The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-01-14

looked somehow small and forlorn
and childlike. The Watermelon sat
down beside her.
where's Henrietta?" he asked, ig-
noring her eyes and the question they
asked.
upstairs" said Billy, fixing up"
Come and walk down the road
with me a bit?" asked the Watermel-
on. He rose and held out his hand
to help her up.
Billy rose with a trembling laugh
that failed miserably in its manifest
attempt to be brave. ,
Neither Billy nor the Watermelon
spoke until they had left the village
some little way behind and had come
to- four crossroads with the usual
small, dingy school-house, door locked,
dirty windows closed for the summer
and shabby, faded blinds drawn.
Billy knew from the W~atermelon's
face that the interview with her IA
Their had been far from satisfactory.
She feared that the Watermelon had
not stood up" for himself, that her
speaking to her father that morning
had not helped matters as she had
hoped it would. She tried to think
Of something to a that would infiu-
ence the boy, something she could do
to show him how she cared, so he
would not think of leaving her.
He, however, was the first to speak.
The s~choolhouse recalled miserable
days of long dull confinement, and he
nodded toward 1t, pausing In the grass
by. the wayside. "A standing monu-
ment," said he, Ito buried freedom"
Il never went to school," said Billy.
1T must be awful"
Awful" the Watermelon shrugged.
TITS taken ten years from my life.
Schools should be abolished" D..
They sat down on the tiny, weather
stained step, side by side, in the gath
ering dusk. ) El'
Billy" began the Watermelon ear
nestly, and then stopped.
Poor little Billy's heart fluttered and
she put her hand to her hair In her
nervousness. you know" she said
firmly, i%rrelevantly, II love you.
Jerry" ) 3
Il know, dear" replied the Water
melon. "And 1 love you. No matter
where I am, Billy, no matter what hap
pens, you are the best In me and I
will keep you best. I'm shiftless, lazy,
no count, but Billy, kid, I'll always
love you"
"And We will get married and live
happily aver AFTER" crooned Billy.
Pm going away tonight, Billy, back
to the road"
"Oh, Jerry, please, dear. If father
knew how much l care"
"No, Billy, your fathers right. He
said to give you time; for me to go
away for a while and maybe you
would get-over it." ~.
"And If I did," demanded Billy, "if
I loved another, wouldn't you be
Jealous? Wouldn't you kill that other,
Jeroboam Martini" She clenched her
small fist and pounded him on the
knee to emphasize the passion in her
voice.
III he were a decent chap" STAN
mered the Watermelon, 1T would be
better for you"
"It's terrible" interrupted Billy,
when the girl has to do all the low
ing"
"You only love me, but I love you.
See the d~ifference?" asked the Water
melon. TITS simply impossible for
your love to be as great as mine for
that reason. Your father said I could
come to you the last of August at
Westhaven, and I'm coming, Billy"
"And then we can marry, did father
say that?" asked Billy. turning to him.
'Tf you care STILL" muttered the
Watermelon.
Care" Billy laughed the contrary
to merry scorn. Care? Why, Jero-
boam Martin, when will I not carer
The Watermelon flushed and rose
as the wisest course under the cir
cumstances. Pm of. Say good-by to
the others for me, will you, B1lly?"
"You will be my knight" whispered
Billy. And 1 will be your lady, and
no knight ever went back on his lady,
yet, Jeroboam."
you've got a darned poor knight"
grunted the Watermelon. Suddenly he
turned and caught her in his arms,
dragging her to him and forcing back
her head to e into her eyes. BILLY,
Billy" he cried, twill you be true to
me, for ever and Tor ever, no matter
what happens, no matter what I do?
Could you, will you love me always?"
always, always" whispered Billy.
"Dirty, drunk"
DIRTY and drunk and sick and al
ways" promised Billy. "Only you
won't drink, because 1 love you"
Love never yet stood between a
man and the whisky bottle" sneered
the Watermelon. you don't know
men, kid"
He let her, 90 and turned away with
a shamed laugh. "Good-by, Billy"
"Good-by, jerry" replied Billy,
frightened at she knew not what,
realizing that there were after all
things in mems lives of which she
knew nothing. She walked with him
to the fence and watched him swing
over it.
"Cross-cuts for me-" he explained,
holding out his hand. She placed
hers in it and he crushed her small