ‘\ ou can t take them all. I think you have won your bet.’ He pulled his moustache fiercely? She smiled. ‘ Think so ?’ she said again. ‘Yes; I do. How many of those simpletons have made fools of themselves to you ?’ She answered quietly : ‘ Only one, Dick. You are the only one who hasn’t been a gentleman—’ ‘ Fiddlesticks ! How much do you care what lam ?’ Dick s ankle hurt, and he sank down on Aunt Amy’s violetborder. ‘ I think Bessie cares enough ; I needn’t bother. You gave her my roses, my own white roses, and I wanted them for myself, for the little dark-blue vase you gave me ; and DOW — but Connie felt tears in her voice and wondered if she was going to cry about a few flowers. Dick’s heart softened. He caught her hands and pulled her down beside him on Aunt Amy s violets. ‘ I’ll get you some more, Connie. I will indeed. I’m sorry I gave those to Bessie,’ he said. ‘ No ; you are not sorry ; you care so much for Bessie—’ she began, but Dick hurried to say : ‘I don’t, Connie not as you care for Tom Allen.’ ’ ‘ I don’t care a bit about him.’ ‘ Then who is it ’ See here, Connie, why won’t you love me? Ive been suffering awfully lately. Won’t you send those other fellows away and take me, Connie, I—l love you—well, just terribly.’ Connie looked up archly : • Have I won my bet, Dick ’’ ‘Yes, but answer me, jou pretty little flirt.' Connie answered him, and somehow she let the other men know and then she fell easily into her old ways, and at last the doctor began to wonder if his imagination hadn’t played him a trick. And Aunt Amy had her wish at last, and Dick and Connie wondered why they hadn’t known it all sooner, and that is just how it ended.