The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1904-11-11

l1OA-nCl Adnu Qlo ShdhI, lha Sh0
looked as if it would have been re-
lief to her feelings to have launched the
teapot at my head.
Monty, you are trying" she ex-
claimed; upon my word you are! You
insist that you've come to tell me, as
your best friend, that you've really found
some one that you could care for at
last, and then you sit and twist your
mustache and make me guess all the
wrong people, and"
II never made you guess anyone"
said, Indignantly, removing my hand
from my upper lip with jerk. II mere
ly informed you that fell in love yes
terday. / suppose there's no objection
to that? And when you suggested that
it happened at Lady Follet's, agreed"
Well" said Elva. In judicial tone,
t'you didn't stay more than three-Quar-
ters of an hour. Directly you arrived
you took me to see the aviary, and the
rest Of the time you spent in the rosary
with Mollie Richards"
eff I'd known you were watching my
movements so carefully" began.
Elva blushed furiously.
when people make themselves con-
spicuous," she said, frostily, their do
ings are bound to form the subject OF
comment. Mollie Richards always per-
sists in wearing maize with her particu-
lar shade of red-auburn hair, and-I
could see her from all over the garden
Almost without looking?" l sug-
gested, carelessly.
Elva passed over this remark with con-
tempt, but couldn't help noticing that
the flush deepened.
"Well, as it's not Mollie," she observed
with dignity, "and as you've called on
purpose, perhaps you'll be obliging
enough to tell me who it is, so that may
congratulate or condone with you, as
the case may be-"
You'll condone," said I, with con-
yiction.
why, please?"
Because she--this girl, who isn't
sMol1ie Richards. you know. doesn't care
a straw for me-in that way, and the
whole thing is hopeless"
Elva softened instantly.
How can you tell if you've never
asked herr" she demanded "She may
be simply pining away for your sake.
if you only knew"-her gaze wandered
through the window and settled on
bed of brilliant begonias in the front
garden-"girls don't always wear their
hearts on their sleeves, even in these
matter-of-fact days, Monty"
| raised my eyes. They had been
h,,o 81 \, -
the carpet.
do you think it's likely" J asked,
that any girl would really fall in love
with man twice her age, if
''Oh, she's young" interrupted Elva.
hastily. do you know, I'm rather glad
of that"
held up deprecating hand.
please let me finish" implored.
Twice her age. when she's tyrannized
over him, teased him and looked upon
him as an old fogey for the greater part
of her natural life?"
Elva eyed me sharply. The color
came and went in her cheeks in way
that had never seen it before. put my
eyeglass in order to better admire the
effect
"You said you'd seen her only once
or twice." she resumed, severely; but
the quiver in her voice robbed the Sc
verify of any sting.
waved my hand.
Lovers license!" said, airily. ~
couldn't divulge everything at once"
"If you've known her so long, how
comes it that you cnly-well-discov
cred the state of your feelings yester-
day?">
There is tide in the affairs OF
men," quoted. Likewise, there is
psychological moment when a man sud-
denly realizes fact that may have been
staring him in the face for years."
''And that psychological moment oc-
Cured at Lady Follet's?"
Occurred at Lady Follet's,"
echoed. And then there was long ST.
lence.
let my eyes wander slowly round the
room. They fingered vaguely on the
ridiculous blue cats with which Elva
adorns her mantelshelf. and skinned
the photographs of her numerous adj
mirers-some OF them thrust carelessly
into the overmantel and some, the more
fortunate smirking at me from elab-
crate frames.
I think Elva's eyes must have been
wandering, too. for they came to an
Choir at the same moment as mine, and
then, without any rhyme or reason, they
filled quite suddenly with tears.
Now can never see woman cry
without feeling that something
thing drastic must be done at once