The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-08-14


his voice strangely unfamiliar in his
own ears.
"A man can struggle just so long
against odds. then he wins or becomes
broken. Women are not logical; gen
orally they permit themselves to be
guided by impulse rather than by rea-
son. This man / am telling you about
was proud; perhaps too proud. 1t is
a shameful fact, but he ran away.
True, he wrote letter after letter, but
all these we're returned unopened.
Then he stopped"
"A woman would good deal rather
believe circumstantial evidence than
not. Humph!" The colonel primed
his pipe and relighted it. She couldn't
have been worth much"
Worth much!" cried Abbott. what
do you imply by that?"
mo man will really give up a
woman who is really worth while, that
is, of course admitting that your man,
Courtlandt, is a man. Perhaps, though,
1t was his fault. He was not persistent
enough, maybe a bit spineless. The
fact that he gave uD so quickly pos
sibly convinced her that her impress
sions were correct. Why, I'd have
followed her day in and day out, year
after year; never would have let up
until had proved to her that she had
been wrong"
THE colonel is right" Abbott ap-
proved, never taking his eyes off Court
landt, who was apparently absorbed in
the contemplation of the bread crumbs
under his fingers.
And more, by hook or crook, I'd
have dragged in the other woman by
the hair and made her confess"
Il do not doubt it, colonel" re-
sponded Courtlandt, with a dry laugh.
And that would really have been the
end of the story. The heroine of this
rambling tale would then have been
absolutely certain of collusion be-
tween the two"
THAT is like a woman" the Barone
agreed, and he knew something about
them. "And where is this man now?"
Here said Courtlandt, pushing
back his chair and rising. 81 am he"
He turned his back upon them and
sought the garden.
Tableau!
Dash me" cried the colonel, who,
being the least interested personally,
was first 70 recover his speech.
The Barone drew in his breath
sharply. Then he looked at Abbott.
4 suspected it," replied Abbott to
the mute question. Since the episode
Of last night his philosophical outlook
had broadened, He had lost Nora,
but had come out of the agony of love
refused to fuller manhood. AS long
as he lived he was certain that the
petty affairs of the day were never
again going to disturb him.
Let him be-" was the colonel's sug
gestion, adding a gesture in the direc.
tion of the easement door through
which Courtlandt had gone. He's as
big a man as Nora is a woman. If he
has returned with the determination of
winning her, he will"
They did not see Courtlandt again.
After a few minutes of restless to-and-
froing, he proceeded down to the land
ing, helped himself to the colonels
motor-boat, and returned to Bellaggio.
At the hotel he asked for the duke,
only to be told that the duke and
madame had left that morning for
Paris. Courtlandt saw that he had
permitted one great opportunity to slip
past. He gave up the battle. One
more good look at her, and he would
go away. The odds had been too
strong for him, and he knew that he
was broken.
When the motor-boat came back, Alb
bott and the baron made use of it also.
They crossed in silence, heavy-hearted.
On landing Abbott said: 1T is
probable that shall not see you again
this year l am leaving tomorrow for
Paris. It's a great world, isn't it, where
they toss us around like dice? Some
throw SKIES and others deuces And in
this game you and have lost two out
of three"
81 shall return to Rome" replied the
Barone. MY long leave of absence is
near its end"
What in the world can have hap
pened?" demanded Nora, showing the
two notes to Celeste. Here's Donald
going to Paris tomorrow and the Bar
one to Rome They will bid us good
by at tea. don't understand. Don
aid was to remain until we left for
America, and the Baroness leave does
not end until October"
Tomorrow" dim-eyed Celeste re-
turned the notes.
Yes. You play the fourth ballade
and I'll sing from Madame. 1t will be
very lonesome without them" Nora |
gazed into the wall mirror and gave a
pat or two to her hair.
When the men arrived, it was i'm |
pressed on Nora's mind that never had |
she seen them so amiable toward each
other. They were positively friendly.
And why not? The test of the morn
ing had proved each of them to his
own individual satisfaction, and had
done away with those stilted manner
Isms that generally make rivals ridicu-
lous in all eyes save their own The
revelation at luncheon had convinced
them Of the futility Of things In gem
eral and of woman in particular. They
we're, without being aware Of the fact,
each consolation to the other. The
old adage that misery loves company
was never more nicely typifed. !