The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-08-24
|BETTY'S BROKEN RESOLVE
BY CATHERINE cRANMER.


chance"
''Pshaw, Jack! Aren't there plenty
more fish in the sea?'
mot plenty of Markham's kind"
"You are evidently of one mind with
him, for it's because he is so sure that
he can't be wrong about anything that
I've been keeping him on the anxious
seat"
Take 1t from me, sis, 1t was wise
fellow who said that a man is some
thing like an egg-if you keep him in
hot water little while he boils soft
but keep him there too long and he
hardens. Do you get me?" Jacks
question was flung over his shoulder
from the front hall. where he was get
ting into his overcoat and hat.
Eyes, get you," laughed Betty, as
she curled up in big tapestried arm.
chair in front of the fireplace.
Although she had firmly resolved not
to give single thought to Fred Mark
ham until he apologized for his part in
| their quarrel of the evening before,
| somehow, as she gaZed into the fire.
| her thoughts were all of him. The
quarrel had come about from Bettys
mention of a lark she had enjoyed at.
fancy dress ball at the country club
few evenings before when moving
picture had been taken Of the ball
room by society man whose latest
fad was moving pictures.
Great Scott" exclaimed Fred. 81
hope you didn't get in range of the
picture machine?"
"Why, yes Why not? Larry Mapes
and did special stunt before it,
And may | ask when and where
this picture is to be run as means OF
Haunting you in the face of the pub
lic?"
Now may / ask" began Betty.
whether this picture is any affair of
yours and whether you want to shield
the public or the picture by prevent
ing its appearance?"
"It may not be my affair, Betty-that
rests with you," Fred answered, "but
you're in it,
And so the quarrel had continued
until Fred had bowed a formal good
night to naughty Betty.
She was still curled up in the arm.
chair gazing meditatively at the fire
when her mother and father returned
from their dinner engagement. at
Judge Mapes'
my, but you're home early" she
exclaimed. did the judge run out OF
stories or did the cook run short on
courses?"
Neither, my DEAR" answered her
father, as he removed his gloves and
slapped them together and held them
tight in his right hand, "but Larry evil
IDENTIFY ran out of sane amusementsI
and came near causing his own finish
as well as that of two other people"
Poor old Larry! What's he up to
now?" asked Betty indifferently.
He's in the hospital right now, hav.
ng his many bruises dressed, and
poor little chorus girl will be too ner-
yous to stand in the front row to-
light, and"-with sly look from I'M
Ter his frowning eyebrows-"Fred
Markham has got smashed roadster,
! bruised head and some broken ribs
Is mementos of his heroism.
Fred Markham! Daddy, tell me
What you meant" There was no lack
If eagerness now in Betty's big eyes.
We'll, Fred was driving along in
he park and he saw Larry's little
ed and white racer come shooting
oward him like a cannon ball and on
he same side of the road as he was.
here was small embankment sloping
own from the rod, and Fred tried to
urn his car down that embankment
efore the racer hit him, but its front
yheel struck his back one, and his ma.
hine turned turtle and Larry's went
mash"
ooh, daddy"-almost in a whisper
is Fred badly hurt? What made him
" to jump the embankment? Why
idn't he cross to the other side of the
oad?"
Betty was puzzled at the question
ig look that passed between her moth
r and her father before there was
ny answer to her questions.
Because, Betty" said her father
owly, there was a chance that Lar
= also might go that way, and as Fred
lw there was a girl with Larry he
,ok no chance because he thought the
ri might be you"
At that moment Bettys brother
ick came bustling into the hall and
D to the library door.
Gee, sis" he blurted out, with the
+ of one who has big news to tell,
came deuced near being
rambled egg instead of hard-boiled
le." In spite of Betty's wall of pro-
st, he added, But instead of stay
& in the hospital, he made them take
N to his own apartment and insisted
|, was all right. notwithstanding his
oxen ribs"
Betty vanished up the stairway the
,xt instant, and when Jack went up
W moments later she was at the tele-
lone.
And, Fred. do be very careful,
ar" she was saying. "and are you