Smyrna times., 1916-12-20
WELL Begun IS HALF DONE
BY NORMA sELRY.

means OF removing your bachelor |
brothers mental and physical faults?"
'NOt necessarily matrimony, Bob, |
for Betty and will be more than glad
to have you share our home life for
awhile. Shut up this bachelor apart
ment with all it's literary lore and
come home with me for a month.
You're getting as set in your ways as
If you were seventy instead of thirty
five. Betty said for me to bring you
and she'd make you as comfortable
and allow you to be as quiet as you
could wish to be-"
"That's awfully good of Betty" said
Robert. "If there were more girls like
Betty perhaps wouldn't have become
a sort of recluse at thirty-five."
A quick step on the stairway was
followed by a rap on Roberts door
and moment later there entered Doc
tor Edgar.
"You're doing fine!' said the doc
tor, after asking Robert a few ques-
tiOns. "The only thing you need now
Is good jolt that will keep you from
settling back again into the same old
rut."
"Fine, dOctOr!" said George. "Pve
just been urging him to go home with
me for month"
"Just bundle him into your car and
take him along" said the doctor.
Once Robert had let go of his old
life he set about making the most Of
| &c, Dbl.
lazily content with the quiet home life
that left him so much leisure for read
Ing, but one morning at breakfast the
maid handed Betty a night letter con-
tanning news that was anything but
welcome to her brother-in-law.
"Dear me, George" exclaimed Bet
ty, her brown eyes Frightening with
pleasure. 'Leone Gray wires that she
wants to stop for a little visit with
us on her way to Boston for another
year in her art work"
"Fine!" said George cordially.
"Leone is the dearest Of girls" said
Betty to Robert. $50 breezy and
charming to have about. We're quite
crazy about her."
That evening when Robert was un-
willingly dressing for dinner he heard
voices and laughter in the lower hall
which told him that George and Betty
were welcoming their guest whom he
mentally termed a representative Of
the frivolous type.
Half an hour later he went down
stairs haltingly and was relieved upon
entering the drawing room to find it
free of the presence of any frivolous
one. Through the open French win
dow that led to the porch he felt the
mild evening air and caught glimpse
of the moon through the trees. Betty
and George were coming down the
stairs and when Robert heard Betty
softly calling her guest, he was seized
with a desire to delay his introduction
to that guest as long as possible.
In quick strides he made for the
French window that stood open. The
next instant, a dizzy sense of disaster
struck him as he collided forcibly with
someone who was trying to enter the
window. The someone was small and
wore a white gown, and she chung tC
his shoulders to keep the sudden con
tact from throwing her backward. One
wondrously soft hand touched his face
for an instant and he. was pleasant!
conscious of very faint perfume. II
the same instant that all this hap
pened, Robert realized that he wa
standing plainly in view of George ant
Betty when they should reach tn
drawing room door. In desperation h
put an arm around the frivolous on
and swung her gently around so tina
both of them were out of the hgh
from the open window.
''Pm terribly sorry" he whispered
srDidn't know you were here" He fel
q convulsive giggle shaking the gin
and realized that his arm was stil
about her. His arm dropped Instant
and he backed away. The girl &C
yanced very near to him and lifted
face that was pretty even in the darh
ness.
'Don't be so scared" she said, /
a dramatic whisper. Il won't tell.
Then the little white-clad figure vaE
ished through the window into tn
drawing room and Robert stood ther
trying to realize that he was sharin
a secret with the girl whose comm
he had resented. But not until h
met their guest a little later in tn
brightly lighted dinlng-room did /
begin to realize that he was mol
pleased than provoked at having sue
a secret to share with her.
'My brother" said George in h
hearty way, as the dinner progresse
''has nothing to do just now but to
agreeable, so you may count on hi
at every turn while you are her
Leone"
] 'Nothing would please me more thf
to try to make it pleasant for Mi
Gray" said Robert promptly.
''You are all wonderfully kind" sa
r.o ao1d I'm sIre if Won cOntinl