The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-31
ENTER puRKE

At that psychological moment Burke himself walked into the dining room, l immediately groomed He hesitated for a second, seeing his, lady live in in innate conversation with the very man that he had been jealous of in the aft ernoon.
 And then his natural common sense swung back the pendulum to the nor nal.
 He advanced toward them with a pleasant greeting. And his pressure on T.ucille's hand was reassurlng.
 "Pve just got back Hello there na1ton" He nodded cheerily to that young man. q popped in this after room and had a few moments talk with Shirley. Sorry to hear about her i1nessi Wish I'd known sooner! Lu- cille, you look splendidr'
 A waiter laid an extra cover for him at the little table. And soon the amicably.
 The moment that the meal was fir- ished. Jim made an excuse to go He felt decidedly "de trop."
 Come out Into the lounge first and we'll have some coffeew Burke would not let him leave so easily.
 II was 10 o'clock before he finally made his exist. Lucille and Burke ac- companied him back to his hotel He Knew that they must want to be alone -and yet there was a certain awk- wardness between them that seemed to make them crave his company H. logical as that may seem.
 Lovers are crazy creaturesw Jim told himself as he enjoyed a quiet cigar before turning in. He paced up and down the water front in soli- tary state. He was quite happy now.
 The moon had risen from behind some obscuring clouds. casting an eerle beauty on the sea. The little waves were breaking softly on the shelv- ing beach. And long, luminous trail lay all across the water as though 1t were the path to some Elysian shore. To the imaginative, such light is sheer entertainment. And Jim had some- thing more than mere ina gination---- he was actually in love.
 A curious restlessness possessed him. too. He couldn't think of such a prosaic thing as sleep! He could only think of Shirley-and their fu- ture--and weave medley of roman tic happinings wherein the two of them were utterly content.
 And they lived happy ever after!" he said aloud with boyish laugh. That's the way all love stories ought to end"
 He flung the stub of his cigar over the railing of the parade and turned back to his hotel. Yes, life was very good these days.
 "A special delivery letter for you, sir.' said the night porter, as he walked into the lounge.
 Jim took the envelope from him. He went into the smoking room and leis- urely opened it. He read it's contents .wice-with a small worried frown. Ii was from his London broker, and demanded his immediate return to town. Important business concerning the rise and fall of certain stocks ne- cessitated the epistle. Jim must come back at once.
 Hang it all, it's an internal null sance,r He tore the letter into little pieces. T hate to leave this place."
 Common sense. however. told him the right course to take.
 He seribbled hasty note to Shir- ley, and entrusted 1t to the night DOT ter. with an injunction that 1t must be delivered without fail first thing in the morning. Also, he must have a taxi to the railway station right away. And then he flung some clothes Into bag, settled his bill pro tenn, jumped into the waiting taxi and sped off. aIIE,s GONE AWAIT Lucille came into Shirley's bedroom on the following morning glowing with happiness and health. For she and Iavid had improved the shining hours ssnce dawn and had been galloping on horseback on the sussev Downs. "Oh. Shirley. everything's cleared up, and David wants me to tell you how sorry he is for having talked to you the way he did yesterday" She was sn happy incoherence. You must for elve him and be friends again-do. ! shirley. dearr
 l Shirley raised herself on an inquir- ling elbow and smiled at Lucille's im- tetuosity
 "Of course I'll forgive himi As a matter of fact, I was none too nice