The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-03-13
By Harry King 00tle
Illustrations by Ray Walters
Copyright by A. c. McClurg q Co, 1912


the world that we should meet here
of all places. What are you doing
here?"
And then Wright lied He did not
have time to consider what might be
the ethics of the case He listened to
his heart, which may have made HIM
traitor to himself, and answered
promptly:
I've been doing some magazine
writing and an occasional bit of news
paper and similar work"
Had he been asked he could not
have explained why he had not repli ed
just as promptly that he was the own
er of the Belmont News. What the
real reason was he could not even eX-
plain to himself Earlier in the eve
ming he had talked glibly of news
paper and its duty, and here an hour
later he was denying his own under
the fire of pair of laughing eyes,
Gloria, whose ideas of business we're
as vague as her notions of politics or
esoteric Buddhism, accepted his expla-
nation as adequate; especially since
she recalled that when in Europe he
had been writing some magazine ar
tiCles about the tariff Since she never
thought about the matter at all she
never thought it strange that Belmont
should be the place for such labors.
Have you ever been to Locust
Lawn" was her next question.
Il have that pleasure in store for
me-"
This pleased her. Even before he
came there were many little things
she could do to make the house appear
to better advantage Although he had
not yet made explanation Of his fail
ure to come to Paris, she found her
self anxious to have him once more
on the old footing of intimate friend
ship.
Are you the same as in the mad
old, glad old Paris days?" he asked.
She parted the question with an
other.
Are your"
"In some respects-only more So"
That's riddle. | hate riddles. "
AS he made no reply to this, she went
on after the pause of which he had not
taken advantage. Il hope we meet
accidentally as often as you met our
party abroad"
"Was it accident?" he made bold to
ask
Wasn't it? You pretended it was. y
Then the mischievous little spirit that
ruled her tongue forced her to say, 81
don't blame you; think Anhabel
Hitchcock is a beautiful girl. We all
know you were crazy about her"
WAS II" Rising infection.
Weren't your" Also rising infec,
ton.
"Ill admit followed your party
he conceded.
Now we're getting at the truth of
the matter" she replied triumphantly
She felt she was teasing him, and she
enjoyed it. But why didn't you come
on to Paris as you promised us? I'd
like to know why we suddenly lost
you. Was it another girl even prettier
than Annabel?"
He did not join her when she
laughed at the picture she had painted
All the light joyousness, the first
| which had been his since he had come
| to Belmont, died out of his face as he
! answered:
after the Rhine | had hoped to
meet you in Paris again. looked
forward to it as the beginning of an
other happy time, And then, In Lon
don, received a cable-my mothe,
was dying"
NO." protested tbe girl, her eyes
wide with pity.
Il had just time to catch the express
/ nor Liverpool that would put me
aboard liner an hour before she
sailed. Miss Kerr, know thought Of
Paris, but things all seemed blurred
to me, and, SO the message 1 hat
planned to you--not to Miss Hitchcock
was never sent"
= my poor friend"
'>"I reached America too late"
I'm so sorry" she sighed.
+, He, had told the whole story. There
was nothing more to say.
Both sat gazing into the open fire
busy with the thoughts of life ant
death. At last Gloria said quietly
with no more movement, than If hel
thoughts had of themselves become
vocal:
4, Tell me of your mother. 1 never
knew my mother, and SO | envy you
You loved herr" ~r5:1 :,
| q loved, her. he began. ]. ,of hif
own affairs he seldom spoke, yet here
was one who by her very presence
made him glad to tell his story, apc
glad that it was a story he could tel
with pride Son never loved motheI
>~~o~oUo.~-~o~o~o~>o
/ / we live in. That is to say, instead o
o,oh clock irving in its own small