Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-02-24

This was a chill rejoinder, and
Wright felt he had lost several points
in their game of indirection.
Locust Lawn is quite distance
out" he ventured.
Not far enough to discourage my
friends"
This goaded him to an apology. He
regretted that she was not making ii
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 / think of 1t at all?".
she replied with spirit
Her remark hurt him, both her words
and her manner of speech. It 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 al
her words. They were so direct, sc,
honest, so like the one woman Of his
dreams 1t 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 waB
so much to think about. Gloria waa
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 q
month ago had made him seem fit for
gladiatorial contest. AS he sat in
the big Office chair he seemed to
I6ldA WIFI ldllSu0. I1lb ldSO was luAU-
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. Shs
had felt he was such a man, but the
wrinkles, confirming her belief, could
almost be called 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. 1t 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
a desire to take her as much as be
dared into his confidence. With a
woman's quick perception she would
understand that he was unhappy. Her
sympathy and her confidence In him
lfwould nerve him to fight the COED
| fight as nothing else could and his
heart was stirred by the possibility"
YES" he admitted, I'm tired ard
sick at heart
why don't you take vacation
Go to Europe"
81 can't pick up and run away like
that; but I'd do 1t anyway If 1t would
bring back the dear old days"
"The days l knew" the girl made
| bold to ask
1.-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 retreat by say
| ing:
who knows? We may meet in Paris
again some day"
| CTO BE CONTINUED)