The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-02-14

ner and said:
Cake would crab any athlete. Cake
and gals is the limit"
Really! l had no idea / was the
least bit dangerous" Miss Blake, turn
ing TO her host, smiled frigidly. I'm
SO sorry intruded."
NOW don't say that" Speed strove
to detain her please don't be Of
tended-1 just have to train!"
"Of course. And will you pardon me
TOT lnterrupting your routine? You
see, had no idea l wasn't wanted"
But you are, and | do want you!
/"
"Good-by!" She nodded pleasantly
at the door. and left her lover staring
after her.
When she had gone, he cried, in
! trembling voice: You're a fine van
you are! She got up early to do some
thing nice for me. and you insulted
her! You wouldn't even let me sit
and hold her hand!"
No palm-readin'." Speed turned to
behold his trainer ravenously devour.
ing the cake, and dashed to its rescue.
It's heavier than frog full of
| buckshot. You won't like it,, Cul."
Its perfectly delicious!" came the
choking answer
Then get back Of them curtains.
Willie d shoot on sight"
And that morning the prisoner idled
about the premises, followed at a dis
lance by his guard. He could not bear
to read the future; anything seemed
possible Time and again lie cursed
that spirit Of braggadocio. that
thoughtless lack of moral scruple,
which had led him into this predica-
ment- He vowed that he was done
with false pretenses; henceforth the
str1ctest probity should be his No
more false poses. Praise won by dis
stimulation and deceit was empty. any
how, and did he escape this once.
heneceforth the world should know J.
Wallingford Speed for what he was
an average individual. with no uncom-
mon gifts Of mind or body. courage or
ability.
At noon Wally went through the
mockery Of second blood-rare meal.
with no cake to follow. and that after
noon Glass dragged him out under the
hot sun, and made him sprint until he
was ready to drop from exhaustion.
His supper was wretched, and his IA
tigue SO great that he fell asleep at
Miss Blake's side during the evening
With the first hint of dawn he was up
again, and Friday noon found him ut
terly hopeless. when, true to his pre-
diction, the unexpected happened. In
one moment he was raised from the
blacklist depths to the widest trans
ports Of delight. 1t came in the shape
of a telegram which Jean summoned
him to the house to receive. He won
dered listlessly as he opened the mes
sage. then started as If disbelieving
his eyes; the marks Of wild emotion
spread over his features. he burst into
shrill. hysterical laughter.
do tell us!" begged Roberta
"Covington-Covington is coming!"
Wally felt his head whirl, and failed to
note the chaperon's cry of surprise and
see the paling Of her cheeks. Gov
ington is coming! Don't you under
stand?" he shouted. After all, the gods
were not deaf! Good old Culver, who
had never failed him. was coming as
deliverer.
Even in the face of his extraordinary
outburst the attention of the behold
ers was drawn to Lawrence Glass,
who caused the porch to shake be-
meath his feet; who galloped to his
employer, and Selling him by the
hands, capered about like hippopota-
mus.
Il told you Allah was some guy"
he wheezed. when does Covington
arrive?"
Wally reread the message 1T says
noon Friday Why. that's today! He's
here now!"
"'Rah! 'Rah! 'Rah! Covington!"
beloved the trainer, and Mrs. Keap
sank to seat with stifled moan.
why all the oh joy! Oh rapture!
stuff" questioned Berkeley Fresno.
"As Socrates. the Hemlock Kid.
would put it, 'Snatched from the
shadow of the grave" quoth Glass,
then paused abruptly. Say, you don't
think nothin' could happen to him on
the way over from the depot?"
"I'm SO sorry we didn't know in
time to meet him, lamented Miss
Chaplin.
And I could have run over to the
railroad to bid him welcome" laughed