The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-04-22

Certainly you have-twice-each
time we happened to be alone for
moment. And | think it is perfectly
absurd of you to make love to me
when my head is so full of serious
things that / don't hear word you
say about love"
But you at least heard that much"
1T must have been entirely subcon-
sciously and mechanical You are al
ways making love to me at such ride
ulous times and places-for instance
when my throat was sore and l could
not tell you to stop, and once even in
church under your breath when / was
sermon"
Call church ridiculous placer"
"Of course not-except as place to
make love in"
Yet it is the place of all places for
the love knot to be tied in. Then
why not an ideal place for the weav-
ing of the skein?"
You should have said, the spinning
of the yarn"
He picked up the handkerchief
which she had dropped, inhaled a
breath of it's faint fragrance and thrust
it into his own bosom. Another
keepsake" he grinned. THAT is the
way l have to get all of them from
you-steal them. However, l will ad-
nit that 'skein' was not good word
in that case, for it implies a material
easily broken and therefore not suit.
able for permanently binding people
together. | should have said it was an
ideal place for the forging of the
chain"
Il have no faith whatever in
forgers." She turned upon him tri
umphantly, indicating with her head
Anyway, here comes Clay TolliveI
and now you viii be compelled to be
have whether or no." Alan glanced
aside. To his genuine dissatisfaction
he. saw the only rival who at all wor
ried him approaching them.
Clay raised the shapely fingers tc
his lips as he always made it point
to do when he greeted her in March's
presence, knowing that it worried his
| opponent in this affair of hearts and
| taking much satisfaction from the in
stinctive knowledge that the act Of
gallantry made the other squirm in
wardIy. And squirm inwardly March
certainly did, not SO much at the act
itself as from the fact that Doris
| seemed rather to approve of it, while
should he attempt a similar homage
he would appear but as an imitatol
and therefore ridiculous to himself al
well as her. Good evening, Mis-.
| Doris" the newcomer said in his low
| smooth voice, his dark eyes soft wheI
they gazed at her, hard as brilliant'
| when they flashed over March. g
have been honinR all dav that ] Nigh
nnd you looking just as you DO TIL:
| evening" He turned upon her com
panion, his rather thin but clearly Gu
| face expressionless save for the glin
of his eyes which Alan had otter
thought to be the most peculiar he haC
ever seen. And | hope you, too, arr
we'll, sir" March nodded casually a!
| for a fieeting second their hands ant
| chances met Clay went on.
4 have to beg your pardon, Miss
Doris, for coming here tonight unin
vited, but as you know l have beer
out of town for week and just came
| back an hour ago. When ! got of
! the train ] learned for the first time
| that 1t had been stated by Professoi
| Desmond that d terrible disaster Il
| threatening US, and immediatel,
! came here-not that any mortal coulC
expect to be of any particular pAysica
assistance in case such an inconceiv
| able event should take place, but rath
er in the hope that l might be of some
slight service to you in some othei
way. Am / to be granted your par
don for intruding?" That Doris was
genuinely moved by the speakers sin
cerity and thoughtfulness March
watching her, could not doubt.
She flashed him a look of gratitude
that March would have paid high for.
Not only are you pardoned, bu
you are rewarded by nay SINGER,
thanks-if that be any reward" shs
exclaimed impulsively. She dropped
a light hand upon the sleeve of eaei
man, smiling from one to the other i'm
| partially. 1T is difficult to believe tina
any harm could come to one who hat
two such knights at her service.
makes a woman feel almost safe, ever
/ at an hour like thisS She addressed
Clay: by the way, have you me
Professor Desmond?" He told her tina
/ he had not.
Then you must do so at once
that Is if Mr.. March will pardon III
for a few moments while am intro
ducing you. Father has captured hin
and has him over yonder. Besides,
want you to tell me something abou
your trip" So off they went with fare
well mods to Alan, walking confident
Tally side by side, Doris slender bu
round, seeming to scarcely touch the
grass with her white clad feet, Tol
liver of good height and though o.
slender build showing more than one
trace OF strength and suppleness il
his erect form. Left alone, Jealous
and disgruntied March thrust hi:
hands to the bottoms of his pockets
and joined the first stray group he
CHANGED across.
Immediately he was struck by the
subtle change which had come over
them in the last quarter of an hour OF
his companionship alone with Doris
Their voices had grown subdued, anx
ious, strained, with now and then an
unnatural laugh that arose unexpect