The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1917-10-11

VANCE
CHAPTER xlV.-continued.


Mans got-no business courtlng-when
he amt in training"
Lydia laughed aloud. Impossible to
resent the extravagances of this ire
pressible boy! "Fm in no hurry" she
countered, hint of malice making
piquant her occurrences.
II got you'll" said Peter, breathing
heavily.
Suddenly Lydia realized that Peter
was the cheerfullest soul she had ever
known. Shed be sorry to lose him,
with his high spirits and honest, out
spoken frlendliness.
But she was bound to lose him and
not him alone, but all her new-found
friends. This night had demonstrated
lndisputably in her understanding that
CfaVen's mode of life could never be
hers. They lived and thought on diff
1erent planes. Downing streets secret
agent must of necessity have his
secrets and guard them jealously; but
love and loyalty could not endure in an
atmosphere of petty deception, useless
persistent fbblng, fegned emotion In
trinsic seltishness.
She meant to leave him without de-
lay. Come morning, and she would
strike out for herself. And that in
volved forfeiture not only Of her fa-
ther, 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 irresponsibility, and spend her
0pVS-hnhinH n FoI1
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-madman?"
Just to talk to you," he replied
frankly. You keep to yourself so
much-I get lonesome and desperate.
Think what 1t must mean not to see
you in over twelve hours to a man of
my mercurial temperament Honest,
l was feeling awful low when you
showed up just now. In another hour
I'd We been taking things seriously
the same as you"
What makes you say that?"
Because you show It,"
do l, really?" she pleaded anx-
iously.
mot SOS anybody'd notice it but me.
You'll have to learn that you can hide
nothing from me. Consider what a
swell time you'll have when we're mar
ried."
"No-don't joke, please. IL am not
very happy tonight
You aren't" Peter sat up at atten-
ton, serious for once at least.
Its nothing-don't ask me, please.
I'm just bit low-spirlted."
Nothing doing!" declared Peter
firmly. Discrimination isn't your long
suit. l 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 Il good one
the whole story coming out. 1 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-
lery! I've spoken my mind when 1t
was none of my business, and it's up
to me to take the count without a
whlmper."
Lydia was silent, her face averted.
"No," she said presently, "Pm not
angry with you. Why should 1 be?
myself don't think it was right. It
it's pleasant to know somebody sympa-
thizes, when everybody else seems to
think it nothing at ALL"
mot my way of looking at it," Peter
insisted. "Listen to me now 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 onp 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 1t. I'm so full of
sympathy for you that 1t hurts me.
please won't you marry me?"
II can't listen to you If you will 90
ON this wayp she cried, half distract
ed. "I'm not thinking Of marrying any
hodY."