Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-11-06

! This was a chill rejoinder, and
Wright felt he had lost several points
in their game Of indirection
Locust Lawn is quite a distance
! out" he yentured.
Not far enough to discourage my
friends"
This goaded him to an apology. He
regretted that she was not making it
easy for him, but he forgave her be-
cause he knew she did not understand
Because I've been so busy, please
don't think that I'm discouraged"
/ "Why should I think of it at ALP
she replied with spirit
Her remark hurt him, both her words
and her manner of speech. II tore
away his reserve and made him burst
/ forth in protest.
That's not like you Gloria. We've
been such good friends"
I'VE have been good friends" she
! admitted promptly. rs there any
reason, Joe, why we should not be
now?"
His heart beat high within him at
| her words. They were so direct, so
honest, so like the one woman of his
/ dreams. It grieved him that he could
not be as direct with her; but that
was impossible, for over them was the
sinister shadow of David Kerr, her
/ father, the boss of Belmont.
There's no reason why we shouldn't
/ be good friends, Gloria. What put
that idea into your head?"
My circle of friends in Belmont
seems to have grown smaller and
smaller"
please don't put me. on the out
side"
You seem to have put yourself
there"
The conversation Jagged. There was
/ so much to think about. Gloria was
| seeking to reconcile his explanations
with her own observations. Looking
| at him closely she saw that he did not
have that fresh, robust look which a
month ago had made him seem fit for
! a gladia5orial contest. AS he sat in
| the big office chair he seemed to
relax with fatigue. His face was thin
ner, and there were little lines of
worry about his eyes. Between his
! brows and on either side his mouth
were to be seen creases which the
girl thought proclaimed to the world
! his strength of character A month
ago she had not noticed them. She
| had felt he was such a man, but the
wrinkles, confirming her belief, could
| almost be called a source of joy to
| her. They had made away with some
of the youthfulness, but in his face
| she now saw something which more
| than compensated. It had greater
strength now, strength such as was
written on her fathers countenance.
"You look tired" Her low, sympa-
| thetic tones and her solicitous look
! did what nothing else could do They
melted his stern purpose to bear it
| all in silence for yet few days into
F.! desire to take her as much as he
| dared into his confidence. With
woman's quick perception she would
understand that he was unhappy. Her
sympathy and her confidence in him
would nerve him to fight the good
/ fight as nothing else could and his
heart was stirred by the possibility"
Yes" he admitted, ''I'm tired and
| sick at heart
Why don't you take g vacation?
Go TO Europe"
q can't pick up and run away like
that; but I'd do it anyway if it would
| bring back the dear old days"
| THE days 1 knew" the girl made
! bold to ask.
The days you made so-delightful."
Can they be gone forever?"
"You mean" Wright did not dare
to put his hope in words.
Carried farther than she had in
tended, Gloria beat a retreat by say
| ing:
! "Who knows? We may meet in Paris
again some day"
!