The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-03-04

Leave MIN TO me, dear, JdChsol
urged her. I'm five minutes I'll con
vince him that it all Is absolutel,
true"
She was comforted a little by hi
tone. Then you won't come for
driver"
stop for me in, say, half an hour.
"Well, I'll run along, then. l mus
get the air. All this has given me
dreadful headache"
Jackson turned reproachfully II
Wallace. See what you've done? +
Bye bye, dearie!!" cried his fancee.
Bye bye, sweetheart"
I'm half an hour?" .
About that"
Don't you listen to that mani" TIL
in a warning tone.
mo; I'm going to make him lister
to me-"
"Oh, you dear boy! Bye bye, dearie!'
She waved a plumply wrinkled hand a
him, and left the two young men alon'
together.
Say, are you going crazy" Wer'
Wallace's first words, spoken as sool
as he was sure that she was gone.
Nothing Of the kin |. I'm perfectl!
all right"
you mean to tell me that
i've got a whole lot to tell you. 81
down"
.. -rT =. 49, ,
AS Wallace found a chair and, as
exhausted, sank into it, BroadWa!
paced the room uneasily. :
e. ...
The bell rang and Rankin hurried in
on his way to answer it.
If it's anyone for me, I'm not II
home" said Broadway. I'm visiting
in+Paterson.". ,
He turned again to Wallace.
Nov, in the first place." he sai'
gravely, 81, want you to understand
thoroughly. that I'm positively serious
about this whole affair and that moth
ing you can say will change my plans
Is that UNDERSTOOD"
WELL, go on"
Mrs. Gerard and I are going to b.
married, and it's going to happen yer!
shortly, whether you like it or not. l
you are to retain my friendship you
must get used to THE sighed-"th'
same as I shall have to. Am / clear?
well, I'm listening"
Broadway sighed again. II know sew
eral girls who will cry very bitterly
and l know a lot of fellows who will
laugh very heartily; but. the fact re
mains that the lady who just left thi!
room is to become Mrs. Jackson Jones
So, once and for all, get 1t out Of YOU
head that it Is a joke"
He glanced distastefully at his yer.
t%nournful friend, who seemed, some
how, to have shriveled as he heard al
this uncompromising talk.
t"And don't sit there like a pallbear
er! Smile! Utter a few kind words
Say something, anyhow! +"
Wallace leaned toward him, his ey'
lighting with the fire of combat
Now" .'
Don't you dare to give me any ar
gument about this thing! 1t wouls
only be a waste Of words. My mind Il
positively made up"
do you realize what"
What people are going to say? O
course I do. I've gone over all Of that
I've threshed it out with myself from
every possible angle. I know wha'
they're going to say, and I know exact
ly what they're going to think"
well, what are they going II
Think"
"The natural thought will be that
am marrying her for her money"
Nonsense. They'll know better thar
that. Everyone's aware that you have
all the money any nan could
$50 you think 500" For the frs
time Broadway laughed. 1t was {
scornfhl, scathing, tragic laugh. L
startled Wallace. a-
well, haven't you?" -
"Just a second. Rankin! Oh, Ran
KIM" = -.
Rankin was entering, even as he
! called, bringing in a telegram. Broad
way took it without needing it ant
thrust it in his pocket unopened. HI
vas intent OF showing Wallace how
affairs really, were with him.
Rankin" he warned the man, I"
don't want to be disturbed for the mex,
ten minutes. 1 have some business
which I wish to talk over with Mr.
Wallace without a single Interruption
Very we'll, sir"
AS soon as the man had left the
room Broadway settled to his task, o,
making a clean breast of 1t.
I'm going to let you in on a little
secret, Bob-my secret. No one elst
in the world knows. I wouldn't tel
anyone else but you. I wouldn't tel
you If it weren't for the fact that we've
always been 80 close and such gooc
friends. But remember-it's Masonic!'
Wallace gravely bowed. Certain
ly." He vas intensely puzzled; he