The Washington herald., 1913-12-06

man. she said. in every sense. He
won't be nasty. nor make a scene when
he finds out. Trust me to make him
glad, rather than than sorry Of the
exchange long before we get to New
| York"
He'd hate you--he hates bold
girls. II would be the brazenest
thing, Lucille said, almost aeidly.
Sarah laughed softly. Not brazen-
but heroic" she said. "or rather heroin-
ic. shall tell him it was done to save
you-how you loathed him"
But / don't loathe him-hss nice
only i just don't want to marry him nor
anybody" Lucille cried. her eyes shoot
| ing sparks.
sarah went on as If she had not heard.
"Pll agree to an annulment-a quiet one
| you forever alone"
''You-you can't get it-marrying holds
tight" Lucille interjected. her languor
all gone.
Sarah pursed her lips. "I can get IL
-on the ground that 1 am not the per-
| son named in the license. oh, don't tell
mel haven't been flirting with a law
ler-in-the-pip all these months for moth
| ing"
Jack Bayne VIII never look at you
again. Lucille said. Ioftily.
Sarah laughed softly. He'll be right
| thereto look after me-in fact, 1 think
l shall marry him before l get home.
He's been Fostering me ever so long to
take him Now he has got business
that takes him abroad. Maybe, IL we
get through the legal snarl in time, I'll
go along"
But II you aren't really married. how
can you make Billy give me up?' Lucille
asked, her face much flushed.
He won't know the game" Sarah
| said placidly. BESIDES, he may not want
to give me up. Heroin-ics get right next
TO his sort He may think~s girl who
takes so much trouble to save a friend
Is a whole lot out of the common
I've known all along you wanted
him. Lucille cried spitefully. you have
tried and tried to cut me out, and now
you think you see your chance"
Found me out? What are you going
to do about it?'' Sarah asked, still pIa-
! cidly.
Lucille was dancing about madly. wiring
ing her hands and again crying. You
go home" she blubbered And don't
you ever dare come here again. The
] idea, wanting Billy yourself. and-and
I trying to snatch him from me right ar
I the altar
Haven't you found out yourself like
| wiser Sarah asked Found out what
hypocrite you've been all along? Max
ing out you hated marrying Billy. so as
to be coaxed and pampered and bribed-
yes, bribed? If you haven't, I have, but
not right now. All along I have sensed
that you were pIay-acting-making a
drama of your fate, when it was inst IN
your mind You don't deservt your good
fortune Billy Macklin is a man: he
ought TO have live, iesh-and-blood
woman, not a fiesh-and-bIood doll"
quite right, Miss Sarah" a deep
throaty voice said through the window,
Squire Macklin stood just outside and
there had seen and heard everything.
Let me confess-while we're getting AT
the truth, We ought TO have solid chunks
OF II. Billy has been half-hearted as 10
this match. I've been the one to urge
it-for family reasons and also financial
ones. Lucille will have money-the Mack
lins are land-poor. Julia Madison and I
laid our heads together when the boy
and girl were hardly out of their cradles.
and made the match. We've been driy-
ing to 1t steadily ever since have TO
thank you for showing me we were driv-
ing over precipice-showing me-just
in time"
20, You mustn't say that was mad
through and through. and then 1 say
anything" Sarah protested.
The squire looked at her, then on 10
direct, her lips soft but full of character.
With her vivid personality she made
Lucille seem washed out poor. and fur
tive. Advancing to her he took her
hand. asking: rs it all settled betwixt
you and Jack BayneT'
NO. nor ever will be- Sarah cried
merrily. Don't you see that was part
OF the game? I played it just to make
Lucile"-a certain hard infection over
the name-"see herself as she was. Let
the wedding go on all right. I shant
interfere. And / don't think even a trip
abroad will make me say Yes to Jack"
Forgive the impertinence-but you are
sure?" the squire queried.
Lucille stood snubbing hard. Sarah gave
her a compassionate glance. She really
wants Billy. Let her haveN him. sne
said irrelevantly.
The squire shook his head, saying: II
fear she can't get him-after this. Be
cause 1 have fought all along the fact
that Billy wants you"