Middletown transcript., 1918-06-22

And she turned to find herself facing
Lorraine Marsha Granville school
chum-and Loraine's mother. Back of
them. with wide and startled eyes.
doomed Jack Barrow.
He pressed forward while the two
women overwhelmed Hazel with a
flood Of EXPLANATIONS and questions,
and extended his hand. Hazel accept
ed the overture. She had long since
gotten over her resentment against
him. She was furthermore amazed to
find that she could meet his eye and
take his hand without single flutter
of her pulse. It seemed strange, but
she was glad Of it.
They stood few minutes on the
corner; then Mrs. Marsh proposed that
they go to the hotel, where they could
talk Mt their leisure and in comfort.
Lorraine and her mother took the lead.
Barrow naturally fell into step with
Hazel.
I've been wearing sackcloth and
ashes, Hazel" he said humbly. "Short-
ly after you left, somebody on one of
the papers ferreted out the truth of
that Bush affair, and the vindictive old
hounds reasons for that compromising
legacy were set forth. Bush appears
to have kept diary-and kept it post
ed up to the day of his death-poured
out all his feelings on paper, and re-
peatedly asserted that he would win
you or ruin you. And it seems that
that night, after you refused to come
to him when he was hurt, he called in
his lawyer and made that codicil-and
spent the rest Of the time till he died
gloating over the chances Of it be-
smirching your character"
1--WE grown rather Indifferent about
it." Hazel replied impersonally. But
he succeeded rather easily. Even you,
who should have known me better,
were ready to believe the very worst"
1--WE paid for it," Barrow pleaded.
"You don't know how I've hated myself
for being such a cad. But 1t taught
me lesson-lf you'll not hold a
grudge against me. I've wondered and
worried about you, disappearing the
way you did. Where have you been,
and how have you been getting ont
You surely look WE'LL" He bent an
admiring glance on her.
"Oh, I've been every place, and I
can't complain about not getting on"
she answered carelessly.
For the life Of her, she could not
help making comparisons between the
man beside her and another who she
guessed would by now be bearing up
the crest of the divide that overlooked
the green and peaceful vista of forest
and lake. with the Babine range lying
purple beyond. She wondered if Roar
ing Bill Wagstaff would ever, under
any circumstances, have looked on her
with the scornful, angry distrust that
Barrow had once betrayed. Barrow's
attitude was that of little boy who
had broken some plaything in fit of
anger and was now woefully trying to
put the pieces together again. It
amused her. Indeed. it afforded her q
distinctly un-Christian satisfaction.
since she was not by nature Of q meek
or forgiving spirit.
Hazel visited with the three il them
in the hotel parlor for matter Of two
hours, went to luncheon with them,
and at luncheon Lorraine Marsh
brought up the subject Of her coming
home to Granville with them. The
Bush incident was discussed and dis
missed. On the question Of returning,
Hazel was noncOmmittal.
"Of course you'll come! We won't
hear of leaving you behind. So you
can consider that settled" Lorraine
Marsh declared at last. "We're going
day after tomorrow. So is Mr.. Bar
row."
Jack walked with her out to the
Ladysmith, and, among other things,
told her how he happened to be in the
coast city.
1--WE been doing pretty well lately"
he said. II came out here on a deal
IuHC lUVOlVCU OUVut AAly tAOuSduU OOIe |
lars. closed it up just this morning.
and the commission would just about |
buy us that little house we had planned |
once. Won't you let bygones be BY
cones, Hazie?"
1T might be possible, Jack" she an
swered slowly, IF it were not for the |
fact that you took the most effective |
means a man could have taken to kill |
every atom of affection I had for you. |
[ don't feel bitter any more-I simply |
don't feel at all"
But you WILL" he said eagerly. |
"Just give me chance. I was hot
headed. jealous fool, but I never will |
be again. Give me a chance, Hazel"
you'll have to make your own
chances" she said deliberately. ~ re-
fuse to bind myself in any way. Why
should I put myself out to make you
happy when you destroyed ali the faith
had in you7 And don't think I'm
going to care except, perhaps, in a
way" |
And with that Barrow had to be
content.
At dusk Of the following day she and
Lorraine Marsh sat in a Pullman, fat
tening their noses against the car win
dow, taking u last look at the envi-
rons Of Vancouver AZ the train rolled