The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-03-04

made her the most Lc.:gntful compan-
ion. lie found he was frctting less
over Johns advantages, but now and
! then the old jealous thoughts would
! come.
'-irc you not almost placatedT' he
asked laughingly one night.
! Belle answered with spirit: do you
think six boxes of chocolate and three
bouquets would atone for all that
laughter In the dress circle and those
catcalls from the gallery. No, indcedw
Dickey acknowledged that she was
right and went on playing the agree
able and as he was rs much philos-
oplcr rs martyr he set himself to get
I'll the pleasure possible out of his new
, role. 1t was really surprising how
quickly time passed in Bellies presence.
AS she swung in the hammock with
her lCngthcnCd skirts frourrouing about
her she made him tell her all about
his hopes in his profession and
never doubted but that he would
achieve his ambitions. Sometimes she
talked of Jessie and wished, with
lanGushing glance into Dickcy's eyes.
that she were like her sister. lit would
hH so lovely To have man like Dickcy
in love with her" lie. looking close to
find the coveted likeness. discovered
she was vcTy much more beautiful than
Jessie and wondered that he had never
known it before.
After six weeks of this sort oC thing
Belle sighed prcttily and said she sup
posed he had spent quite enough time
and money on her TO salvc her hurt ana
that he had better resume his attcn-
tons to Jessie. OF course she would
miss him, she added with dropping lids.
but She trusted she was no usurcr to
claim moro than her debt DicIcy
went away with an odd sense of some
Ching lost Juggling Mt his heart. The
next evening he came, intending TO 90
into the parlor and begin his rivalry
with John, but somehow the lonely lit
Tie figure in the hammock drew him
aside, and he spent the evening us he
had spent the preceding oncs-in the
moonlight.
"Goodby," he said at parting. "To-
morrow | really must break into Johns
game and recover my lost ground"
She sighed and then laughed so
quickly that Dickcy could scarcely
separate the two. He stood confused
for moment, and when he recovered
himself lie found that he was still
holding her hand and that she was
watching him shyly. lie went away
with his brain in whrl In his cf-
forts to soOth her feelings had he made
the child love him? Far into the night
he sat smoking and thinking, and in
the morning the queer feeling was still
in his breast, and Blackstone lay open
but unread before him all day. In the
afternoon as he left his Office there
was Il cOmmotion at the nearest street
corner, and q runaway horse dashed
into view, dragging Il do9cart in which
sat two girls, Jessie and Belle The
quick turn about the corner sent the
cart carccninS on one wheel, and al
most rs Dickcy recognized the occu-
pants they were spilled in the dust.
With cry Dicllcy rushed forward and,
passing one PROSTATE form, caught the
other in his arms with words of solici-
tous cndcarment. But the figure drew
resolutcly away.
This is not Jessie This is'-
But Dickey only held her the closer
Not Jessie, but the girl l love, the
only girl l ever really loved! Let John
take care Of Jessie. Are you hurt,
dearT'
There was n cOntcntCd sigh against
his shoulder. Il haven't any pain now,
not even in my heart, which has often
achcd at your indifcrcncc"
"John and Jessie are to be married
in the winter" she told him later
I'm glad of it. Wen dance at their
wedding" he laughed. but, dear, I'm
only poor young lawyer, and"-
And I'm ages too young to marry,
so III wait whole year for you, and
if YOU give up smoking and send me
only one box of chocolates q week you
can save no end of money"
And so it was arranged, and when
Miss Delaney next spoke of the lack of
artistic finish to that theatrical per-
formancc Dickcy stoutly declared the
"fnish was the finest On earth" and
held to his point.