The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1920-05-21
CHAPTER x-contlnued.

Something else?"
"a good deal else" said billiard, alb
str9cted. "But that's no reason for
me to bother you with it. didn't know
1t was so apparent"
Silence.
Its not my habit" said the doctor
presently, ito offer any advice unless
I'm asked for it. Gratuitous advice
never did anybody any good. And no
boGy takes it unless it costs some
thif g-and not often then. And I'm
neither your regular physician nor
yorr confessor. But if had made
da ,nosis at this present minute I'd
say that you need a preacher a great
deA more than you do doctor"
~ do" said billiard, look
ing up sharply. "Only it's out
of fhe question. Just personal things.
do6tor-nothing l can very well talk
abdut."
your trouble" said Doctor Durant,
"isp't physical as much as it is splr-
itna,. It's nothing but taut nerves. It's
nothing but your struggle against the
restraints you put upon yourself. How
10 know? You've told me so :.
svey4 time I've seen you. It's in your
sHca, my boy. It's in your eyes. Con
Gtaatly. And it looks as though the
vnference> is about over be-
sIuse if that isn't Carol coming up the
Gtaps. my ears aren't half as good as
shey used to be-"
Both men were on their feet as she
same in, swirling.
ooh % she cried to billiard. Il
didn't know you were coming up to-
Might! Suppose I'd missed you"
He merely smiled, and made no an
swer; nor did he speak to her until
after the doctor, protesting a sudden
desire for solitude, had waved them
Hospitality out of the study into the
siying room. Carol was in the old IA
sniliar corner of the sofa billiard was
Standing by the fireplace, peering
down into the empty CRATE. He coughed
harshly, and an expression of utter
hopelessness crept into his eyes. He
turned abruptly.
''Well," he said, ''just how much
woud you have cared if you had"
4
There was a stately old lamp stand
ing at height behind the sofa; it's
shadows were gracious and its light,
M it crept through shade of painted
Gellum, touched Carol softly, in a
.lelicacy of radiance which was infin-
itely caressing. Her hands were lying
idle in her lap; she bent her head, and
viewed them studiOusly.
"Why, 1 should have cared great
deal" she said. 'Tm always disap-
pointed when l miss seeing friend of
mine. What makes you so pessimistic,
al of a sudden?"
billiard Redeemed, and his eyes grew
brighter.
Friendship" he said tardily.
what an accordiOnlike sort of thing
shat is -
"Why, Mr.. Hilliard! !" Her tone was
ut the same time interrogatory and re-
proachful.
"Oh, I'm not speaking of you" he
said. "Only of the thing itself. i.
It's big or little, close or distant :.
and it hasn't anything to say about it
You'll have to excuse me-
was thinking out loud ="
please dol" she said 'You were
on the way to be interesting. Think
Out loud some more"
billiard glanced sharply at her.
"Don't laugh at me !" he said, almost
aoughly. "For heavens sake, don't
you know that the one time you
shouldn't laugh at man is when he
deserves it,"
Carols attitude was vaguely less
suggestive of ease.
81 wasn't laughing at you," she said,
"truly. But what you said was so
so queer"
ooh, yes" billiards. accent was
very fiat. 81 suppose it was. 1t must
have been. / always seem to be
more or less up in the air when come
20 see you, don't 1? The last time we
talked about friendship"
'But that was at least month ago, "
she said hastily, land in the mean
slme. you've been just as nice and
cheerful as anybody. l thought you
were all over yoAr troubles"
"Cheerfulness wasn't what you
asked for" billiard swallowed hard.
81 l came up here, Miss Du-
rant, to have really serious talk with
you really serious. It's been
delayed too long already. 1t took me
two solid days to get my courage up
to it. And i. and now I'm here,
don't even know how to begin"
He scOwled heavily into the vacant
fireplace, and held out his palms with
mechanic gesture as though to warm
them at an imaginary blaze. you
know" he said absently, ''your father
= very extraordinary man-very."
The compliment to the doctor had
its invariable effect upon her; she
glowed under it.
"Tve always known that I'm
clad you realize it, too"
He stood erect, and faced her. 81
do it came to me, when | was
talking to him, what great privilege