Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-05-02


true
She was comforted little by his :
tone. Then you won't come for a
drive"
Stop for me in, say. half an hour
Well, I'll run along. then. | must
get the air. All this has given me a
dreadful headache"
Jackson turned reproachfully to
Wallace. See what you've done? =
Bye bye, dearie" cried his fiancee.
Bye bye. sweetheart"
In half an hour?"
! About that"
: Don't you listen to that mani" This
! in a warning tone.
No: I'm going to make him listen
to me"
oh. YOU dear boy, Bye bye, dearie!"
She waved a plumply wrinkled hand at
him. and left the two young men alone
together.
Say. are you going crazy?" were
Wallaces first words. spoken as soon
as he was sure that she was gone.
Nothing of the kind. I'm perfectly
all right"
You mean to tell me that"
I've got a whole lot to tell you. Sit
down"
AS Wallace found a chair and. as if
exhausted. sank into it, Broadway
paced the room uneasily.
| Z"
The bell rang and Rankin hurried in.
on his way to answer it.
IF it's anyone for me, I'm not at
home" said Broadway. I'm visiting
in-Paterson."
He turned again to Wallace.
Now, in the first place" he said
gravely, Il want you to understand
thoroughly that I'm positively serious
about this whole affair and that moth
ing you can say will change my plans
Is that understood"
We'll, go on"
Mrs. Gerard and are going to be
married. and it's going to happen very
shortly, whether you like it or not II
you care to retain my friendship you
must get used to it"-he sighed-"tht
same as shall have to. Am | clear ??
=. We'll. I'm listening"
Broadway sighed again. Il know sew
!, eral girls who will cry very bitterly
and | know a lot of fellows who viii
D., laugh very heartily; but the fact re
>, mains that the lady who just left thi
room is to become Mrs. Jackson Jones
So, once and for all. get it out OF you
head that it is joke"
4 He glanced distastefully at his yer,
mournful friend, who seemed, some
how, to have shriveled as he heard a.
this uncompromisiAg talk.
And don't sit there like a pallbeal
er. Smile. Utter few kind words
Say something. anyhow! /
Wallace leaned toward him, his ey
lighting with the fire of comba
Now"
Don't you dare to give me any a
gument about this thing, 1t woul
only be a waste of words. My mind
positively made up"
do you realize what"
What people are going to say? {
course | do. I've gone over all of tina
I've threshed it out with myself fro
every possible angle. l know VIII;
they're going to say, and l know exaC
ly what they're going to think"
We'll, what are they going
Think"
The natural thought will be that
am marrying her for her money.
Nonsense. They'll know better tia
that. Everyones aware that you ha'
- all the money any man could
$50 you think 500" For the fir
time Broadway laughed. 1t was
scornful. scathing. tragic laugh.
startled Wallace.
ed We'll. haven't your
Ia lust a second Rankin! Oh, Ra
kim"
* Rankin was entering, even as
called, bringing in a telegram. Bros
90 WAY took 1t without needing it a
All thrust it in his pocket unopened.
Nv. was intent on showing Wallace ht
ON affairs really were with him.
ma Rankin" he warned the man.
-" don't want to be disturbed for the ne
nat ten minutes. | have some busine
toi which l wish TO talk over with \
Wallace without single interruption
he VERY we'll. sir"
.ct As soon as the man had left
are room Broadway settled to his task
making a clean breast of it.
ed I'm going to let you In on lit
I'VE secret, Bob-my secret. No one e
Nh. in the world knows. / wouldn't
Ing anyone else but you. wouldn't
you II it weren't for the fact that we
a always been 80 close and such &c
friends. But remember-it's Masonic
led Wallace gravely bowed. "Certa
ved ly." He was intensely puzzled;
could not imagine what was coming
son We'll" said Broadway. with
on further prelude, Bob, I'm broke!"