The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-12-05

CHAPTER xIll-Continued.
sHas he given up?" asked Abbott,
Ma voice strangely unfamiliar in his
swn ears.
"A man can struggle Just so long
Aesinst odds, then he wins or becomes
troken. Women are not logical; gen.
afaIly they permit themselves to be
mided by impulse rather than by rea-
%, This man am telling you about
/ rs proud; perhaps too proud. 1t Is
shameful fact, but he ran away.
rue, he wrote letter after letter, but
II these were returned unopened.
| 5sen he stopped"
"A woman would a good deal rather
| t1ieve circumstantial evidence than
1T Humph!" The colonel primed
r pipe and relighted it. "She couldn't
i've been worth much"
Worth much!" cried Abbott. What
- you imply by that?"
No man will really give up a
woman who Is really worth while. that
Of course, admitting that your man.
Courtlandt. is a man. Perhaps, though,
Z was his fault. He was not persistent
snough, maybe a bit spineless. The
bet that he gave up 60 quickly pos
Ibly convinced her that her impress
ions were correct. Why, I'd have
beloved her day in and day out. year
liter year: never would l have let up
(ntil had proved to her that she had
een wrong"
q The colonel is right" Abbott ap-
Ekoyed. never taking his eyes of Court
ndt who was apparently absorbed in
3 contemplation Of the bread crumbs
Ader his fingers.
And more, by hook or crook. I'd
we dragged in the other woman by
- hair and made her confess"
i Fl do not doubt it. colonel" re-
ponded Courtlandt, with dry laugh.
And that would really have been the
nd Of the story. The heroine Of this
|Rmbling tale would then have been
absolutely certain of collision be-
1ween the two"
That Is like a woman" the Barone
4greed. and he knew something about
|pem. And where is this man now?"
ID Here" said Courtlandt, pushing
lack his chair and rising. II am he"
p turned his back upon them and
sught the garden.
. Tableau!
a Dash mel" cried the colonel, who.
eeing the least interested personally,
vas first to recover his speech.
The Barone drew in his breath
aarply. Then he looked at Abbott.
FL suspected It," replied Abbott to
% mute question. Since the episode
last. night his philosophical outlook
broadened. He had lost Nora.
~ had come out Of the agony Of love
Iesfnsed to fuller manhood. AS long
10 he lived he was certain that the
|pety affairs Of the day were never
esain going to disturb him.
4 Let him be-" was the colonel's sug-
position. adding gesture in the direc.
pom OF the easement door through
chich Courtlandt had gone. He's as
Is man as Nora is woman. II he
- returned with the determination of
lnning her. he WILL"
a 1hey did not see Courtlandt again.
lef few minutes of restless to-and-
olny. he proceeded down to the land
= helped himself to the coloneIs
soFsooat, and returned to Bellaggio.
n hotel he asked for the duke.
~ % be told that the duke and
oame had left that morning for
Courtlandt saw that he had
nitted one great opportunity to slip
he gave up the battle. One
good look at her. and he would
sway. The odds had been too
. tor him, and he knew that he
80 broken.
len the motor-boat came back, Alb
and the baron made use Of it also.
crossed In silence. heavy-hearted.
~ landing Abbott said: 1T is
nnie that shall not see you again
year. l am leaving tomorrow for
IL great world. isn't It, where
Toss US around like dice! Some
SKIES and others deuces. And In
eane you and l have lost two out
lhrea..
snall return to Rome" replied the
My long leave Of absence is
No end"
~ In the world can have hap
demanded Nora. showing the