Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-01-13

waited for q cab after the performance
at the Haymarket on the following
Thursday.
"Whst do you mean? 1 like her."
said Kit, whether from conviction, or
from loyalty to Dick it would be hard
to say.
"Ob, yes; she's delightful" said
Charlie, who never allowed himself to
be snubbed for moment, "but she's
not going to marry Dick for all that"
Kit drew her hand abruptly out of
his arm. Cant you see further than
that? ?" she said scornfully. 'It's Dick
who doesn't want her any more. Per-
haps you know what changed him? /
don't"
In another hanson, hurrying in the
direction of Mazda Vale, Dick Hallett
was developing the situation he had
made for hismself three nights ago at
dinner. When man has spent all
his life in being afraid of unimportant
people, such as shopmen and post
office girls, it is difficult for him to re-
alize that he is expected to take the
initiative with the woman he loves.
Yet this is what Dick was forcing him
self to do as the hanson rolled along
to Mazda Vale, and Pauline Duucombe
sat by his side.
81 don't believe you like me to lee,
ture you on your work" said Pauline,
breaking off suddenly in dissertation
on method, which she had merely be-
gun by way of filling an awkward
pause. There had been many awk-
ward pauses that evening, and to Paul
inc Duncombe they appeared in the
light of a novel experience.
"Oh, don't mind in the least,"
said Dick, candidly; "you see, you
know ever SO much more than / do
about painting"
"Only about painting?" she cried,
piqued.
Dick thought ca refully. "I'm not
sure" he said. and he looked straight
in front of him at the rain trickling
down the glass.
''That's evasive," she said, shrug-
ging her shoulders and she repeated
her question, "only about painting?"
"Oh, perhaps not" he replied in
differently.
"What else, then?"
''It doesn't matter, does it?"
"What else, | say?"
GLOW can l tell you what l don't
know myself?" persisted Dick, and
imagined that he was going to silence
her.
"Why do ask you, if I know al
ready?"
"Well, I don't think you need ex-
actly?" he said, with simple directness,
while she tapped her fan angrily
against the window ledge.
"How insufferably serious you are
this evening"" she said contemptu-
ously.
"I'm very sorry" said Dick; "what
do you want me to do?"
"To be like you were the other
evening"" she answered quickly.
Dick drew in his breath and looked
out the side window. "I'm afraid l
can't" he said.
"Why not?"
because it isn't the other even
ing"
NO." cried Pauline in a mocking
tone; "thero isn't your picture to talk
about, nor your aspirations, nor the
sister you wanted me to meet"
"No, l don't we will talk about
those any more. Are you tired? We
are nearly there"
eyes. and you are glad, aren't
you?"
"Oh, no" assured Dick; 81 am not
in the least bit tired"
She leaned back in her corner and
tried being disconsolate.
81 don't know what has come over
you," she said with sigh in her voice,
land had SO looked forward to this
evening""
"Had you? Yes, it would be
change for you," said Dick with a
laugh.
81 don't often get any fun" she
went on, without needing the insinua-
ton. II am all alone in the world,
and people are not often kind. 1t
was the kindness in your face the 9TH
er night"
''Shall we have the glass up?" said
the inexorable Dick. cts stopped
raining, and it's so stufy."
Gas you like" she said, and the
weariness in her voice was real. 81
don't much care what happens, if you
are going to be like all the rest.
''Then there are plenty more"
thought Dick, bitterly. But he was
finding it rather hard to hug his griev-
ance.
"Why are you so strange this even
Ing?" asked the complaining voice at
his side.
ooh, I'm all right You needn't
bother me, he said, brusquely. "Here
we are, at last"
She said nothing while he dismissed
the cabman and followed her up the
steps.
care they waiting for you, Or"
"No; l have key" she said, and
held it out to him and as he took it
she caught his fingors in hers, AMI