Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-04-30
Evening Story
IN YOUTH.
By Josephine MiIIedce.

Oy vooSpsia'to "'ibSNESs
Copyright, 1912, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
81 think a frisky old woman is
the hatefulest thing in the world
Lucille burst out, her face tense.
Trevenna whistled, raising his eye
brows. His silence half maddened
her. "Of course-you don't agree
with me-" she cried, with emphasis on
the pronoun.
Butt do-heartily." Trevenna said
gravely. Even though I've seen only
a few specimens
Il hate liars" Lucille broke in, her
eyes flashing. IF you--you-spoke
the truth-you wouldn't be forever
dangling after"
"a lady-charming and well bred
all the more charming because of gray
hair" Trevenna in turn interrupted.
Lucille glared at him, choked a mo-
ment, then slid off her new ring, and
flung 1t at his feet, crying hysterical-
ly, "You-had-better-give her this.
l don't want it"
"Lucile!" Trevenna's voice was
sharp. "Are you crazy? Pick up your
ring! At once.!"
1T is you who are crazy-speaking
to me so after-after-"
Lucille faltered, biting her lips to
strangle sob. "After-you have-let
her make fool of you-just so she
could laugh over it," she went on when
again she could speak.
VT %t,< VII
He stood upright, but made no ap-
proach to her. He said in his gray
est voice: 81 hate taking back gift
therefore please keep this indicating
the ring. "But-just as a gift"
"Why do you say that?" Lucille de-
manded unsteadily.
He looked at her hard. II hate
scenes he said. ESPECIALLY when
they are causeless."
"Causeless!'' the girl echoed as If
the word burned her lips. When you
stayed three hours with that woman
last night after dinner!"
"Only two-tO my regret. Two
profitable hours. All through them
Il wished you were with us. Mrs.
Alwyn has seen so much, and done
so much, she is a liberal education. -
Trevenna answered, tossing the ring
to Lucille She took it disdainfully
from her lap-he appeared not to no.
tice that it had rolled to his feet. Il
am forgetting my errand-it is to ask
you if you will go with us this after
noon in the car to the Lodge? We will
eat a picnic supper there and come
back by moonshine. Cousin Helen is
chaperon-
"And Mrs. Alwyn, of course, guest
of honor" Lucille interrupted then
her face went into her hands. She
began to sob, hard, heartbreaking sobs
that hurt Trevanno cruelty to hear,
though he did not try to check them.
At the door he called back almost
awkwardly. BE ready-if you decide
to go-we shall call for you at four
Lucille sobbed on, but he did not
gate had shut behind him.
His head whirled. He had escaped
a great peril. A jealous wife! Not If
he knew it! He had no thought OF
hurting Lucille, not the least leaven OF
disloyalty. How could he, when the
other woman was frankly so much his
elder? He had recognized her won.
anhood to be sure-but only as an add
ed charm to her quick wit and keen
intelligence. A charming voice, face
mobile and vivid as sunlight, had had
effect-that he did not deny. So had a
dainty frank and finished coquetry
The frankness of it ought to have
shown Lucille there could be no harm
All at once there came over him a
wave of regret. He loved Lucille
truly, tenderly. They had grown up
together, but oddly enough, he had
never thought of her as a sweetheart
until three months back-then after
the fashion Of love from time immem
orial, he had found she was all the
world to him. They had been be-
trothed bare fortnight-and now they
were-hardly frienrs. If she had been
reasonable, if she had only shown him
he was making her happy, instead Of
storming at him! He would have quit
haunting Mrs. Alwyn to please her
though he would have laughed her sus
picions to scorn, but-not under com
pulsion. Lucille herself had made il
impossible to draw away from the old
er woman.
Henrietta Alwyn had seeing eyes
they told her at first glance that after
noon, something had gone amiss witt
her young squire. 1t had amused her
delicately, to captivate him-manly Il
truth must be told in revenge for Lu
Giles instructive hostility Jealous
, little puss! She needs lesson" Hen
riette had said mentally, after hel
most disarming smile had been los
on the girl. Thereafter, she had vast
ed no more smiles, but had shown he
young rival a courtesy maddenly ex
uuisite. 1t was that indeed which hat
provoked Lucile's enthusiastic fel
so helplessly young and weak by con
trast. Youth is oftentimes more handi
cap than advantage-Trevenn did no
in the least understand that-being 81
sure of himself, he fancied Lucille
! should be likewise sure.
| Henriette was too wary to name Lu
Notwithstanding she felt her a
..zo+ ~ froryh1o Trovnnpa xuo4