Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-07-03
CHAPTER Vii.-continued.

He saw her when she reached the
lower landing, and came to meet her.
rOhW he said. 81 thought you were
going to be off somewhere with Fred
erica this afternoon. It's been a great
day. l hope you haven't spent the
whole of 1t indoors. You're looking
great, anyway. Come here and give
me a kiss"
She hesitated, a little perplexed.
Did he mean not to tell her-to
'spare" her, as he'd have said? The
kiss she gave him had a different
quality from those that ordinarily con-
stituted her greetings, and the arms
that went round his neck didn't give
him their customary hug. But they
stayed there. t
You poor, dear old boy!' she said.
and then, Don't you care, Roddy!"
He returned the caress with inter
est, before he seemed to realize the
different significance of it. Then he
pushed her away by the shoulders and
held her where he could look into her
face. '"What do you mean," he asked.
Don't care about what?" 1t didn't
seem like bravadC-like an acted out
pretense, and yet, of course, 1t must be.
Don't" she said. Because 1 know.
I've known all day. l read it in the
paper this morning"
From puzzled concern the look in
his face took on a deeper intensity.
''Tell me what it isl he said very
quietly. II don't know. didn't read
the paper this morning. Is 1t Harri-
et?" Harriet was his other sister
married, and not very happily, it was
beginning to appear, to an Italian
count.
J A revolution "a sort Of sick mis-
giving-took the color out sOf Roses
cheeks. 'It isn't anyone" she said.
ats nothing like that. lists that
case" Her lips stumbled over the
little of it. "It's been decided against
you. Didn't you know"
For a moment his expression was
simply the absence of all expression
whatever. But how the dickens did
you know nything about It? How
did you happen to see it in the paper?
How did you know the title of it"
81 was in the court the day you
argued it," she said unevenly. "And
when 1 found they printed those things
In the paper, 1 kept watch. And to-
day . ="
''Why, you dear child I" he said. And
the queer, ragged quality of his voice
drew her eyes back to his, so that
she saw, wonderlngly. that they were
bright with tears. "And you never
said a word, and you've been bother
ing your dear little head about 1t all
the time. Why, you darlingp
He sat down on the edge of the
table, aud pulled her up tight into
his arms again. She was glad to put
her head dowp-didn't want to look
at his face; she knew that there was
a smile there along with the tears.
'And you thought 1 was worrying
about it," he persisted, land that I'd
be unhappy because 1 was beaten"
lie patted her shoulder Consolingly
with a big hand. But that's all in
the days work. child. I'm beaten
somewhere near as often as 1 win.
"A man couldn't be any good as law
yer, if he did care, any more than a
surgeon could be any good, If he did.
You've got to keep a cold mind or you
can't do your best work. And If you've
done your best work, there's nothing
ito care about. l honestly haven't
day 20 this. Don't you see how it
isl"
She couldn't see how It was, that
was plain enough. What he very rea-
sonably expected was that after so