Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-05-17

And her eyes looked at me EhFOusH
those dropping lashes-Oh, such 6
way!
oh, mol assure-certainly not"
stammered hastily. Dash It., / never
was 50 rebuked and mortified in ali
my life. What an ass / had been 4
seem to notice at ALI
She looked troubled. Say, do you
mind my wearing them?" she inquired,
Il? Certainly not-welI, should
say mott" | retorted, almost with n.
dignation.
"sure?" BY Jove, what ripping eyes
she hadI
"Of course mott" smphatically.
Her sunny head nodded satisfAc-
ton. That's all right. then. 1 was
afraid you wouldn't like it-afraid you
would think I was acting a little free.
But your man Jenkins-isn't that bis
name?-said he thought you would
like for me to wear them"
gasped.
"Jen-what's that?" was amazed.
indignant at jenkins effrontery. He
he suggested that you wear-er-
She nodded. her glorious eyes shin.
ing wistfully.
You see, I went to a frat dance last
night In Cambridge" she explained;
and In the hurry this morning, some
how, n Of my bags-a suitcase
was left behind. And when | got here
tonight and began piling the things
out Of my other bag-well, l saw l
was up a tree. Not a thing to slip
into, you know-not SO much as Q
dressing-gown or even a bathrobe.
Then your mar saved my life-sug-
gested these pajamas. See!"
"Oh, I see!"
said SO; but, dash 1t, I wasn't sure
l did. for I knew 50 devilish little
about girls.
Il must cut along now" I thought:
Internal shame to be taking advan-
tage OF her this way!" And then I
thought I would Just wait a wee min
utC AOuSOI.
Just then she turned toward me,
her elbow on the arm OF the wicker
chair. her dainty, manicured finger
tips supporting her chin.
You know, Mr.. Lightnut, 1 wasn't
sure you would remember me at ALL"
she said. II was such a kid when
you saw me last"
"Oh, yes" I said, trying to recall
the rather hoydenish children I had
seen on the motor trip to Billings
home five years before. II remember
you were quite a little girl-weren't
you?"
I thought her face darkened a lit
tie; then her smile flashed through,
like sunshine through a cloud. Her
laugh came on top, like the mellow
ripple Of a tiny brook-that sort Of
thing-oh, you know!
"Oh, l say now, Mr.. Lightnut, cut
out the JOSH" she demonstrated; and
| thought she grew a little red. No
more for mine those sissy, grille ways
I've got well over all Of that"
She tossed one knee over the other
and threw herself back in the chair.
She seemed a little piqued. She went
on:
Il just tell you what-there's moth
ing like a couple of years off at col
lege for toughening you! Gets all
those mammals baby ways out of you.
you bet your life, and all the slushi-
ness you get from trying to be like
your sisters. Shucks!"
caught my breath. OF course, she
had no idea how 1t sounded-this
sort Of talk; 1t was just her innocent
frankness, her-what dye call it,
her ingenuousness-dash 1t!
She continued musingly: Gee, but
l was soft when l first went away-a
regular pie-faced angel-child!" Her
voice had In 1t a sneer. Then she
Strengthened up, whirled her chair
facing me, and gave me a sounding
slap on the knee. Say, maybe the
fellows l met didn't educate that out
of me mighty quick! Well, l reckon
yes!" And she nodded. eying me side
wise, her pretty chin in the air.
But, dash me, l was so aghast |
couldn't get out a word. Just sat there
batting at her and turning hot and
cold by turns. Came devilish near
losing consciousness, by Jove. that's
what!
OF course, l knew she didn't know
what she was talking about. Z Hadn't
any sisters myself, don't you know,
and never had learned much about
other fellows sisters; but, dash 1t, 1
knew something about faces, and I
would have staked my life on hers.
You can nearly always tell, you know.
But, anyhow. l thought l had better
go now.
l got up. Il say, you want to just
make yourself at home" I said. And
II you don't mind, I'll see you at the
boat In the morning"
She stood up, too, looking rather
surprised. You're not going away?"
"Oh, no; not out of town" I thought
that was what she meant. l added:
And as l go out, I'll stop downstairs
and have some one come up and stay
with you"
She dropped to the arm of the chair.