The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1920-12-30
$3.50 PER YEAR

nant had been the pang when he calm.
| ~ told her he was too busy to call On
the other hand, wasn't she little in-
trigued with this strange corresponds
| lent, who so ably interpreted his-and
her-sou In terms Of art?
On the very day that Carlotta, with
mingled expectancy and misgivings,
had decided to yield to Gustave's plea
that she meet him In little-used room
Iof the art museum, Carlotta met a
friend who worked in the same build
ing where Mark, had his Office as claim
agent for the Interstate Trolley. And
across the white tiled table of the
dairy lunch, Carlotta learned that
Mark, investigating some upstate claim
for damages, had fallen on an icy side
walk and broken collar bone or some
thing. The friend was annoyingly in
exact as to the extent of his injuries.
Consequently, Carlotta, seeking the
selected place of rendezvous, was
thinking rather more Of Mark than Of
Gustave. Then motionless figure In
the fargcorner Of the room caused her
heart to skipia skip or so. Slowly he
turned as she approached and she no
gticed, FIRST, that his arm was in sling
and second. tfat-that 1t wasn't Gus
tave--it was, Mark! s -
mark Z" she cried, and her voice was
glad. your arm-how is 1T? And
how odd you should happen herew
But Mark didn't smile. "I'm ashamed
of myself, DEAR" he began. "I wanted
{ to show you that I could develop the
artistic temperament, too. And also,-
since you seemed to want second
love. thought I'd better be it! But
now that it's over, / wish I had never
started it,"
Carlotta, at first bewildered, was be-
ginning to seea light. Yet she couldn't
really believe yet. And If it was true,
why wasn't she furiously angry?
'sThoserletters," she said, shaking her
head. "You couldn't have written
those -
"But did" he confessed "Remem-
Der my telling you how busy was?
Well, I'd been sitting up nights at the
library till they shut the doors, crib
bing art stuff from the encyclopedias.
Then I'd go home and write it up. And
I apologize for any aspersions cast
upon art. Gee, Vhiz! Anybody who
| knows the least thing about it has my
profoundest respect-and then some.
There's volumes on it !"
Carlotta was trying to adjust her.
self to having the two men she fancied
she loved melt into one After all, per-
shaps It was the most satisfactory So
luton. "Yon must have disguised your
handwriting she said presently, won
.dering how soon she could properly ex-
tend forgiveness.
. It'll say sol" and Mark shook his
head sadly, as one who recalls bitter
moments. "Of course, when broke
my arm 1t was all of, and / decided
I'D better call meeting and get 1t
over with. ! don't blame you for think
ing 1t low-down trick"
Mark" said Carlotta gently, ~ did
you an injustice when gave you cred
J It. for mo- creative genius. and please
ignore what said about your lack OF
temperament. As for whether you
really love me. why, when I think Of
how you hate letter-writing and then
recall those letters why, my dear, as
proof Of love, swimming the Helles-
spont isn't In 1t r.
'Carlotta l" cried Mark. "Do you
can I-may Ir'
Carlotta cast quick glance around
FOR any stray attendants or art pa
. irons. sM-hm," she murmured.
IS And Mark, sweeping her into the
seml-circle Of his good left arm, placed
kiss squarely Where 1t belonged