The Ordway new era., 1920-07-16

Detter say, or not say lie rose, out
of sheer inability to endure this in
! genuous estimate of Carols heartache.
Perhaps you'll tell me-because it's
time for me TO be going over"
Angela had risen. too. and stood be-
side him. Her features were com
| posed. but still suggestive of inward
emotions n little too tender 10 convey.
'If there's anybody in the world
she said. ''who could give Carol any
| consolation just now it's you. | don't
| suppose you ever were n minister. but
you look as though everybody could
come to you and tell most everything,
and you'd help anyway, you'd
try to. So wish you'd e. you'd
sit and listen Carols got to
| talk TO somebody. and when you're
hurt the way she is. you can't talk to
your. family and you were a
friend of Dicks. And - She
swallowed. and went on more slowly.
"You can use your own judgment. of
course, but II were in your place
I'd lie
"Lie!" he repeated, aghast.
"Yes, would He he
must have sent her some word. Mr..
Hillinrd. He must have" She was
desperately serious now. and thor
oughly aroused. at means the whole
world to herl It's everything! Why.
even I've got more than she has, and
she was waiting for him to come back
to heri I'd lie myself black in the
face. but I'd tell her something-tell
her anything could think of to make
her believe lie hadn't stopped caring
1t can't do any harm now. 1t can't
hurt you. And I won't even ask you
whether you do or not. Only you're
here. and she'll trust you"
"WHI she?"
How could she help It? And
and that's all. Please done let her
think he didn't care!'
Hilllard stood irreSolute; chaos in
his brain. "Ili see," lie sale
with difficulty. "I'll see"
Won't you promise me? won't
ask you afterward. If YOU"
Does ii mean so much 10 you?"
Ever and ever so much.
Won't you please promise?"
He gazed at her moment, yielded
with show of reluctance.
Very well-I promise. Because
you've asked 1t. And because it's the
dearest, most generous. most thought
full thing / ever heard OF in all my
| life. And after that. can't we.
be truly friends?"
Flushed. perplexed. honored. she
gave him her hand with a hesitancy
which betrayed the deep sense of com
pliment she felt
81 don't think could be prouder of
anything that could possibly happen
to me-" she said.
Was 1t worth the blatant mummery
he had conceived and executed? Was
It not worth that. and infinitely more?
She was proud of his friendship
+. and she shared that distinc-
tion with no one else In the entire
universe.
Proud of 1t! HIIliard was fulsome-
| ly abashed. AbaslIed-yes, and stimuli
taneously gloritied. He had come to
make the city proud. ignorantly proud.
of the man whose deeds had merited
no renown. Here, at the very inccp-
tion of his plans. a seventeen -year-oid
| girl was proud OF him as he was.
Courage. Inspiration. Resolve.
He had won her respect by the prom
lse OF lie; and In this instant he
vowed to deserve. by other and in
creasing lies IL need be. the prestige
he was unalterably committed to gain,
whereby the past should be as moth
ing. and the future should be mag
nificent citadel of reconquered dreams.
She was proud of him. and she had
approved the lie in behalf of Dicky
Morgan's memory. Unwittingly. she
had sanctioned the very purpose of
his coming, and the method of his ap-
proacl. She had confirmed his own
intentions, and given him the will to
advance. He was to act as the stanch
defender of her playmate perished.
and to make of himself a new and n
better man. worthy of the eulogies
which. as trustee, he now accepted for
the unworthy Morgan. He consecrated
himself to this end. Told himself
fercely that he would succeed. And
she was proud of him! 1t was an
other omen.
II was eleven o'clock to the minute
when Hilliard, not quite so blithe as
wedding guest, and yet not alto
gether as doleful as a mOurner, waved
his hand to slender girl who stood
on the veranda of house diagonally
across the street. and went slowly up
the Durants' brick walk. He had an
ticipated the effect of this pilgrimage
upon his nerves. he had discounted
it; and Angela's advice had given him
an artificial stimulus for the moment
nevertheless, as the front door opened
to him. and he saw. over the head OF
smirking maid-servant. a hallway