The Benson signal., 1917-11-24

Dlurrlng up with tears. She was
little bit slack and edgy today anyhow.
What he had just referred to in
| dozen brisk words, was the final dis
appearance of the home they had all
grown up in. Their father one of
Chicago's great men during the twenty
odd years from the Fire to the Fair,
had built it when the neighborhood
included nearly all the other big men
of that robust period, and had always
been proud of it. OF course for years
the neighborhood had been impossible.
Her mother had clung to it after her
husbands death, but Rodney had SIM
ply stayed on, since her death, waiting
for an offer for it that suited him. His
curt announcement that the long
looked-fOr change had come, brought
up quick, unwelcomed tears. She
squeezed them away with her palms.
'Is that" she asked, "why you've
been looking so sort of-gay, all the
evening-as if you were licking the
last of the canary's feathers off your
| whiskers?"
perhaps So" he said. ''It's been
pretty good day, take it all round"
She got up from the couch, shook
herself down into her clothes little,
and came over to him. Call right,
since it's been a good day, let's go to
bed" She put her hands upon his
shoulders. you're rather dreadful"
she said, ''but you're a dear. You
don't bite my head off when urge you
to get married, though I know you
want to. But you will some day.
don't mean bite my head off-won't
you, Rod"
"When see any prospect of being
as lucky as Martin-fnd a girl who
won't mind when turn up for dinner
looking like a drowned tramp, or kick
her plans to bits, after she's tipped me
off as to what she wants me to do :"
Frederick took her hands off, STEP
ped back, and looked at him. There
was an ironical sort of smile on her
lips. you're such an innocent, Roddy
dear. Don't think the girl you marry
will ever treat you like that"
''But look here!" he exclaimed.
"How in thunder am going to know
about the girl get engaged to, before
it's too late?'
"You WON'T" she said. "You haven't
q chance in the world"
''Hm!" he grunted, obviously struck
with this idea. you're giving the
prospect of marriage new attractions.
You're making the thing out-an ad-
venture"
She nodded rather soberly. "Oh,
I'm not afraid for you," she said.
''Men like adventures-yOu more than
most. But women don't. They like to
dream about them, but they want to
turn over to the last chapter and see
how it's going to end. It's the girl
I'm worried about. Oh, come
along! We're talking nonsense. I'll
go up with you and see that they're
giving you pajamas andra toothbrush"
| She had accomplished this purpose,
kissed him goodnight, and turned to
leave the room, when her eye fell upon
heap of damp, warped, pasteboard-
bound notebooks, which she remem-
bered having observed in his side pock-
cts when he first came in. She went
over and picked them up, peered at the
paper label that had half peeled off the
topmost cover, and read what was
written on it.
"Who," she asked with considerable
emphasis, sis Rosalind Stanton?"
"Oh," said Rodney, very casually, be-
hind the worst imitation of a yawn
she had ever seen, "oh, she got put off
the car when did,"
'That sounds rather exciting" said
Frederica behind an imitation yawn
of her own-but a better one. "Going
to tell me about it?"
"Nothing much to TELL" said Rodney.
''There was a row about a fare, as
said. And then, we both got put off.
So, naturally, walked with her over
to the elevated. And then I forgot to
give her her notebooks and came away
with them"
'What sort of looking girl?" asked
Frederica. 'Is she pretty?"
"Why, I don't know" said Rodney
judicially. REALLY, you know, I hard
ly got fair look at her."
Frederica made a funny-sounding
laugh and wished him an abrupt "gOod
night"
She was great old girl, Frederica-
pretty wise about lots of things, but
Rodney was inclined to think she was
mistaken in saying women didn't like
adventures.
you're liar, you know" remarked
his conscience, "telling Frederick you
hadn't good look at her. And how
about those noteboOks-about forget
ting to give them to herw
| CHAPTER Ill.
The Second Encounter.
Ia%4 U,,n oh