The Dermott news., 1917-05-17
CHAPTER XXVlI.

tainable that now his masculine mind, little weary with much wretchedness, refused to move from its old attitude.
 Tt was glamour. that was all, k., said Sidney bravely.
 But. perhaps" said K. tits just be- cause of that miserable incident with Carlotta. That wasn't the right thing, of course but Max has told me the story. It was really quite innocent. She tainted i'll the yard, and"
 Sidney was exasperated.
 Do you want me to marry him, K.?'
 K. looked straight ahead.
 T want you to be happy, dear
 They were on the terrace of the White Springs hotel again. K. had or dered dinner, making great to-do about getting the dishes they both liked. But now that it was there, they were not eating. K. had placed his chair so that his profile was turned to- ward her. Past Ks profile Sidney could see the magnolia tree shaped like n heart.
 "It seems to me" said Sidney sud denly. that you are kind to everyone but me. K"
 He fairly stammered his nstonish- ment:
 .'Nhy. what on earth have doneT'
 You are trying to make me marry Max. aren't you?"
 She was very properly ashamed of that, and, when he failed 10 reply out of sheer inability to think of one that would not say too much. she went hastily to something else: Tt Is hard for me to realize that you-that you lived life of your own, n busy life, doing useful things, before you came to us. l wish you would tell ne some thing about yourself. If we're to be friends when you go away, she had to stop there. for the lump in her throat-"Ill want to know how to think of you-who your friends are all that"
 He made an effort He was think ing. of course, that he would be vis- ualizing her. in the hospital, in the lit- tie house on it's side street. as she looked just then. her eyes like stars. her lips just parted, her hands folded before her on the table.
 Il shall be working" he said at last. 50 will you"
 Does that mean you won't have time to think of mel"
 Il believe I'm stuplder than usual to- night. You can think of me as never forgetting you or the Street, working or playing"
 Playing, Of course he would not work all the time. And he was going back to his old friends, to people who had always known him, to girls
 He did his best then. He told her of the old family house, built by one of his forebears who had been a king s man until Washington had put the case for the colonies, and who had given himself and his oldest son then to the cause that he made his own. He told of old servants who had wept when he decided to close the house and go away. When she fell silent, he thought he was interesting her.
 put u ltIIiblt tIiilS Nis AdpptlAiH to Sidney. Side by side with the won ders he described so casually, she was placing the little house. What an exile 1t must have been for him When K, trying his best to interest her and to conceal his own heaviness of spirit. told her of his grandfather's old car riage she sat back in the shadow.
 Fearful old thing" said K.-"regu- lar cabriolet. l can remember yet the family rows over Il"
 When l was child" said Sidney quietly. land carriage drove up and stopped on the Street, l always knew someone had died !"
 There was n strained note In her voice. K. whose ear was attuned to every note in her voice, looked at her quickly.
 My great-grandfather," said Sidney in the same tone. "sold chickens at market. He didn't do'it himself; but the facts there isn't tl"
 K. was puzzled.
 "What about it?" he srid.
 .Go on," said Sidney dully. ''Tell me about the women you have known, your friends. the ones yoa liked and the ones who liked you"
 K. was rather apologetic.
 I've always been so busys' he con fessed. "I know n lot, but dan't think they would interest you. They don't do anything. you know-they travel around and have good time. They're rather nice to look at, some of them. But when you've said that you've said 1t all"
 Nice to look att Of course\ they would be. with nothing else to thiAk of