The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-11-03
Copyright 1910.

swan into Ernest's ken. Even as he
considered it it burst, bubble-wise. and
disclosed a loVelier one. "Of course
L will. I'll be coming past here just
after five, and I'll gladly pick you up"
Fay laughed. She jumped into the
car beside him. 1t Is TO be said TO
the credit OF Ernest's experience that
they went like mad that first ride,
his clean-cut. boyish profile, stern in
| ITS concentration, turned not once to
the girl at his side. For Ernest, in
deed, il was enough that she was
| there.
Two weeks passed. Mrs. Martin,
still watching her son closely. real
| lied as nobody else in the household
| realized, that new forces were at work
within him. She had a strange sense
| OF separation from him. Often he
was moody, taciturn, absent. Always
he was restless. All this was accented
| by his increasing comeliness. For he
was growing handsome. Even Phoebe
noticed that. The persistent gym
work of the last year had done wond-
ers TO his face. He was clean-slkinned.
! satin-cheeked, rosy. 1t had put con-
hdence into his stumbling gait. He
was light, quick, active. And in the
last two weeks the sull1y look had
J left his eyes. They were as clear as
sparkled with a look of-what was il ?
Triumph. Mrs. Martin translated il.
1t was no wonder that Ernests air
had changed. For, after fourteen
rides with Fay. he often met her eyes
without blushing. He could even en-
dure the sudden pressure of her hand
without Slowing the machine across
the road. 1t was fortunate that he
had gained such control OF his mus
cles, for Miss FaXon seemed always to
] emphasize her delight in the sunset
by dainty pawings at his shoulder
with conVulsive catches at his arm
Other things she had taught him-tC
go slowly enough to permit CONVEX
sation, for instance.
stop here! she commanded mid
way in their drive one night. Il wan
to say something to you" They
S stopped. She turned and poured tho
molten mischief of her black eyes into
] Ernests gray ones. You've been aw
! fully good to me, Mr.. Martin" sh'
said.
e AS always in her presence, Ernes
e had to struggle to be even articulate
Il haven't done anything for you,
j he brought out at last.
- "Oh, yes, you have" she asserted
e A shake of her head made the sunse
J. light play In prismatic dance acros
e her curis. And I'm going to pay yol
: for it. What would you like? Mann
r your own reward. Whatever you asl
:. for you shall have" She leaned
e little toward him, shin tilted-eyes
:, lips, level with his.
e Ernest stared at her, bewildered
o He would have given anything in hi
e possession to Fay. But he could thinl
a of nothing that he would ask of her
1T seemed wrong to him, somehow
for a girl to be giving things to
/, man. While he hesitated the breez
helped him out of his dilemma. /
t blew one of the curls at her temple
= across her forehead.
e I'd like that curl" he said.
49, .
s choice deliciously comic, for she KEEP
- bursting into laughter. 81 guess your
e have to use a knife. Have you one :?
o Ernest cut the curl close to he
g forehead. He sat for an instant
t. little awkwardly holding it. And a
e he felt that he held the essence O
r femininity in that silky-soft film O
e girihood. Very quietly at last he pu
y 1t away in his pocket. He did nc
g speak again. Nor did he look at Fay
But she, casting furtive chances q
% him, may have noticed his pallor. A
n any rate, she. too, refrained fror
II speech until they had come to tn
e end of the drive.
l. "Goodby, Mr.. Martin" she said a
e she jumped out. And then lowel
= "Goodby, Ernest"
That Ernest" brought all the bloc
st back to his face. "Goodby, Fay" h
IT answered.
r, Fay did not appear at school tn
e. next day. Ernest was a little gla
not to see her. Sometimes-this h
Je did not confess even to himseIf-h
u. hated to have his dreams of the ides
e. Fay dispersed by the perturbing vi:
Is ion of the real Fay. He went hon
* Immediately after school and settle
is himself down in the library. usin
n book as a pretext for dreams.
m Long before dinner Phoebe cam
rushing into the house.
w What do you suppose Fay Faxo
IN has done, mother?" she said in TT
voice of one announcing calamity.
rs Ernest stopped reading, althoue
lie he still held the book. ''What?" h
la mother asked for him.
to She's run away-eloped-got ma
Is ried." 1t tumbled out so fast tn;
ct Phoebe barely separated her word
ne 1T seems that she's twenty years o.
mot seventeen at all-and that 81
I'D fell in love with dreadful man