Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1917-12-20
D.
LOU1SJOSEpH
VANCE
CHAPTER xIv--conrinued

"You darlingl" he declared with
motion. ''Wait-till get my-breath.
dams got--no business courting-when
he amt in training"
Lydia laughed alond. Impossible to
resent the extravagances of this ire
pressible boy I'm in no hurry" she
countered, hint of malice making
piquant her Occurrences.
81 got youi" said Peter, breathing
heavily.
Suddenly Lydia realized that Peter
known. She'd be sorry to lose him,
With his high spirits and honest, out
spoken friendliness.
But she was bound to lose him; and
not him alone, but all her newfound
friends. This night had demonstrated
hdisput,oly in her understanding that
Craven's mode of life could never be
hers. They lived and thought on diff
fereEt planes. Downing streets secret
agent must of necessity have his
secrets and guard them jealousy; but
love and loyalty could not endure in an
atmosphere of petty deception, useless,
persistent fibbing, feigned emotion in
trinsic selfishness.
She meant to leave him without de-
lay. Come morning, and she would
strike out for herself. And that in
volyed forfeiture not only of her fa-
Their, but Of his friends that now were
hers. 1t would be impossible to keep
on terms of equality and companion
ship with those amiable creatures of
exalted responsibility, and spend her
days-behind counter! She felt very
forlorn, lonely, young and inexperi-
enced.
She turned at length from unseeing
contemplation of Central parks dismal
perspectives, to look curiously at Peter,
who forthwith grinned gracelessly.
what do you want-madmanY
"Just to talk to you" he replied
frankly. 'You keep to yourself so
much-I get lonesome and desperate.
Think what it must mean not to see
you in over twelve hours to a man of
my mercurial temperament! Honest,
was feeling awful low when you
I'd We been taking things seriously
the same as you"
"What makes you say that?"
Because you show it."
do ], really?' she pleaded anx-
iously.
"Not SOS anybody'd notice it but me.
You'll have to learn that you can hide
,hnf n
swell time you'll have when we're mar
ried."
"No-don't joke, please. II am not
very happy tonight
"You aren't?" Peter sat up at atten-
ton, serious for once at least.
tits nothing-don't ask me, please.
I'm just bit low-spirited."
Nothing doingw declared Peter
firmly. Discrimination isn't your long
suit. I know!" He nodded with i'm
mense gravity. you're fretting about
that cussed necklace" He drew long
breath and lied magnificently. "You
see. we were talking it over when you
came In: Quoin calling Betty down for
making Craven try to smuggle, and
Betty fighting back like a good one
the whole story coming out. I don't
care If Tad is your father, he hadn't
any right to put raw deal like that
over on you. Now" Peter wound up
defensively, turn loose the heavy artil-
ieryi I've spoken my mind when it
10 me to take the count without a
whimper.''
Lydia was silent, her face averted.
NO." she said presently, 'T'm not
angry with you. Why should I be? I
myself don't think it was right. It
It's pleasant to know somebody sympa-
thizes, when everybody else seems to
think 1t nothing at all"
"Not my way of looking at it," Peter
insisted. Listen to me nowi Why not
marry me and chuck the whole game
Betty, Tad, Quoin, the whole outfit?
Think how good it would be to know
you don't have to care what they think
Just say Peter, you're on and we're
off-winter in Egypt-everything like
that. You see? Not bit of use fret
ting about people when life makes it.
self so easy"
'Please don't. Peter. 1t makes you
seem-unsympathetic, after ALL
Don't you believe it. I'm so full OF
sympathy for you that it hurts me
Please won't you marry mel"
II can't listen. to you If you will &c
on this way!" she cried, half distract
ed. I'm not thinking of marrying any
body"
II know. It's just as good line as
1t ever was, and you read 1t to perfec
ton. But it loses force With repetition
my dear. Don't forget that this is an
other scene-several chapters farther
Dn-and no other fellow has turned uI
to make 1t difficult for you to decide. ]
know, cause I've been watching"
"Please De-kind-if you can't bs
serious"
But am serious"
"Ah, but you promised me you never