The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1916-07-22

ina thdt Sne felt least able 20 forgive
him. Martha would say r..thing. but
her unspoken denurc!ations OF GAIA
let would be only less intolerable than
her unspoken sympathy with Blanche
Martha had been perfectly awful about
the whole thing And Martha had COM
mitted the final outrage OF being per-
fectly right, from her idiotic point OF
view
Now among all these meditations OK
a long night, and of q still longer day.
In which nobody even troubled to send
her word Of the case at Kingston. 1t
would be too much to say that no
thought Of Hilton Toye ever entered
the mind Of Blanche. She could not
help liking him; he amused her I'm
mensely; and he had proposed to her
twice and warned her he would again.
She felt the force of his warning. be-
cause she felt his force OF character
and will. She literally felt these
forces, as actual emanations from the
strongest personality that had ever
impinged upon her own.
In the day of reaction. such consid-
erations were bound to steal In as
single spies. each with certain con-
ISOLATION. not altogether innocent OF
comparisons But the battalion OF
Toye's virtues only marched on
Blanche when Martha came to her. on
the little green rug of lawn behlno
the house, to say that Mr.. Toye him.
self had called and was In the draw
ing-room.
Blanche stole up past the door. ana
quickly made herself smarter than she
had ever done by day for Walter GAIA
let; at least she put on a "dressy'
blouse, her calling skirt (Which al
WAYS looked newt. and did what she
could to her hair. All this was only
because Mr. Toye always came down
as If it were Mayfair. and 1t was rotten
to make people feel awkward II you
could help it. So In sailed Blanche.
In her very best for the light OF day.
to be followed as soon as possible oy
the silver teapot, though she had Just
had tea herself. And there stood Hli-
ton Toye, chin blue and collar black.
his trousers all knees and creases. ex-
actly as he had jumped out OF the boat
train I
81 guess I'm not fit to speak to you.
he said, but that's Just what I've
come to do-for the third time!
"Oh, Mr.. Toye!" cried Blanche.
really frightened by the face that
made his meaning clear. 1t relaxed
a little as she shrank. Involuntary.
hut the compassion In his eyes and
mouth did not lessen their steady de-
termination.
II didn't have time to make myself
presentable." he explained. y thought
YOU wouldn't have me waste moment
II YOU understood the situation.
want you to promise to marry me
right nOw!
Blanche began to breathe again.
Evidently he was on the eve OF yet an
other Of his journeys. probably BACK
to America. and he wanted to 60 over
engaged; at first she had thought ne
had bad news to break to her. but this
was no worse than she had heard be-
fore. Only 1t was more difficult to
cope with him: everything was diner
eut. and he SO much more pressing
and precipitate She had never met
this Hilton Toye before Yes; she
was distinctly frightened by him. But
in minute she had ceased to be
frightened OF herself: she knew her
own mind once more. and spoke 1t
much as he had spoken his. quite COM
passionately. but just as tersely to
the point
"One moment" he interrupted. i
said nothing about my feelings. be-
cause they're a kind Of stale PROPOSE
ton by this time: but for forms sake
| may state there's no change there.
except In the only direction | guess
persons feelings are liable to change
toward you. Miss Blanche! I'm worse
case than ever. II that makes any diff
ference"
Blanche shook her yellow head.
Nothing can." she said. There must
be no possible mistake about 1t this
time. because / want you to be very
good and never ask me again.
tTO BE CONTINUEDJ
L..