Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-04-01

II heFeS anything you think i
better say, or not say" He rose, OF
, Of sheer inability to endure this il
genuouS estimate of Carols heartach
M Perhaps you'll tell me-beeause it
time for me to be going over"
Angela had risen, too, and stood b.
side him. Her features were con
posed, but still suggestive of inwar
emotions little too tender to Conve!
IF there's anybody in the world
she said. "who could give Carol an
consolation just now, it's you. l don
suppose you ever were a minister, bu
you look as though everybody cout
come to you and tell most everything
and you'd help anyway, your
try to. So / wish you'd your
sit and listen Carols got t.
talk to somebody, and when your
hurt the way she is, you can't talk t.
your family and you were ;
friend of Dicks. And =" Sht
swallowed, and went on more slowly
you can use your own Judgment, d
course, but if l were in yonr place
I'd lie'
Lie" he repeated, aghast.
Eyes. would He he
must have sent her some word, Mr.
billiard He must have" She was
desperately serious now, and thor
oughly aroused. 1T means the whole
world to her! It's everything! Why,
even I've got more than she has, and
she was waiting for him to come back
to her! I'd lie myself black in the
face, but I'd tell her sOmething-tell
her anything l could think Of to make
her believe he hadn't stopped caring
1t can't do any harm now. 1t can't
hurt you. And l won't even ask you
whether you do or not. Only you're
here, and she'll trust YOU"
"Will she?'
"HOw could she help it? And
and that's all. Please don't let her
think he didn't care!"
billiard stood irresolute; chaos in
his brain. "Ill see," he sale
with difficulty. "I'll see"
'sWon't you promise. me? l won't
ask you afterward. if you-"
'Does it mean so much to you?"
"Ever and ever so much. ).
Won't you please promise?"
He gazed at her moment, yielded
with show of reluctance.
) Every well--I promise. Because
fe'ss're asled IT, And because it's the
dearest, most generous, mops thought
full thing ! ever heard of in all nv
life. And after that, can't We !
be truly friends?"
Flushed, perplexed, honored, she |
gave him her hand with hesitancy |
which betrayed the deep sense of com
Dliment she felt
81 don't think | could be prouder of
anything that could possibly happen
o me-" she said.
Was it worth the blatant mummery
he had conceived and executed? Was
t NOT worth that, and infinitely more?
She was proud of his friendship
and she shared that distinc-
ion with no one else in the entire
Proud OF it! billiard was fulsome-
y abashed. Abashed-yes, and stimuli
aneously glOrified. He had come to
make the city proud, isnorantly proud,
# the man whose deeds had merited
10 renown Here at the very incep-
ion of his plans, seventeen-year-ol
rl was proud of him as he was.
courage. Inspiration. Resolve.
He had won her respect by the prom
Sc of a lie: and in this instant he
owed to deserve, by other and in
reasing lies If need be, the prestige
g was unalterably committed to gain,
thereby the past should be as moth
lg and the future should be q mag
ificent citadel of reconquered dreams.
She was proud of him, and she had
pprOved the lie in behalf of Dicky
Iorgan's memory. Unwittingly, she
al sanctioned the very purpose of
Is coming and the method of his ap-
roach. She had confirmed his own
ltentions, and given him the will to {
lvance He was to act as the stanch I
efender of her playmate persisted,
ld to make of himself new and a '
stter man, worthy of the eulogies
hich, as trustee, he now accepted for {
lie unworthy Morgan. He consecrated {
mself to this end. Told himself {
freely that he would succeed. And /
IL was proud Of him! 1t was an e
her omen. c
[
1t was eleven o'clock to the minute a
hen billiard, not quite so blithe as :,
wedding guest and yet not alto
ther as doleful as a mourner, waved II
S hand to a slender girl who stood II
the veranda of house diagonally II
ross the street, and went slowly up j
G Durants' brick walk. He had an
'ipated the effect of this pilgrimage
on his nerves, he had discounted
and Angela's advice had given him
artificial stimulus for the moment; Il
as the front door opened Is
him, and he saw, over the head of u
Sinking maid-servant, n hallway n
d vestibule unchanged, his breath W
me little faster than usual and CT
, chen<s went n little darker. IT ct