The Tupelo journal., 1912-11-08

but I didn't suppose she'd try to
break things up between Jimmy and
me-"
HE doesn't deserve you. Norma"
began Billy angrily, and then remem-
bered that he was criticising Stella a.
we'll. he was silent awhile.
II can't understand women's vanity.
Norma, and I wouldn't believe this Of
her from anyone but you. You're too
good - little friend and too truthful
not to be believed. Let's help each
other out. Does anyone but me know
how you feel about STAFFORD"
She shook her head. mot a souli"
Two been 30 ashamed Of flirting with
Jerry Peters Just to hide my real
feelingsI I'll stop OF 60 straight
home"
you'll stay right hersl Going
would be q confession. Tell you.
Normie. let's stay right by each
other. You 1irt with me-and I'll dirt
with you. and we won't mind what
anyone thinks. It may bring those
two people to time. What do you
say?" The girl nodded. but her heart
was sore that James Stanford would
yield to the aggressive, sparkling. al
most malicious destinations OF Stella
the moment she tried them on him.
Billy was a comfort, and she told him
SO. They wen back to the others.
The next few weeks saw a queer
change in the affairs of the dozen
young people, most Of them out at
Billy's summer home for a couple Of
months. Billy and Norma were al
ways together, inseparable.
As STAFFORD saw Norma so obliv-
ious of him, he began to think Of her
more and more, wondering II Stella
was. after al, the one girl for him?
One morning he asked Norma for a
walk, but she told him sweetly enough
that she was golfing with Billy that
day. No, she wouldn't go out on the
lake in the evening-Billy wanted her
to learn a new song.
Behind them stood Stella, a queer
look on her piquant, brown little face.
,Sauntering off to the garden, she a
aged to run against Billy-she was
sweet and appealing and meek. She
hadn't seen anything Of him, he was
so busy with his duties of host. She
would be glad when he wasn't SO
busy. She dimpled and sparkled. her
old self to him, but somehow he could
not rise to the old ready alteration
OF the girl. Loyal himself. he loved
loyalty in another. 1t was not that
he couldn't forgive, but he saw a lack
Of quality in her. She, to satisfy mere
vanity, had hurt him, hurt Norma
and perhaps Stanford. Billy was
grave. C~ourteously enough. he led
her back to the house and started
with Norma for the links.
On the vsranda STAFFORD also was
looking after them. Stella turned to
him with q queer little laugh.
"Quite a case, don't you think, jim
my?"
He frowned. Suddenly he didn't
like her to call him Jimmy" though
he had begged her to do SO not very
long before. Neither did he like the
light tone about Norma. He made
some excuse and sulked away by him
self with his pipe.
Out on the links Billy and Norma
golfed and laughed. They had soueht
comfort and had found It.
1t was the evening that followed
that Stella made a discovery. Billy
and Norma had walked put on ths
moonlit beach and sat together on
the sand watching a stiff breeze send
the waves tapping up at the shore line.
Billy put his arm e Norma's shout
der with a loving little movement.
A light laugh made them both start,
but instinctively Billy kept his arm
where it was. They looked up and
saw Stella and STAFFORD, the latter
walking unwillingly as though he
wished he were elsewhere. Stella
laughed again.
What a charming little scene! ]
hope we do not interrupt? Is it real
or just ~improvised, Romeo" She ad.
dressed Billy and was answered by
him.
Norma and l are real people-wa
don't improvise on a theme 1ike-love.
It's real. Isn't 1t, Normal"
She nodded. Suddenly she knew
that she and Billy loved each other
deeply and sweetly, and that these
other people and their little jealousies
and weaknesses meant nothing to
either of them. But there was still
enough feminine malice in the girl to
make her ask sweetly of Stella:
And you? Am to wish you"
STAFFORD broke in rather angrily:
Don't be absurd! Stella doesn't en-.
Joy that n more thanI do, and
you know it! Won't o and Billy
come back to the house with us?"
Having put himself on record.
STAFFORD knew Stella would expect
no more of him. What cid she de-
serve? He told himself that every
thing was her fault. Hang girls, any.
howl He made for the mOking room