The Yale expositor., 1918-04-04

Wuy lhuL inhue hdLel DrlnB ner te1Lu
together and want to shake him.
Grinell by then was hurrying up
with long strides. Hat In hand, he
bowed to her. miss Hazel Weir, I
believer" he Intercepted.
eyes," she confirmed.
"rm on the Times, Miss Weir"
Grinell went straight to the business In
hand. "You are aware, / presume,
that Mr.. Andrew Bush willed you a
sum of money under rather peculiar
conditions-that is, the bequest was
worded in a peculiar way. Probably
you have seen a refeSE0cs to 1t In the
papers. 1t has caused a great deal of
interest. The Times would be pleased
to have a statement from you which
will tend to set at rest the curiosity of
the public. Some Of the other papers
have INDUCED In unpleasant innuendo.
We would be pleased to publish your
side Of the matter"
81 have no statement to make" Ha-
eel said coolly. 81 am not in the least
concerned with what the papers print
or what the people say. 1 absolutely
|
Grinell continued to point out-with
the persistence and persuasive logic Of
good newspaper man bent on learn
ing what his paper wants to know
the desirablllty of her giving forth a
statement. And in the midst of his
argument Hazel babe him a curt "good
evening" and walked on. Barrow kept
step with her. Grinell gave it up for
a bad job, evidently, for he turned
back.
They walked five blocks without a
word. Hazel glanced at Barrow now
and then, and observed with an uncom.
Portable sinking Of the heart that he
was sullen, openly resentful, suspl.
cious.
"Johnnie-boy," she said suddenly,
don't look so cross. Surely you don't
blame me because Mr.. Bush wills nae
sum Of money in a way that D..kes
people wonder?
II can't understand 1t at ALL he
said slowly. Its very pecular--and
deucedly unpleasant. Why should he
leave you money at all? And why
should he word the will as he didi
What wrong did he ever do your"
None" Hazel answered shortly. His
tone wounded her, cut her deep, so
eloquent was 1t of distrust. "The only
wrong he has done me lies in willing
me that money as he did"
"But there's an explanation for
that" Barrow declared moodily.
There's a key to the mystery, and II
anybody has 1T you have. What r. It'll"
Jack" Hazel pleaded, "dont take
that tone with me. can't stand It'll
won't. I'm not a little child to be
scolded and browbeaten. This morn
ing when you telephoned you were ar
most insulting, and 1t hurt me dread
fully. You're angry now, and susp.,
cious. You seem to think must have
done some dreadful thing. / know
what you're thinking. The Gazette
limited at some affair between me and
Mr.. Bush; that possibly that was
sort of left-handed reparation for ru-
lining me. If that didn't make me an
cry 1t would amuse me-it's so absurd.
Haven't you any faith in me at all?
haven't done anything to be ashamed
OF. I've got nothing to conceal"
Don't conceal it, then" Barrow
muttered sulkily. "rve got a right to
know whatever there is to know If
I'm going to marry you. You don't
seem to have any idea what this sort
Of talk that's going around means to
man."
Hazel stopped short and faced him.
Her heart pounded sickeningly, and
hurt pride and rising anger choked her
for an instant. But she managed to
speak calmly, perhaps with added
calmness by reason of the struggle
she was compelled to make for self
control.
IF you are going to marry me-" she
repeated, you have got a right to
know all there is to know. Have
refused to explain? 1 haven't had
much chance to explain yet. Have
refused to tell you anything7 Would
any reasonable explanation make an
impression on you in your present
frame of mind. don't want to marry
you If you can't trust me. Why,
Couldn't wouldn't-marry you any
time, or any place, under those con-
ditions, no matter how much 1 may
foolishly care for you"
There's just one thing, Hazel" Bar
row persisted stubbornly. "There must
have been something between you and
Bush. You're not helping yourself by
getting on your dignity and talking
about my not trusting you, instead Of
explaining these things"
"a short time ago." Hazel told him
quietly, "Mr. Bush asked me to marry
him. refused, of course. He"
"You refusedr" Barrow interrupted
cynically. "Most girls would havs
jumped at the chance"
"Jack" she protested.
"Well," Barrow defended, che was
almost millionaire, and I've got moth
ing but my hands and my brain. But
suppose you did refuse him. How does
that account for the five thousand dol
larsp