The Washington herald., 1914-10-22

she remembered just in time that they
were no longer lovers but only friends.
Norman smiled. but made no comment.
He had seen her swiftly withheld caress,
and in hfs heart rejoiced. He did not
press the advantage, but shook hands in
most friendly fashion and left her.
After that Letitia threw herself heart
and soul into the preparation Of her lee
ture to be delivered before the club
women of the town. She felt very i'm
portant and very much in earnest. Nor
man seemed to have suddenly realized
that she was a woman of some purpose
and was helping her in every way. He
listened patiently to her speech, some
times twice during an evening. until Lee
titia felt that she could stand before a
thousand people and say it without a
tremor or mistake.
Il don't know what would have done
without you" she told him on the night
before the meeting. You are going to
stand in the wings and prompt me If !
need 1t, aren't you?''
"sure-you can't lose me-" laughed Nor
man.
He had tried, and with remarkable sue
cess. TO stihe entirely any loverlike feel
ing he had for Letitia- II the girl missed
the comfort OF his great strong arms, she
did not say so.
The following morning Letitia uwoke
with a peculiar sense OF premonitiOn.
She felt strangely weak in the knees, and
without apparent reason all the nerves in
her body were twitching so that she had
no desire to eat She tried desperately
10 fling of the sickening dread that had
gripped her. During the day she did sue
ceed and toward evening her qualms had
so far left her that she could laugh at
her early morning silly weakness. She
dressed with habitual care, and the re-
suit, a mass of soft pinks, was a joy to
behold. Even Norman. who thought her
wonderfully beautiful, had never seen her
so altogether adorable. He had difficulty
in restraining the desire of his arms, but
he smiled joyfully and gripped her hands
in friendly clasp before Letitia went
forward to the platform to deliver her
lecture on Better Babies"
The hall was crowded. When Letitia
stood out and faced her audience she
would have smiled in friendly greeting
save that her lips were parched. Also
her sight was blurred and she seemed
swaying on a bottomless platform.
Every line of her lecture had escaped her
dazed brain.
She stood. II seemed to her, for an end
less time, tortured with dumb fright, then
turned and went swiftly behind the cur
tain and into Norman's waiting arms.
Never in all her life long did his arms
seem so wonderful a haven of refuge.
With mastery gentleness he put her
into a chair, then went out to the plat
form. Once there, he told the friendly
audience who had come to hear Letitia's
lecture, all that she would have told
them. Norma knew it practically word
for word The club women were amused
and charmed. When he had finished a
long and loud APPLAUSE was given him.
Norman then turned back into the
wings Letitia was smiling and there was
a world OF relief in her eyes. She flung
herself happily into Norman's arms and
felt in his pocket for the ring she had
given him.
IT will be engaged to you again." she
said, eff you still love me and will never
make ne step on e platform again"
Since Norman's answer was most sat
factory, she added: 'I might have
known could never succeed in any
thing well except in loving you. 1 sup
pose all the women will be wanting you
to lead the mothers. meetings now"
Norman only smiled