The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-11-08
CHAPTER XVIII.


town, the next afternoon. George Am
berSon Minafer was walking up Nation
al avenue on his homeward way wher
he saw in the distance. coming toward
him, upon the same side of the street
the figure of young lady-a figur,
just under the middle height. conely
indeed, and to he mistaken for none
other i'm the wOrld-evcn at two hun
dred yards. To his sharp discontinue
his heart Immediately forced upon him
! the consciousness Of its acceleration 4
sudden warmth about his neck made
nm aware that he had turned red
and then. departing, left him pale. For
Il panicky moment he thought of fac
ing about in actual flight; he had little
doubt that Lucy would meet him with
no token Of recognition, and all at
once this probability struck him as I'M
endurable. And if she did not speak,
was 1t the proper part of chivalry to
lift his hat and take the cut bare
headed? OR should the finer gentle
man aCquicSce in the lady'S desire for
with stony mien and eyes constrained
forward? George was Il young man
badly clustered.
As they drew nearer George tried 70
prepare himself To meet her with some
remnant of aplomb. lie kept his eyes
from looking full at her, and as he
saw her thus close ut hand, and COM
ing nearer, a regret that was dunn
rounding took possession of him. For
the first time he had the sense of hav-
ing lost something of overwhelming i'm
pCrtance.
Lucy did not keep To the right,
but came straight Ia meet him, smil-
ing. and with her hand offered to him.
"Nhy-you-" he Stammered. as he
took it. Haven't YOU" What he
meant to say was: Haven't you heard?"
Haven't | what?" she asked: and he
saw that Eugene had not told her.
Nothing" he gasped. MAY /
nay | turn and walk with you a little /
way?"
Yes, indeed" she said cordially.
He would not have altered what had ?
been done: he was satisfied with all
.hat-SatiSficd that it was right, and
hat his own course was right. But he
began 10 perceive a striking inaccu-
acy in some remarks he had made 10
lis mother. Now when he had put
matters in such shape that even by
he REIMBURSEMENT of his 'idealS of
ife" he could not have Lucy. knew
hat he never could have her. and
new that when Eugene told her the
history of yesterday he could not have
glance or word even friendly from
er-nOw when he must in good truth
give up all idea Of Lucy" he was
maZed that he could have used such
lords as mo particular sacrifice" and
elfeved them when he said them. She
al loOkednever in her life so bewitch-
igly pretty as she did to-day: and as
Q walked beside her he was sure that
ne was the most exquisite thing in the
orld.
Lucy" he said huskiIy. 81 want to
III you something. Something that
ALTERS"
Il hope it's lively something, then"
lie said, and laughed. "Papa'S been
glum today he's scarcely spoken to ,
&c. Your Uncle George Anderson
inc to see him an hour ago and they S
tut themselves up in the library, and
'ur uncle looked as glum as papa.
] be glad if you'll tell me a funny s
DRY, George" $
well, it may seem one to you" he s
id bitterly. Just To begin with:
hen you went away you didn't let a
e know; not even wOrd-not a o
le-" g.
Her manner persisted in being in
nSequent. "Why. no." she said. 81 n
st trOtted off for some visits. Don't h
u remember, George? We'd had n ST
and quarrel, and didn't speak to
ch other all the way home from
~, long drive! So. as we couldn't III
~ together like good children. of
nrSe it was plain that we oughtn't p,
play ut ALL"
'Play!' he cried.
Yes. What | mean is that we'd come
the point where it was time to Quit
ying-well, what we were PLAYING" to
AT being lovers, you mean. don't e.
~"
Something like that" she said light -.
For us two, playing mt being w
erS was just the same as playing Mt ~
SS-purposeS. | had all the DUR a.
'eS, and that gave you all the cross 49,
IS; things weren't getting along at ~
1t was absurd" co,
We'll, have it your own way" he =,
d. 1T needn't have been absurd" =,
No, ii couldn't help but be-" she TN,
Drmed him cheerfully. 1.-THE way Or
m and the way you are, it couldn't of
r be anything else. So what was Sto
uSe?' u.
| don't know" he sighed, and his Do
was abysmal. "But what l want est
to tell you was this: when Won ,,,;
1t away, you didn't let me know o,.t
didn't care how or when | heard 80
but I'm not ike that with Won. 10.
s time I'm going away. That's NO.,
It l wanted to tell you. I'm going a.
~ tomorrow Observation-Disclosures. ','.
Y, this is our last walk to- ,a,,
ler" 'n,i
Evidently" she said. IF you're 90
away tomorrow night"
4ucy-thiS NAV be the last tina