The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-04-24

q pldnt Think You'd Act Like rhI,
20 0 Boy YOU'D Known All You,
Life"
n she 10 a. benevolent as you say she
y. could get me up some kind Of Q
charity show"
Dan. who had started to rise, now
Aeaned toward her and said: sDonr
you worry about II bit. II youTl come
and sing we will make 1t right about
tho price and the charity; everything
ahall 30 your way"
She was seized upon by q violent III
q coughing. and Dan leaned towarc
her and put his arm around her as 9
srother might have done. holding hei
fenderly until the paroxysm was past
"Gosh!" ho exclaimed fervently, "itt
heart-hreaking to hear you cough like
that and to think Of your working az
you do. Can't you stop and take I.
GOOD rest? Can't you 60 somewhere?'
To Greenland's icy mountains?'
she responded. smiling II hate the
cold"
mo. no; to some golden sands o,
other" he murmured under his breath
And let me take you there"
hut she pushed him back. laughins
now. No golden sands for me. I'm
sfraid I've got to sing In Mandalay to
night"
He lpoked at her In dismay.
She interrupted his protest: Eve
promised on my word of honor. and
NE box-ofice has sold the seats with
'that understanding.
BY her sofa. leaning over her. In
choked voice he murmured:
You shant sing! You shant &c
cut tonight"
Don't be q goose. boy" she said
You've no right to order me like that
beand hack. please" As he did 90 shs
whisked herself on the sofa with q
sudden ardor and much grace. Now
- told him severely. "since you've
bsgun TO take that tone with ne. I'm
gDins TO tell you that you mustn't
como hsre day after day as you have
been doing. guess you know IT, don't
your"
He stood his ground. but his brigh,
face clouded. They had been so nea,
Zach other and were now 30 removed
Il don't care damn what people
say." he replied.
She interrupted him. She could be
wonderfully digniAed, small as she
vas. wrapped as she was In the wool
On shawl Well" she drawled with o
sudden Incidence and Indifference IN
her voice. II expect you'll be surprised
60 hear that do care. Sounds aw
fuliy funny. doesEt Il? But as YOU
have been coming to the theater now
night after night till everybody's talk
Ing about tt"
You don't want my friendship" he
stammered.
And Lefty Lane controlled her de
sire to laugh at his boyish subterfuge
No. l don't think I do"
Her tone struck him deeply: hurt
him terribly. lie threw his head ur
defiantly
All right. I'm turned down then.
he said simply.
Il didn't thiok you'd act like this &c
. boy you'd known all your life!"
Don't DO silly. you know as we'll as
do that II won't do"
He did know II and that he had al
ready done enough TO make IL reason.
able for the duchess. II she wanted TO.
to break their engagement. Slowly
preparing To take his leave. he said
wts'fully: Cant I help you In any
wayf Let me do something with you
for your poor. It's comfort 70 have
them between us. and you can count
on me"
She said she knew II. "But don't
come any more To the wings get a
habit OF not coming"
On the threshold OF her door he
asked her 20 let him know when she
would sing I'm Park Lane. and I'm touch
Ing her hand he repeated that she
must count on him. With more ten
derness In his blue eyes than he was
himself aware. he murmured devouted-