The Washington times., 1919-02-03
The Heart Breaker
]. A REAL AMERICAN ROMANCE
Mildred Finds Arthur Much Worries.
and Tells Him a Polite Lie as-tO
Why She Revealed Their
Secret to Tom
AREAL AMERICAN ROMANCE

heeitatingly. 'fOP course, MilIy,"
with an effort to speak. frankly
+" you have a right to do as you
please,-bUt we decided-didn't we?
that our engagement was not to
be announced for a while?''
"of- course we did, - she agreed.
you told your people-and told
mine-that's alL''
"A look OF relief came to his face.
Perhaps Tom Chandler had con-
graduated him only with the hope
OF ascertaining whether or not he
was engaged to Mildred But il
was an underhanded way to, learn
the truth. II that was the fellows
object, he was a cad. The lovers
face flushed angrily.
''Why?" Gfilly questioned. HAS
any Tumor Of our engagement got
ten about?n
Chandler spoke to me about IL
just now" Arthur informed her.
Il shall demand an explanation
from 'him-and mighty soon, too,
What right had he to say that you
told him Of II when you had not?'
All the color left Mildred's cheeks.
She was frightened: Her mind
worked quickly, and she foresaw
~
demand an explanation from Tom.
Tom would tell the truth, and nler-
cilessly. 1t would be wiser for her
to forestal his actiop Immediately.
If was the only safe course left
open to her. rs,
arthur" she said quickly, 81 did
not acknowledge TO you that I had
mentioned our engagement to Tom
because IL seemed dishonorable TO
him 20 explain to you why men
toned it. You see, dear. had TO
tell him in order to make him be-
lieve that there was no hope for
him"
@Then you did tell hing"
Ike An Accusation.
The words were more like an &C
cusation than question, and she
answered promptly: ~
''I had 20, Arthur. Can't make
you. see how necessary it was? I
would have been very cruel to let
him go on hoping-and unless
burt him he would not give up hope.
So had to hurt him. Dear, you
see how IL was. don't your
Yes" slowly and gravely, "T see
that you thought il was necessary,
Mildred. But did not understand
before. knew that. Chandler ad-
mired you, but did not suppose
that it had gone so far
She interrupted him sharply.
you did not suppose that any man
hut you cared for me like that?
Weii, you see, Tom did-even more
than you care for me. Arthur. For
he would trust. me in the face Of
anything. You wouldn't!"
"Milly!" his exclamation was full
Of pain. How can you say such
a thingE
. because It,is. trueI" she insisted.
you are displeased and Cross with
me. because I=told an old friend. Of
my engagement when 1t was abso-
lutely necessary for his own sake
that I do So"
"I am not displeased. dear, nor
angry. I understand all about IL
now. But / was afraid that Chand-
ler might talk about it,
'He won't, I can promise you
that. But her eyes swapping,
'iwhat IL he did? II is not a dis
graceful secret. It seems a pity
that you should have asked me to
marry you IL you are so terrified
lest people suspect that you are en-
gagged to me-, -.----.-.-
Of course he had to protest and
apologize and explain. He would an
nounce the facts tomorrow IL she
wished. He had deferred doing so
because he thought that a long
engagement would be hard for her.
II she did not mind, he surely did
not. -.--
At last she forgave him and
agreed that. they would best wait
for a while longer before making
the affair public.
"But you need not fear that Tom
will tell our secret" she assured
him. Hes too much hurt. So
much hurt, in fact" dropping her
voice to a confidential pitch, that
he confessed to me that he means
10 enlist very soon. ! think that's
pretty fine of him, don't you, Ar
To he Continued.
Wbo% hid She MaanS