The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-26
CHAPTER xVll-cOntInued.

Louise made little grImace.
'Tell me the worst" she begged.
you are Overdrawn at your bank,
your bills are heavier than ever this
month, and there are five or six special
AccOunts-One for some electric Mt
tlngs, another for the hire of motor
car-whlch ought TO be paid"
Louise was looking up at the ceiling.
She sighed.
at would be NICE" she said, "to
have someone to pay ones bills and
look after one, and see that one wasn't
too extravagant."
"Well, you need someone badly" So
ply asserted. ~ suppose you mean
to make up your mind to 1t some day"
"I wonder !" Louise murmured. "Did
you know that that terrible man from
the hills-John Strangewey's brother
has been here this morning? He fright
ened me 10 death"
"What did he want?" Sophy asked
curiously.
"He was u trifie vague" Louise re-
marked. 81 gathered that If l don't
send John back to Cumberland, he's
going to strangle me-"
Sophy leaned across the table.
"Are you going to send him back?"
she asked.
IL am in an uncertain frame OF
mind" Louise confessed. II really
can't decide about anything"
~ want to tell you this, Louise"
Sophy said firmly. John is getting to
know great many people, and you
know how men talk at the clubs.
Aren't you sometimes afraid that he
will hear things and misunderstand?'
81 am expecting IL every day." Lou
Ise admitted.
"Then why don't you end it?'
(Which way?"
There was silence between the two
women. The muilled street noises
from outside became the background
to stiffness which grew every mo-
ment more oppressive. Louise returned
20 her former attitude. She looked
gteadfastly before her, her face sup
ported by her hands.
Sophy grew paler and paler as the
minutes passed. There was something
strange and almost beautiful in Lou
ises face, something which had come
TO her lately, and which shOne from
her eyes only at rare intervals.
"YOu care for him, believe" SOphy |
cried at last. "YOu care for him"
Louise did not pOve.
"Why not?" she whispered.
There was a ring at the front door |
Louise from her place, could see the |
long, gray bonnet of Johns car. AL
most before she could speak, he was
announced.
"It's an atrocious time to come, l
know" he began apOlogetically.
You're in time for some coffee, any
how" Sophy told him cheerfully. "And
know Louise is glad to see you, be-
cause if you hadn't come, l was going
to make her go through some ac-
counts"
you know am always glad to see
you" Louise murmured, pointing to
chair. "Sophy and have been having
most interesting discussion, but we
have come to cul de sac"
II really came" John explained, 'tO
ask if you cared to come and see a
collection of pictures. There's an Ital-
lana futurist, of course-just un-
packed his little lot and set them up
over a curiosity shop in Clifford street.
He is sending out cards for next week,
but l could take you today-that is,
if you would care about 1t. We can
go somewhere for some tea afterward."
Louise made little grimace.
what bad luck" she exclaimed.
She stopped short. She felt that by
her hesitation she had. in a sense, COM
mitted herself.
II have promised to go and have tea
with the prince at Seyre House." she
said. at is an engagement we made
last week"
John set down his empty coffee cup
with clatter. An inexplicable but
fury seemed to have sud
denly assailed him. He took out
cigarette and tried to light it. Sophy,
after watching him for a moment in ;
astOnishment, slipped out of the room.
Louise came over to his side.
"Are you really so much disappoint-
ed?" she asked. 81 am SO sorry! If /
! had known that you were coming for
me, would have kept myself free"
ut isn't that exactly" John an b
swered. "It's something 1 can't alto 6
gether explain. If you don't mind, l
think l will be going. There is some s
thing / must put right" l
He left without another word. She o
watched him step into his new motor
car and drive away little recklessly, n
the crowded state of the a
streets. He drew up, few minutes v
later, outside the club in Pail Mall, v
where, as it CHANGED, he had lunched
that day with the prince of Seyre. s
He found the prince still sitting in n
the smoking ROOM reading a review, Il
over the top of which he glanced up h
rs John approached, and nodded non il
is
Back again?" he murmured. G
II came back to have word with
you, prince" G.
The prince laid down the review,
keeping his finger in the PLACE.
Delighted
mot long ago." John went on, "in
his room, someone think it was Ma W
or Charters-asked you what you b.
we're doing this afternoon. You replied OF
hat you were engaged. There were I
Ieveral others present, and they began II