Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-12-02
been good friend, but ! am simply

been good friend. but I am simply
simply"
Il know" he interrupted gently !;
'.you are worn out. tired and hungry"
He caught her hand and she made a
fierce gesture OF dissent. Eyes. but
you are, and know it, and T."
"And you are, tool" she broke In.
almost laughing through her tears.
81 ami" he said, bluntly. $50 darned
hungry / could murder sandwich
man for suggesting oneI''
He stared giocmIly at the low-burn-
ing fire In the gra$e. After q moment
he turned. o light OF determination In
his eyes.
Frances. what 90 Jon say7 I've
known or for a -veek--it seems as n
We had been friends for years I know
: place where can get chance In
the garage business. Let's throw this
art tuff up md gel up or down to
something to eat and decent place
to i've. Whit do you sayi"
She looked in his flushed, eager
face and earnest eyes. "Am to I'M
derstand that you are pr posing to
met" she smiled.
He rallied his faculties. That's IL
Frances. know"
Her voice was cold. Thank you,
but I'm not interested in the garage
business or in marriage, and when I'm
proposed to want it done in q lovers
way"
He rose sharp, his face set. II
spoke seriously, In my way. If /
have"
Contrition came. She caught his
arm. "Don't say-I know-really, /
am too tired. You have been good to
me, but can't give up my dream. I
couldn't marry a garage keeper. /
EMBELLISHMENTS who dreams as ! do
you seer
He nodded, but his face was grave,
and she knew that the slash of her
first words, when his heart was boy
ishly open. had gone deep. He looked
down into her eyes, and she saw that
In his the light had gone out.
"Yet the big thing in the world Is
happiness" he said simply. and went
out, closing the door gently behind
him.
She stared at the ashes in the CRATE
that once had been evidence of the
quality of the old building. and the
ashes seemed to symbolic more than
she wished they did.
'He is right" she murmured to her
self, as she turned out the lights; ''the
big thing is happiness"
1t rained all that night. and the next
day dawned gray, damp and forbid
ding. She worked feverishly at the
picture that represented success or
failure-and the failure seemed to be
looming large.
In the evening she heard him re-
turn! her heart stopped as he passed
her door and went on up the stairs.
Usually he came in to make her q
brief visit. She turned away to busy
herself with .omething-anything.
The door opened suddenly and he
stood before her-his old, impulsive,
boyish self.
swell, I made fifty dollars today,
from arti" he announced.
She thrilled with the words. Then
the turn of the tide had come for him
perhaps! A small beginning-just the
opening-and then
II am glad" she said quickly. "An
order"
He shook his head. mo, got a
chance to do some fresco work for q
dago Ice cream parlOrW
Her castles Of art tumbled about heI
ears. Decorations for a "dago ice
cream parlorl" She stared at him with
wide eyes. Something in his face held
her-something deeply glowing in his
eyes. She swayed a bit toward him
The full. deep voice OF the man be
lied the tenderly smiling boyish eyes
Eyes, fifty dollars-and a good job
Little girl. let's swap dreams. TIL swaT
my dream of being a Whistler or q
Sargent for a home know of, where
skies are blue, mountains green and
every man and woman friend. VIII
you swap your dream for mine an6
my love, till dreaming is doner
She felt suddenly weak. The dreari'
ness of the worn, gray studio closed
about her: the moving, quiet, manly
tones sang in her ears and In heI
heart. She nodded.
She was swept in his arms and
held with a strength that would moi
be denied.
'SThat fifty dollars will get us home
dearie. And now I'll propose as q
lover shouldi"