Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-04-22

thermOre, II was removed by severn
feet from the nearest listening post.
He WAS 50 close 20 her that thei
sleeves touched; he looked into tn
beautiful eyes which were 80 clear, 5,
unsuspecting; and his will swaye,
perilously. Had he prepared SO Ion.
and sayagely for his requital. only {,
lose his impetus at almost the frs
glance of those brown eyes? He n
Elected THAI there was nothing 10 pre-
vent him from being a good salesman
and from renewing his prediction fOi
Carol at the same time. The idea OF
counting her again. in his false char
aCter, was highly dramatic.
| Il know you won't misunderstood
me-" he said, his heart shaking, "and
/ l hope that you won't consider it as
| too SumptuOus-but-the other day
you spoke of Dicky Morgan as a very
| dear friend of yours. Miss Durant,
want to do everything in the world
can for you, and he was my dear
friend as well as yours. I'm not dis
loyal to him, or to you, or to myself
but l should like more than can ever
tell you to feel that l had done my ut
most TO take his place. No one can do
that literally am not so vain-but l
feel, and have felt from the time we
met each other, Dicky would have
wanted us TO be friends"
"Thats-thats wonderfully thought
full of you" said Carol. softly. "And
3. and l think he would have wanted
that g.. . if he'd known. =" Her
eyes were suspiciOusly dim and Hill
liard's loneliness dissolved into a
great spasm of longing which held
him and shook him and left him weak
with impotence
'Then I'll stay in Syracuse" he said
abruptly. Provided-provided you
won't be offended if l do have to want
to know you for yOurself-just a little
selfishly. I'm afraid that isn't very
clear-it's difficult to separate it-but
you see"
Don't try to explain" she said, sub
dued 81 know how hard all this must
be for you-and l think perhaps you
need my friendship as much as need
yours"
Before ne could reply, there was a
flutter of indescribable gracefulness
before them. Angela was courtesying
in mock obeisance to the floor. Behind
her, Warning was watching her pos
sesSively.
IF your majesties will wake up half
a second" she said, "everybodys going
to walk up around the Sedgwick farm
tract to get some fresh air Coming?"
AS they stood together, drenched |
with regret for the condolences that
might forever remain unsaid, a maid |
in the doorway.
please, ma'am," she said breath
lessly "it's the Western Union-for t
Mr.. Hilliard."
fright in my study" called the doc
tor, hurrying. "Just across the hail.
There you are!" and ushered him into |.
the sanctum and considerably CLOSED +
the door.
Despite the urgent summons which
lIC pClooII 1CClo
Hilliard was astOnish-
ngly tardy in sitting down to the re-
,eiver. For one thing he was still
from his recent stress of
passion; for another he knew pretty
what the message was going
o be, and for third, he was some
What emotionally under the spell of
he doctors room. Hilliard had spent
hundred hours in it-pleasant hours,
% that involuntarily yielding to its
indy atmosphere, and all that the at
nosphere implied, he took time to sur
ey all four walls before he took up
he receiver. And after he had lis
ened to the telegram, and ordered
opy mailed to him in care of Mr.. Gull
IN, he took time to survey those walls
gain, more closely; and this was
artly for their intrinsic significance, (
nd partly because his feelings were {
D fresh and tender that he dreaded to
aturn at once to the gathering which, {
5 a whole, couldn't be expected to de- :
,r to them. His eyes fell upon the
octOr's desk. wandered and suddenly
,cussed hard and piercingly. He
ent over to the desk and slowly put |
ut his hand and lifted up small pho /.
graph in a metal frame. q
"Well, I'll be darned !" said Hilliard, \
Ist above a whisper. The turning of t
Ie doorknob reused him; he wheeled {
it'll the photograph still in his hand.
"Hello!" said Doctor Durant, cheer a
lily. Get your message all right?
hats that you've found? oh, yes o
lexis picture"
billiard swallowed hard, and found "
at his voice was queerly out of con- b
oil. C
"It's-it's the same one"
"Yes-it's the same as the one you s.
ought back. I've had it there ever ID
zee he gave 1t to me-" G
He took 1t gently from billiards p
nd replaced 1t on the desk. How Il
at boy would have made good If he
d lived !" said the doctor, in an I'M p,
rtone. "Well-they're waiting for Il
m
following him outside. en- II
untered the two Cullens in the hall, OF
d at sight of his ford host, he col lii