The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-06-10
/ The Turmoil
II BOOTH HARRINGTON
Copyright 1915, By Harper & BrOtheFsl

Harper & BrOthers)
! repeating with interest the look
wasted upon Roscoe. 81 think you
must be mistaken she continued. Il
think it's your brother who is blush
ing. I've thrown him into confusion"
How
She laughed. and then, leaning to him
little. said in a tone as contidentiai
as she could make it. under cover of
the uproar, by trying to begin with
him a courtship meant for your
This might well be style new to
Jim; and it was. He supposed it
nOnsensical form of badinage. and yet
it took his breath. He realized that he
wished what she said to be the literal
truth. and he was instantly shared by
that realization.
BY Georger' be said. 81 guess
you're the kind OF girl that can say
anything and get away with it.
| tOol''
She laughed again-in her way. so
that he could not tell whether she was
| laughing at him or at herself or at the
nonsense she was talking; and she
said:
But you see don't care whether l
get away with it or not. wish you'd
tell me frankly if you think I've got
chance to get away with you?"
More like if you've got a chance to
get away from mer' Jim was inspired
TO reply. Not one in the world. espe-
cially after beginning by making fun
of me like that"
Il mightn't be so much in fun as
you think" she said. regarding him
with sudden gravity.
Well" said Jim, in simple honesty.
you're a funny girl!'
Her gravity continued an instant
longer. II may not turn out to be
funny for you"
$50 long as you turn out to be any
thing at all for me, l expect l can
manage to be satisfied And with
that, to his own surprise, it was his
turn to blush, whereupon she laughed
again.
Yes" he said. plaintiveIy. not
wholly lacking intuition, u can see
you're the sort of girl that would laugh
the minute you see man really means
anythingr'
'Laugh'T' she cried. gayly. why,
it might be a matter of life and death!
But If you want tragedy, I'd better put
the question at once. considering the
mistake 1 made with your brother"
Jim was dazed. She seemed to be
playing little game of mockery and
nonsense with him, but he had
glimpses of flashing danger in it; he
was but too sensible of being out
classed. and had somewhere 1 con-
seriousness that he could never quite
know this giddy and aIluFing lady, no
matter how long it pleased her to play
with him. But he nightly wanted her
to keep on playing with him.
Put what question 2" he said, breath
IessIy.
LAS you are a new neighbor of mine
and Of my family" she returned
speaking slowly and with a cross-ex-
aminer's severity. Il think it would be
you are already walking out with any
young lady or not. Mr.. Sheridan. think
well! Are you spoken for?"
Not yet" he gasped. Are your"
Nor she cried, and with that they
both laughed again: and the pastime
proceeded. increasing both in its gayety
and in Its gravity.
Observing its continuance. Mr.. Rob-
ert LamhOrn. opposite. turned from a
lively conversation with Edith and re-
marked covertiy to SibyI that Miss Yer
trees was starting rather picturesque
ly with jim" And he added. languid-
ly, DO you suppose she would?'
For the moment Sibyl gave no sign
of having heard him. but seemed inter
ested in the clasp of a long rope" of
pearls, a loop of which she was allow
ing to swing from her fingers, rest
ing her elbow upon the table and fol-
lowing with her eyes the twinkle OF
diamonds and platinum in the clasp at
the end Of the loop. She wore many
jewels. She was pretty. but hers was
not the kind of prettiness to be loaded
with too sumptuOus accessories, and
jeweled head-dresses are dangerous
they may emphasize the wrongness OF
the wrong wearer-
Il said Miss Vertrees seems to be
starting pretty strong with Jim re-
peated Mr.. Lamhorn.
81 heard you" There was a latent
I, discomfort always somewhere in bel
eyes. no matter what she threw upon
the surface to cover it. and just now
D she did not care to cover it; she looked
suilen. Starting any stronger thar
r you did with Edith?'' she inquired.
D ''Oh. keep the peace!'' he said, cross
e ly That's OF. of course"
:. You haven't been making her see L
q this evening-precisely. said Sibyl
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