" It was
certain that the interesting Boston man had acquired a clear field.
Tinkletown's beaux gave up in despair and dropped out of the contest
with the hope that complete recovery from his injuries might not only
banish Bonner from the village, but also from the thoughts of Rosalie
Gray. Most of the young men took their medicine philosophically. They
had known from the first that their chances were small. Blootch Peabody
and Ed Higgins, because of the personal rivalry between themselves,
hoped on and on and grew more bitter between themselves, instead of
toward Bonner.
[Illustration: "'I beg your pardon,' he said humbly"]
Anderson Crow and Eva were delighted and the Misses Crow, after futile
efforts to interest the young man in their own wares, fell in with the
old folks and exuberantly whispered to the world that "it would be
perfectly glorious." Roscoe was not so charitable. He was soundly
disgusted with the thought of losing his friend Bonner in the hated
bonds of matrimony. From his juvenile point of view, it was a fate
that a good fellow like Bonner did not deserve. Even Rosalie was not
good enough for him, so he told Bud Long; but Bud, who had worshipped
Rosalie with a hopeless devotion through most of his short life, took
strong though sheepish exceptions to the remark. It seemed quite settled
in the minds of every one but Bonner and Rosalie themselves.
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