The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-09-20

Nlt uluu tuBBOES ElN VI w "
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 al
well, he was silen, awhile.
Il can't understand women's vanity
Norma, and wouldn't believe this Of
her from anyone but you. You're toe
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 Strafford?"
She shook her head Not a soul!'
I've been so ashamed of flirting with
Jerry Peters Just to hide my rea
feelings! Ill stop or go straigh,
home"
You'll stay right here! Coins
would be confession. Tell you
Normie, let's stay right by each
other. You firt with me-and I'll fir,
with you, and we won't mind wha,
anyone thinks. 1t may bring those
two people to time. What do you
say?" The girl nodded, but her heart
was sore that James STAFFORD 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 went back to the others.
The next few weeks saw a queer
change in the affairs Of the dozen
young people. most Of them out al
Billy's summer home for 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 IL Stella
was, after all, 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 new song.
Behind them stood Stella, a queer
look on her piquant, brown little face.
Sauntering off TO the garden, she man.
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 hest. 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 lack
Of quality in her. She, to satisfy mere
vanity, had hurt him. hurt Norma
and perhaps STAFFORD. Billy was
grave. Cautiously enough, he led
her back to the house and started
with Norma for the links.
On the veranda STAFFORD also was
looking after them. Stella turned to
him with a 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 sought
comfort and had found 1t.
1t was the evening that followed
that Stella made a discovery. Billy
and Norma had walked out on the
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 over Norma's shoul.
der with loving little movement
A light laugh made them both start,
but instinctively Billy kept his arm
where 1t 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 1t real
or just improvised, Romeo?" She ad.
dressed Billy and was answered by
him.
Norma and l are real people-we
don't improvise on theme like-love.
It's real. Isn't it, Norman"
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"
Strafford broke in rather angrily:
Don't be absurd! Stella doesn't en-.
Joy that any more than-I do, and
you know it! Won't you and Billy
come back to the house with u.s."
Having put himself on record.
STAFFORD knew Stella would expect
no more Of him. What did she de-
He told himself that every.
thing was her fault. Hang girls. any.
how! He made for the smoking room
and his worst old pipe, at the first pos
sible moment. He leaned back and
blew rings. and tried not to see Norma
as bride. That was little too much
Tor STAFFORD at that time.
Peculiar Albanian Duels.
Albanians used to practice pecul.