The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-11-23

you'd do me favor"
Flora's thought flew to the ring.
Was he going to ask for 1t back, to
have 1t reset, as he had promised on
the threshold of the goldsmith's shop?
Here might be the chance she had
hoped for of getting rid Of 1t. She
grasped at 1t before she had time to
waver.
81 wonder If it's the very favor I
was going to ask of you?"
But he didn't take 1t up. He seemed
hardly to hear her, as II his mind was
too much absorbed with quite another
question: question that the next mo-
ment came out fiat. What was that
Kerr doing here yesterday"
She was taken aback, so far had her
apprehension of Harry's jealousy
slipped into the background in the
last "a hours. But her consciousness
that Harry was not behaving well,
even for Jealous man. made her take
it up all the more lightly.
why, he was calling, chatting, Ia
king tea-what anybody else would do
from four to six. What in the world
gave you the idea that he was doing
anything extraordinary"
We'll" he said, you shouldn't do
the sort of thing that makes you
talked about"
That makes me talked about?" 1t
made her pause in front of him.
why, yes, it isn't like you. 1t nev-
er happened before. Look here.
drop into the Buffers yesterday; find
Clara sidled up to the Judge; look
around for you. Hello l say,
where's Flora?' Oh says she, 'Flora's
at home amusing Mr.. Kerr Amusing
Mr.. Kerr!'' he repeated. That's a
nice thing to hear"
Flora went red. She walked down
the room from him to give her sud
denly tumultuous heart time. How
ever little he might guess the real
trend of her interview with Kerr, she
couldn't hear him come near it with
out apprehension. She was angry,
helplessly angry at Harry that he had
taken this moment for his stupid
jealousy. But she was more angry at
Clara, since such a speech on Clara's
part wasn't carelessness.
She tried to laugh him out Of It.
Why, Harry, never saw you
jealous before!'
IT'S all very well to say that-and
you know I've never made row
about the other Johnnies. l knew you
didn't care for any of them"
Her eyes narrowed and .darkened.
And you take it for granted | care
for Mr.. Kerr?'
"Oh, no, no." He pushed his hand
through his hair with an irascible
gesture. But it's plain enough you
like him-you women always like a
fellow that fiourishes-but that's not
the sort Of man | care to see hanging
around my girl"
Flora stood leaning on the table,
breathing little hurriedly, feeling
rather as if she had been shaken.
Harry, standing with his hands in his
pockets, looked not unlike the threat
ening image he had appeared in the
back of the goldsmith's shop.
"Of course, the fellow can talk" he
admitted, "and he has a manner. But
Lord knows where he comes from or
who he is. Why, even the Buffers
don't know"
Flora turned sharply on him. who
told you that?"
The judge. He picked him up at
the club"
Well" she kept it up, some one
had to introduce him there"
Harry smiled. you wouldn't care
to bow to some of those club mem.
bers."
Harry, do you know how you sound
to me?' She was trembling at the
daring Of what she was going to say.
you talk as if you knew something
against him"
Her statement seemed to bring him
up short. mo, no, l DON'T. he said
hastily.
She made little gesture of des-
Pes'N. 'iO' was ohO " SOuut Ou
II he was going to behave like this?
How trust him when he was shuffling
so?
She made one more bold stroke to
make him speak out.
Harry, you do know something
about him! / know you have seen
him before"
Why, yes, I've seen him before.
But that's got nothing to do with it."
He looked surprised that she should
seem to accuse him of it, and she
wondered If he could have forgotten
how he had denied 1t before.
And that isn't why you distrust
him?"
The DEVILS tattoo that he beat on
his hat stopped.
Il don't distrust him"
"Well, dislike him, then. When was
it you saw him before?"
Isn't it enough for me to tell you
that | don't want you to see him?"
OH" She turned away from him.
Every nerve in her was in revolt.
Then he really wasn't going to tell her
ANYTHING. He was keeping her out of