The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-12-01


| ing room, was appalling In It's bravery
| Of old gold plush and portraits Of ac-
funct ladies and gentlemen on claret
colored wall paper.
| She made L0veland sit down In O
leather armchair which smelled Of the
tobacco her father affected and then.
kneGling on low footstool beside him.
she began to nnfasten Black Dick
clumsy bandage.
Il don't like to have you wait on
me-" said Loyeland. who few weeks
ago took the most exaggerated petting
for granted from pretty women.
well. ! like to do it anyhow" re-
Piled the girl, with lingering. liquid
glance. you're so brave I'm proud
to be waiting on You. | never knew
anybody just like you before"
Loyeland thought this very proba-
BE but pfperely remWked, with be-
coniIg mbdesty. thdG be had done
seft littleH
T. You were real Hero" said Isl
dora. "Oh. ooh" And she breathed
little cooling signs Of pity at sight Of
the hero's burns. Il could cry over
your poor hand. It's shame
"Please don'tw exclaimed Loveland
laughing. II can't stand any more
| tearsf'
did you mind when I cried?" asked
lizzie.
"Awfullyw said Loveland As he
| spoke he smiled down at her in a
friendly way. and the kindness in the
blue. black dashed eyes made the girls
heart fiutter Ike an imprisoned bird.
She had been in love with him since
the FIRST day a little. then more and
more. Now her love oyerflowed. 1t
was too much for her emotional ma
ture. She could not keep il back.
And why should she try to keep it
back. she asked herself. since her love
must be considered an honor by this
unsuccessful foreign adyenturer?
I'm glad" she almost sobbed. aOh,
you're worth more TO me than any
thing In the world. won't cry pgain
IL you ask me not. I'll do whichever
you want me to. Pad most kill me IL
be knew ! was talking like this. But
| don't care-i don't care for anybody
but you-no one else. Oh. suppose I'd
let pa make me marry Leo Cohen be-
fore Id met you
Loyeland was dumfounded. "My
dear girl" he exclaimed, "you don't
know what you are saying. You
II do know" Isidora broke In. II
know you are poor and in a lot OF trou-
bic. and you might have gone to prls-
on. But you're a gentleman. all right.
You're you. and that's enough. IL you
care about me the same as | do about
you. why. all the rest.
But III menn-I'rR sure ycu don't
really CARE stammered Val, checking
himself On the verge OF saying some
thing rude.
x do care. You needn't be afraid"
she assured him. Il wouldn't have
said word. I'd "a waited for you to
speak II things had been different. but
! saw how you fell by the way your
eyes looked a minute ago. and l
wouldn't stop for manaers. because.
says to myself. he's too much Of a
gentleman TO tell girl he loves her
when he's got nothing and she every
ching" -
Il hope am too much Of gentle
man to'iG Val began desperately. but
she cut him short with one little
plump. patcfoull scented hand over
bis mouth. -
Il know II. That's what I said.
You don't need to tell me-. she hurried
on. We'll have TO run away and get
married. Then pan forgive me. I'm
NIL he's got. lie couldn't bear me to
want. for anything. But It's no use
asking him first He
Dear girl. have no idea OF asking
him
mo. Of course. You amt SO silly.
His hearts set on my taking Leo, but
! wouldn't touch him with a ten foot
pole now. Sly hero. I'll marry you to-
morrow
THE devil you will~ said Alexan-
der.
They stood together at the door, he
and Leo Cohen. who had persuaded
the old man at last on one excuse or
another TO invite him upstairs.
The girl struggled up from her
knees. and as LoveIand bounded out
Of the big chair she caught his arm.
nesting against him.
"you villain! stcaIIn' my gals love
behind my back and enticin' her TO rur
or with your suffered Alexander.
purple with fury.
81 didn't began Val Indignantly.
what. You didn'tf You want me
to believe my gal asked you to marry
herr"
Leveland started as II Alexander had
struck him and flushed to the fore
head. Involuntariiy he glanced at ISL
dora. who looked up az him bcsccch-
ingly. "Spnre racr' the almond eyes
Implored
no. I don't want you TO believe
that" he said. And how hugely he
would have laughed had he been told
a few weeks hgo that he would let
Ia.