Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-10-26
her imprisored hand.

you Know What Mean-That |
Love YOU"
her imprisoned hand
You arc Just a nice age" with firm
conviction. Boys arc tiresome, and
! think a little gray in the hair is an
Improvement oh, you mustn't i'm
asire say this just to please you-I
have always thought so. eince-wcl,
since I grew up. Bes .des, neshy men
generally look young, because they
are so good ua'1~od perhaps. How
old arc yor Doctor?"
1T ISM III, Gay hairs 7 mind eth
~" ho admitted hcsita;ingly, but I'm
100 darned bald-headod. Oh, amt
so Old, for was only thirty.fve when
the war broke out. was so thin
then could hardly cast shadow.
I've changed some since" casting MS
eyes admiringly downward, and got
quite figure was forty-three last
month"
That isn't old; that's just r'~..."
I've beer afraid YOU lcc}., oH no
us being an old fogy,"
Il should say not" indignantly.
Why should you eyer think that"
Well, there were so many young
fellows hanging about"
"Who?"
oh, Keith, and TIawloy, aid that
bunch Of officers from the fort; yol
never had any time to give ne.
She laughed again, her fingers tisht-
ening in their clasp on bis hand.
why, how foolish, H,Wley is cider
than you are, and was only playing
with keith Surely you must know
that now. And as to the officers, they
were just fun. You see in my profess
sion, one has to b. awfully nice 10
everybody"
But didn't you really care for Haw-
Icy? he insisted, bluntly probing for
lacte.
"He-he interested me" admitted
the girl. hesitatingly, her eyes DARK
cning with sudden anger He lied
and believed him would have be-
iicycd any on who came with such 4
story. Oh. Dr. Fairbain," and she
chung to him nov eagerly. you can
not realize how hungry | have been
for what he brought me. wanted 50
to know the truth o. my birth. Oh,
hated this l!fei' She flung her dis
engaged hand into the air, with ges-
ture expressive of disgust. Il was
crazy to get away from it. That was
what made the man look good to me
-he--he promised so much. You Will
believe ne, won't You? Oh, you must;
| an going 20 make you. am
singer in music halls; | was brought
up 10 that life from a little girl, and
of course, | know what you Western
men think OF us as a class Hawley
showed i; in his whole manner 10
ward mo and | resented It; Just for
that, deep down ii my heart, ! hated
him. know it row, now that real
iy understand his purpose; but soma
way, when was with him he seemed
to IaSclGato me, to make me do Just
as he w!l.sd. Bit YOU have never
been that way; ycu--you have acted
as thoush | NAB l2tOdy-eOmebody
nice and not Jlst music-hall singer.
Perhaps It's just your way, and may
be, deep down You don't think I'm any
better than the Othor do, but--but
want You to think | am, and am
going 10 tel sou the truth, and YOU
must believe ,Do-I am a good girl
Great God, of course you are"
he ElHrted cut. Don't you suppose
know? That isn't what has been
bothering me, lassie Why, I'd "a
fought any buck who'd a sneered at
YOU. What wanted 10 know was,
any OF those buffers Can you tell me
that. Christie?"
She lifted her eyes 10 his face, her
lips parted.
II can answer anything you ask"
And you do not care for them?'
NO"
He drew his breath sharply, his
round face rosy
Then you have got to listen TO me.
for I'm deadly in earnest. I'm an old.
rough, bald-headed fool that don't
know much about womeu--l never
thought before I'd ever want to-but
you can bet on one thing, I'm square.
Anybody In this town will tell you
I'm square, They'll tell you that
whatever | says goes. I've never run
around much with women; somehow
| never exactly liked the kind I've
come up against, and maybe they did.
mt feel any particular interest in me.
| didn't cut much shine as ladies'
man, but, | reckon now, it's only be-
cause the right one hadn't happened
along. She is here now, though, all
right, and knew 1t the very first time
! set eyes on her Oh, you roped and
, tied me all right the first throw. May
DO did get you and that hall sister
mixed mp bit, but just the same you
were the one | really wanted. Hopes
all right; she's a mighty fine girl, but
you are the one for me, Christie.
Could you-could you care for such
duffer as | am?"
Her lips were smiling and SO woro
her sSes' but 1t was Z pleading siaile.