Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1917-06-07


erence. His uneasy rounds in Carlotta's
precinct took on the state and form Of
staff vIsitations She fattered, cajoled,
looked up to him.
After a time it dawned on Wilson
that this junior cub was getting more
attention than himself that, wherever
he happened to be, somewhere in the
offing would be Carlotta and the Lamb,
the latter cycling her with worship. Her
indifference had only piqued him. The
enthroning of a successor CALLED him.
Between them, the Lamb suffered
mightily-was. subject to frequent
''bawling out" as he termed it, in the
operating room as he assisted the an
esthetist. He took his troubles to Car
lotta, who soothed him in the corridor
in plain sight of her quarry, of course
by putting a sympathetic hand on
his sleeve.
Then, one day, Wilson was goaded
to speech.
"For the love of heaven, Carlotta,"
he said impatiently, stop making love
to that wretched boy. lie wriggles like
a worm if You look at him."
II like him. He is thoroughly genu-
inc. I respect him, and he respects
me-"
tits rather a silly game, you know.
Do you think don't understands
perhaps you do. IL don't really
care lot about him, Max. But I've
been downhearted. He cheers me up"
Her attraction for him was almost
gone-not quite. He felt rather sorry
for her.
"Pm sorry. Then you are not angry
with me?
"Angry? No." She lifted her eyes
to his, and for once she was not acting.
II knew it would end, of course. /
have lost IA lover. l expected that.
But wanted to keep a friend"
1t was the right note. Why, after all.
should he not be her friend? He had
treated her cruelty, hideously. If she
still desired his friendship, there was
no disloyalty to Sidney in giving it. And
Carlotta was very careful. Not once
again did she allow him to see what lay
in her eyes. She told him of her wor-
ries.
The Lamb was lowering near, hot
eyes on them both. 1t was no place to
talk.
Sidney would be at a lecture that
night. The evening loomed temptingly
free.
Suppose you meet me at the old cor
ner," he said carelessly, eyes on the
Lamb, who was forgetting that he was
only junior inferno and was glaring
ferociously. "We'Il run out into the
country and talk things over"
She demurred, with her heart beating
triumphantly.
whats the use of going back to
that? It's over, isn't it?"
Her objection made him determined.
When at last she had yielded, and he
made his way down to the smoking
room, it was with the feeling that he
had won victory.
X. had been uneasy all that day; his
ledgers irritated him. He had beer
sleeping badly since Sidney's announce
ment of her engagement. AT five o'clock,
when he left the Office, he found Joe
Drummond waiting outside on the
pavement.
Mother said you'd been up to see
me a couple of times. | thought I'd
come around"
K. looked at his watch.
"What do you say to walk?"
"Not out in the country. I'm not as
muscular as you are. I'll go about town
for half-hour or so."'
Thus forestalled, X. found his SUBJ
ject hard to lead up to. But here again
Joe met him more than halfway.
swell, go on he said, when they
found themselves in the park Il guess
I know what you are going to say"
I'm not going to preach, if you're
expecting that Ordinarily, if man
insists on making a fool of himself, ]
let him alone"
"Why make an exception of me?"
"One reason is that happen to like
you. The other reason is that, whether
you admit it or not, you are acting
like young idiot, and are putting the
responsibility on the shoulders Of
someone else"
"She is responsible, isn't she?"
"Not in the least. How old are you.
Joe?"
"Twenty-three, almost"
Exactly. You are a man, and you
are acting like a bad boy. It's a dis
appointment to me. It's more than
that to Sidney"
"Much she cares! She's going to
marry Wilson, isn't she?"
''There is no announcement of any
engagement"
"She is, and you know it. Well,
she'll be happy-notl If I'd go to her
tonight and tell her what know,
she'd never see him again"
The idea, thus born in his over
wrought brain, obsessed him. He
Turned TO If again and again lie