Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-16
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
BY Marion Rubineam.
Copyright. George Matthew Adams.
DESPAIR.
C,l,apter 80.

Ii was evident that LOIS had some
thing she wanted to tell. But she had no
opportunity for little while.
At sight Of her, Alice jumped up with
| a little exclamation,
Good heavens, / forgot all about
suppcrl Are You hungry, LoisY You must
| be, from your ride. I'll have things ready
| in no time"
And Alice ran into the kitchen, her
tumbled hair about her face, her house.
dress flying out behind her.
Lois stood looking after her. Mrs.
Fairbanks laid down one OF the books
she had been holding.
did you have nice time, dear1 she
asked. Lois looked at her a moment. Then
an impish little grin curled up hes lips.
Very" she said briefly and went on
up to her room.
Alice, busy preparing the supper, heard
her pulling trunks about--Lnis room was
above the kitchen--but thought the girl
was merely Strengthening her room or
hunting another dress. When she was
called ITO supper, she came down in her
blue negligee with the lace frills,' and her
very sweetest smile.
The three women gathered around
the table, set OFF in corner OF the kitchen,
because the house was SO tiny, had to
serve also as a dining room. Alice poured
the tea, and Mrs. Fairbanks served the
hash, for supper was mostly meal OF
'1eftovers" Alice was looking unusually
well and happy, for David's note had
brought back all the hope and JOY that
had been out of her life for the last week.
When they were half through, Lois
remarked sweetly:
I'm leaving tomorrow, auntie. III
been so sweet of you To keep me here.
Mrs. Fairbanks looked her intense sur
prise
why. my dear, we expected YOU to
stay-wc thought YOU were gong to be
with us always What are you going to do?
This is very sudden. you know.
I've had my plans changed uncx-
pectedly." Lois answered.
"Your friend in the city then is going TO
send YOU To business school? Mrs. Far
banks asked That will be nice. Every
girl should be able tn support herself,
even If she doesn't need TO"
mo. | don't think Ill go to business
school," Lois said in her very sweetest
voice "I shall stay with Mrs Bradshaw
Until | have my own home, tnat IS.
Mrs. Fairbanks was plainly puzzled
but dislikcd asking questions. She looked
relieved. however, and Alice looked her
satisfaction. For, thought Alice, with
Lois back in the city, there would be no
need to mold off David. He wouldn't fall
in love with an absent Lnis il he wasn't
in love with her now. She s!iOped her
hand into the pocket of her dress to touch
lovingly David's letter of "a week before.
Mrs. Fairbanks curiosity finally got
the better of her delicacy. Il think it's
much the best thing you could do, my
dear" she said "Nou never would be
happy with us. There isn't enough life
in this little town. I'm glad there's enough
of your mothers estate to afford you "A
home of your own.
There isn't" said Lois in honeyed
tones. There isn't hardly a cent of moth
er's money | received all there was, a
few hundred dollars, the other day.
She waited moment, then broke the
silence.
David and arc to be married in two
weeks" she said.
There was curious sound and 4 curious
silence that followed this announcement.
Mrs Fairbanks gasped. Alice made queer
little gurgling noise that died in her
throat Her face went slowly to an ashen
white, her hands became Icicles, she felt
sick and dizzy, her eyes could not see any
thing clearly.
1t was Mrs. Fairbanks who spoke first
But Alice and David are
Were engaged, Lois interrupted
Alice broke it because she saw David did
not care any longer. This afternoon he
asked me to marry him.
Lois said it quietly, with an air of /
truth. As a matter of fact, she was al !
most convinced by this time that David /
had actually asked her. She had wanted /
David, and she had, as she phrased il /
vugarlv to herself. landed him. That /
his kiss was the result of her nearness and |
his loneliness. and that he had put her /
own Interpretation on what followed, /
meant nothing TO her by this time.
''Of course, the date ism t settled yet, |
she said. 'I'm to let him know. But | |
think can do IL in about two weeks. As |
i is so near mother death, Iwon have
much of a ceremony or buy much Of a
rousseau.
And she left them, trailing her pretty
leg9igee after her. For once Alice forgot J
even her mothers semi
lelplessness. She ran upstairs to her room,
md locked herself in. With her head buried
lnder the pillows, she lay on the bed
ler whole body shaking with nervous
Iobs, though there were no tears.
She did not understand it had hap
that something terri
1le, something that took from her all
rope and all happiness-had occurred
the time David wrote the letter
n her pocket, and the time she received it.
Tomorrow he Little Things.