The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-05-30

her with glazed eyes. AS she stared
back at him she had the curious feel
ing that he had shrunk perceptibly,
that his clothes hung rather Imply
on him. His face seemed to have lost
all of its smart symmetry; there was
a looseness about the mouth and chin
that had never been there before. The
saucy, arrogant mustache sloped de-
jectedly.
81 fancy you must have gone about
it very badly" she said, pursuing her
lips.
"Badly?" he gasped. "Why-why
good heavens, Sara, | actually plead
ed with her." he went on, quite pa
theticaIly. "All but got down on my
knees to her. D-n me, If | can
understand myself doing it either. l
must have lost my head completely.
Begged like a love-sick schoolboy!
And she kept on saying no-no-no!
And /, like a blithering ass, kept on
telling her | couldn't live without her,
that I'd make her happy, that she
didn't know what she was saying,
and But, good Lord, she kept on
saying no! Nothing but no! Do-do
you think she meant to say no? Could
it have been hysteria? She said 1t so
often, over and over again, that 1t
might have been hysteria. / never
thought OF that. /"
NO, Leslie, it wasn't hysteria, you
may be sure of that" she said de-
liberately. She meant 1t, old fell
low"
He sagged deeper in the chair.
IL can't get it through my head"
he muttered.
"As l said before, you did it badly"
she said. You took too much for
granted Isn't that true?"
God knows / didn't expect her to
refuse me-" he exclaimed. glazing at
her. would l have been such fool
as to ask her IL / thought there was
the remotest chance of being" The
very thought of the word caused 1t to
stick in his throat. He swallowed
hard.
You really love herr" she demand
ed.
Love herr There was a sob in
his voice. 81 adore her, Sara. |
can't live without her. And the worst
of it is, love her now more than
l did before. oh, it's appalling! It's
horrible! What am l to do. Sara?
What am l to do?"
BE a man for a little while, that's
ALL" she said coolly.
Don't joke with me-" he groaned.
GO to bed, and when you see her
in the morning tell her that you I'M
derstand. Thank her for what she
has done for you. Be"
Thank herr" he almost shouted.
YES; for destroying all that is de-
teetable in you, Leslie-your self-con-
ceit, your arrogance, your false no
tons concerning yourself-in a word,
your egotism."
He blinked incredulously. do you
know what you're saying?" he gasped.
She went on as If she hadn't heard
him.
Assure her that she is to feel no
conjunction for what she has done,
that you are content to be her loyal,
devoted friend to the end of your
| days"
But, hang it, Sara, love her!"
Don't let her suspect that you are
Inundated. On the contrary, give her
to understand that you are cleansed
and glorified."
What utter tommy"
wait! Believe me, 1t is your only
chance. You will have to learn some
time that you can't ride roughshod
among angels. Think it over, old fell
low. You have had a good lesson
Profit by it."
You mean I'm to sit down and
twirl my thumbs and let some other
chap snap her up under my very nose
Well, guess mott"
Not necessarily. II you take II
manfully she may discover a new in
terest in you. Don't breathe a word
of love to her. Go on as IL nothing
had happened. Don't forget that
told yoa in the beginning not to take
no for an answer"
He dropped once more, biting his
lip. 81 don't see how / can ever tel
mother that she refused"
why tell herr" she inquired, rising
His eyes frightened. by Jove,
shan't," he exclaimed.
II am going up to the poor chile
now" she went on. 81 dare say you
have frightened her almost to death
Naturally she is in great distress.
shall try to convince her that her de
cision does not alter her position IL
this house. l depend on you to d.
your part, Leslie. Make 1t easy fol
her to stay on with me-"
He mellowed to the verge of tears
Il can't keep on coming out her,
after this. as I've been doing, Sara
Don't be silly! or course you can
This will blow over"
BLOW over?" he almost gasped.
81 mean the first effects. Try bein,
martyr for a while, Leslie. 1t ism
a bad plan, / can assure you. It ma,
interest you to know that Challis pro
posed to me three times before
accepted him, and yet II loved hin
from the beginning"
by Jove!" he exclaimed, comm,
to his feet with a new light in hi
eyes. The hollows In his cheek
seemed to fill out perceptibly.