Barbour County index., 1906-06-13
CHAPTER XXI.
BORROWED CONSCIENCE.

a BORROW ED CONSClENCE.
The conversation on the Brentwood
porch was chiefly of Breezeland inn
as a health and pleasure resort& until
an outbound electric car stopped at
to make a quartet of the trio behind
the yine-covered trellis.
Later, the eXmanager confessed to
desire for music-Penelope's music
and the twain went into the sitting
room and the piano, leaving Elinor
and Kent to make the best of each
other as the spirit moved them.
1t was Elinor's chance for free speech
with Kent-the opportunity she had
craved. But now it was come, the
simplicity of the thing to be said
had departed and an embarrassing
complexity had taken it's place.
What is the matter with us this
EVENING"" he queried. 1--WE have been
sitting here talking the vaguest trivial
tiles; ever since Penelope and Loring
side3tracked us. 1 haven't been doing
anything am ashamed of; have your"
Yes she confessed, looking away
from him.
What is it?'
''E asked certain good friend of
mine to come to see me when there
is good reason to believe he didn't
want to come"
What makes you think he didn't
want to Gomez"
''Why--I don't know; did he?" She
had turned upon him swiftly with an
outfash of the playful daring which
had been one Of his major fetterings
in time past-the ecstatic charm that
goes with quick repartee and instant
and sympathetic apprehension
''You have never yet asked anything
of him that he wasn't glad enough to
give" he rejoined, keeping up the
third person fgurative.
''Is that saying very much-or very
little?"
"Very little, indeed. But it is only
your askings that have been lacking
not his good will
"That was said like the David Kent
l used to know. Are you really quite
the same?"
Il hope not" he protested gravely.
People used to say that l matured
late, and year by year as l look back
l can see that it was a true saying.
have done some desperately boyish
Things since l was man grown;
things that make me tingle when
recall them"
Like wasting a whole summer ex-
plorlng Mount Croydon with "a
somebody who did not mature late?"
mo; l wasn't counting that among
my lapses. An older man than ever
nope to be might find excuses for the
croydon summer. l meant in other
ways. For one thing | have craved
success as think few men have ever
craved it; and yet my plowings in
that field have been ill-timed and
boyish to degree"
she shook her head.
~ don't know how you measure sue
cess; 1t is word of so many, many
Insanlngs. But 1 think you are your
own severest critic"
THAT may be; but the fact re-
mains. 1t is only within the past few
months that have begun to get a
pne iihilnS OF tnlnSS; to know, for
example. that opportunities are to be
eqmpelled-not waited for"
She was looking away from him
again.
II am not sure that l like you bet
ter for your having discovered your
self. l liked the ether David Kent. !"
Somebody has said that for every
new point of view gained we have 10
sacrifice all the treasures Of the old.
am sorry if l am disappointing you"
4 don't know that you are. And
YET. when you were sitting at Miss Van
Sroek's table the other evening tell
i9ig US about our experience with the
politicians. I kept saying to myself
that didn't know you-that had new
er known you"
II wish l knew just how to take
fhar,. he said obviously.
Il wish 1 knew how to make you
understand" she returned; and then:
could have made the other David
Kent understand
You are in duty bound to try to
make this one understand, don't you