The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-12-01

cried. "Hilliard, imagine me the
head of a big dinner party!"
"God forbid" he shrugged.
The corners of her mouth twitched.
"John couldn't help being ashamed OF
me-" she choked. at would be fiend-
ish."
at certainly would" said Keith,
emphatically. "But my dear Bah, let
me assure you"
Dr.. Holton threw back the door and
re-entered the room. "Dame Fortune
is kind now and then" he beamed.
"Lee can't go tonight. No, no." as
Barbara sprang up, 81 don't want
dessert" Then-"What were you
people talking about so earnestly?"
"You." Keith scowled, as Barbara,
with a murmured excuse, left them to
their cigars. Bob always manages
to get start"
When she heards Keith go to his
room, hours later, she came down and
followed her husband to his den.
Seating herself, she reached her
hands to the tiny blaze smouldering
in the CRATE Then she leaned back
and her eyes met his. "Take it one
way, or another" she said, slowly,
"life is mixed, just mixed"
at isn't life" he commented, terse-
ly. "It's people,"
She shook her head. 81 was talk
ing with Kitty Jones, Sunday" she
continued, "and I've been thinking
about her tonight. She loves him,
spite of all. She says she can never
face life again"
"It's a pity" he replied, lighting a
cigar and putting meditatively at it,
that she couldn't look at it another
way. A man who deliberately takes
a woman's life in the hollow of his
hand, holds it there bit and tosses
it aside, is not worth one tcar-one
heartache."
"Still-perhaps he's just-outgrown
her."
"Such things are" biting con-
tempt sounding in his voice, "but the
man who shows them is a cur. Let's
forget Kitty Jones, though. What's
the problem Barbara Holton has to
solve?"
Crossing to the window, she pulled
aside the curtains and stood looking
out into the night. A hard tight
ness gripped her throat, then travelled
downward until it clutched her heart.
She flung out her arms with a ges-
ture of intense, pent-up energy, a
dumb despair widening and deepening
in her eyes, her lips compressed into
bloodless line, the silken draperies
hiding her from sight. Then she
stepped back into the light.
"I'm not going to New York, john >
she remarked, quietly, but there was
a little hoarseness in her voice. Me.
chanically she turned her eyes to the
oaken frame above his head, inclosing
the magic word in it's short, terse
strength.
"Not going." incredulously. Their
-"Oh, well, we've not gone too fan
to stop. | don't mind"
She took a step forward. "You'l
go, of course" she declared. Tl
stay here and keep the home. It's
a big chance, John. 1t means ad.
vancement for you-wonderful ad-
vancement But for me"--two spots
like fame lighted in her cheeks hn
w2rds tllnb ed out, hot ana passion.
ate, her haaCS clasped and unclaspeC
Tin behind. haven't kept up
don't know how to talk-to Grros--
to be social in that kind of life. II
hurt you there, John. It's big
place. You're a big man and I'm
just plain, uninteresting nobody
who can't mix, who never could, and
who never will. I'll stay here, dear
with the same love I've always given
You will know Pm always-here
You can come as you will, but you'll
not be burdened and held back"
John Holton waited until her voice
ceased. Then, hands in pockets, he
stood before her. He seemed some
how even bigger, quieter and slower
than usual.
"Say," he mused, thoughtfully, and
though the slow bigness of his voice
was unchanged, the pupils of his eyes
were contracted as before q flash of
binding light, "do you remember that
first year or two when I was down
and out-ready to give up? Who
pushed me on? Remember the time
we stood before Boy Toms grave
Who held me up when her own heart
was breaking? Who was it"-his
voice dropped low, his big hands
gripped until the knuckles shone
white from the pressure-"when
told her had wrongfully spent a
thousand dollars from a trust, worked
even at embroidery, going without the
common necessaries of life, until the
last cent was paid, and never once
either by word or glance, reproached
me? Who was it, when my temper
ragged, taught me to bank the fires
and, in a word, showed me God ?
Mix? What do care whether you
mix or don't mix? If you want to
90 to New York, We'll go. If YOU
want to stay here, We'll stay. Ad-
vanccmcnt? God bless your soul
dear heart, you are Advancement"
With a grim laugh and flash of
the gray eyes-a Tightening of the
iron mouth as when, against almost
insurmountable odds, he would move
heaven and earth to win-he reached
out his arms to her