Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-05-24

you were Trying TO JOSH me SOOuG
but not since these two years I've
been at college" She shook her love
ly, bright head, and followed a long
enjoyable pull at the cigar, projected
ave perfect rings at a frescoed cherub
In the ceiling.
She leaned forward eagerly.
Look here, l do wish you would ret
me call you 'Dicky.'"
"Oh, l say-will you?" exploded
from my mouth.
will ~ Her look made my blood
leap. You Just watch me-Dicky!
Oh, say, this is great; maybe it won't
take a fall out of old Jack-always
Dragging that you allow only two or
three to call you that"
Il hope you will always can me
Dicky," | said-and said 1t very soft
ly. BY Jove, l could hardly keep from
taking her hand!
"You bet l think it's awfully good OF
you, Lightnut-I mean, Dicky." Their
her face grew pensive. Say, do you
know, l need a friend like you-just
now, I mean-oh, worst kind"
"Do you?" l said eagerly, and
hitched nearer She proceeded:
Haven't you had things sometimes
you wanted to talk about to some
body-well, things you couldn't Just
tell to your brother or sisters-oh,
nor even your roommate? You un'
derstand."
wasn't sure that l did, for she
was blushing %furiously. and in her
eyes was an appeal.
BY Jove, ONE jolly love AFFAIR,
guessed suddenly. My heart Just sank
like q lump of what'sits-name, but my
whole soul went out in sympathy for
her. I made up my mind, then and
there, to put myself aside.
"Devilish glad mean delighted tt
have you tell me anything" l muir
INJURED rather weakly; "but-er-l
should think your mother"
THE mater--tell herr" Her hand
lifted. Shed guy the life out Of me!
Besides, she's in Europe" She paced
to the window and back.
protested Indignantly: II don't ses
how any mother"
Jaw. forget IT," she broke in, and
I WINGED again at slang from those
sweet lips mo. sir; I'm going to un
load the whole thing on you. or no
body"
Aud, by Jove, the next thing I knew
she had perched on the broad arm o.
the Morris chair in whichNI sat, hel
arm resting lightly above my shout
ders.
Here's what I want to know
about" l heard her sigh. when
you're engaged to one person and
meet another you like better, how are
you going lowell, chuck 1t with the
first, you know-and still do the
square thing? There, that's what hit
me, Dicky; and I'm up against 1t for
fair" Her hand gently patted my
shoulder. I'm telling you, old chap,
because I know you'll understand
because / like you better than any
man l ever saw-that's right"
| was just afraid to move! Afraid
she'd stop; afraid she'd go on. And
all the while I was feeling happier
than l aver had in all my life-hap-
pier than l ever knew people could
be, you know. | " thought her
bold-dash it, no-knew 1t was just
her adorable, delicious, Arcadian sim.
plicity, by Jove! That explained II.
just as 1t explained to me all her
other unconventiona!ity.
so now it's up to you," she said.
"and | want to know what's the an.
swer."
The answer!
And how could l give her any an.
swer? No, by Jove, | knew jolly well
| couldn't take advantage Of such cir.
cumstances-of her artless comics.
sion; knew devilish we'll 1t wouldn't
do, you know. Might reproach me IN
years to come; and then-and then,
there was Billings!
SO / just contented myself with
looking up smilingly, but It was hard
awfully, awfully hard, dash ft-and
just felt like a Jolly cad-or Sool.
Couldn't tell which.
CHAPTER WI.