The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1918-04-06

VANCE
CHAPTER xlv.-continued.

isl CHAPTER xlv.-continued.
s It,
"You darling!" he declared with
emotion. "Wait-till / get my-breath.
sJlin's gOt-no business courting-when
he amt in training"
Lydia laughed aloud. Impossible to
PRESENT the extravagances Of this IRE
\ leessible boy! "I'm in no hurry" she
scomtered, a hint Of malice making
Spiquant her occurrences.
Il got you'll" said Peter, breathing
heavily.
4 Suddenly Lydia realized that Peter
WAS the cheerfullest soul she had ever
Known. Shed be sorry to lose him.
With his high spirits and honest. out
spoken friendliness.
]; But she was bound to lose him; and
not him alone, but all her new-f0und
friends. This night had demonstrated
/ indisputably in her understanding that
Cfaven's mode Of life could never be
hers. They lived and thought on DIFF
ferent planes. Downing streets secret
agent must of necessity have his
secrets and guard them jealousy; but
love and loyalty could not endure in an
atmosphere Of petty deception, useless.
persistent fibbing. feigned emotion In
trindc selfshness.
She meant to leave him without de-
lay. Come morning, and she would
strike out for herself. And that in
Solved forfeiture not only Of her IA
ther, but Of his friends that now were
hers. It would be impossible to keep
on terms Of equality and companion
ship with those amiable creatures Of
exalted responsibility, and spend her
days-behind q counter! She felt very
foFlorn. lonely. young and inexperi-
enced.
She turned at length from unseeing
contemplation Of Central parks dismal
perspectives, to look curiously at Peter,
who forthwith grinned gracelessly.
4 What do you want-madman7"
Just to talk to, you," he replied
frankly. you keep to yourself so
lmuch-I get lonesome and desperate.
Think what it must mean not to see
you In over twelve hours to man of
my mercurial temperament Honest,
! was feeling awful low when you
showed up just now. In another hour
ia We been taking things seriously
the same as you"
II "What makes you say that7"
Because you show it."
do !, really?" she pleaded anx-
Slously.
4 "Not SOS anybody'd notice It but me.
You'll have to learn that you can hide
nothing from me. Consider what a
swell time you'll have when we're mar
Red"
8 don't joke, please. II am not
'rery happy tonight
@You aren't?" Peter sat up at atten-
ton, serious for once at least.
It's nothing ask me, please.
I'm just bit low-spirited."
Nothing doing!" declared Peter
s1rmly. Discrimination isn't your long
init. / knowl" He nodded with i'm
inense gravity. "You're fretting about
nat cussed necklace" He drew a long
breath and lied magnificently. "You
-. we were talking 1t over when you
came in: Quoin calling Betty down for
;making Craven try to smuggle, and
BETTY fighting back like good one
the whole story coming out. I don't
care II Tad is your father, he hadn't
any right to put raw deal like that
over on you. Now" Peter wound up
.defensively, ''turn loose the heavy artil-
lefyl I've spoken my mind when It
was none of my business, and it's up
TO me to take the count without
Whimper."
Lydia was silent, her face averted.
No." she said presently, I'm not
angry with you. Why should l be? 4
myself don't think it was right. tt
its pleasant to know somebody sympa-
thixes, when everybody. else seems to
think 1t nothing at all"
Not my way Of looking at It." Peter
insisted. Listen to ME now Why not
marry me and chuck the whole game
Betty, Tad, Quoin, the whole outfit?
Think how good It would be to know
you don't have to care what they think
Just say Peter, you're onT and we're
In Egypt-everything like
that. You sect Not bit of use fret
ling about people when life makes It.
1eh 20 easy"
please don't. Peter. It makes you
geem- unsympathetic. after ALL"
Don't you believe 1t. I'm SO full Of
aUmpathy for you that It hurts me.
R1ease won't you marry mef'
I can't listen to you II you win 60
= this wayi" she cried, half distract