The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-05-27
CHAPTER x-continued.

The doctor achieved a perfect cir
clet. and beamed at 1t.
Something else?"
"A good deal else" said billiard, alb
stracted. But that's no reason for
me to bother you with II. didn't know
1t was so apparent"
Silence.
ITS not my habit" said the doctor
presently, ito offer any advice unless
I'm asked for 1t. Gratuitous advice
never did anybody any good. And no.
body takes it unless it costs some
thing-and not often then. And I'm
neither your regular physician nor
your confessor. But If l had made a
diagnosis at this present minute I'd
say that you need a preacher a great
deal more than you do a DOCTOR"
81 do" said billiard, look
ing up sharply. "Only it's out
of the question. Just personal things,
doctor-nothing 1 can very well talk
about"
your trouble" said Doctor Durant,
isn't physical as much as it is spir-
ltual. It's nothing but taut nerves. It's
nothing but your struggle against the
restraints you put upon yourself. How
do l know? You've told me so
every time I've seen YOU. It's in your
f'"e, my boy. It's in your eyes. Con-
rtantly. And 1t looks as though the
conference is about over be-
cause if that isn't Carol coming up the
steps, my ears aren't half as good as
they used to be-"
Goth men were on their feet as she
came in swirling.
"Oh :" she cried to Hilliard. 81
didn't know you were coming up to-
Ljcht! Suppose I'd missed you'll"
He merely smiled, and made no an
swer; nor did he speak to her until
after the DOCTOR protesting a sudden
desire for solitude, had waved them
Hospitality out of the study into the
living room. Carol was in the old IA
1niiiar corner of the sofa; Hilliard was
standing by the fireplace, peering
down into the empty crate. He coughed
harshly, and an expression of utter
hopelessness crept into his eyes. He
turned abruptly.
WELL" ne said, lust how much
would you have cared if you had?"
There was a stately old lamp stand
ing at height behind the sofa; its
shadows were gracious and it's light,
as il crept through shade of painted
velum, touched Carol softly, in a
delicacy of radiance which was infin-
itely caressing. Her hands were lying
idle in her lap; she bent her head, and
viewed them studiously.
"Why, should have cared a great
deal" she said. I'm always disap-
pointed when miss seeing n friend of
mine. What makes you so pessimistic,
all of a sudden?"
Hnllard REDEEMED, and his eyes grew
brighter.
"Friendship" he said tardily.
"What an accordionlike sort Of thing
that isl"
"Why, Mr.. Hiliardl" Her tone was
at the same time interrogatory and re-
proachful.
"Oh, I'm not speaking Of you," he
It's big or little, close or distant
and IL hasn't anything to say about 1t
You'll have to excuse mel
was thinking out loud
"Please dol" she said. you were
on the way to be interesting. Think
out loud some more"
billiard glanced sharply at her.
Don't laugh at me ~ he said, almost
roughly. For heavens sake, don't
ron know that the one time you
SHOULDN'T laugh at a man Is when he
deserves IT'D"
Carols attitude was vaguely less
suggestive Of ease.
II wasn't laughing at you," she said,
truly. But what you said was so
so queer"
ooh, yes" billiards. accent was
very fiat II suppose It was. 1t must
have been. / always seem to be
more or less up in the air when come
to see you, don't L? The last time we
talked about friendship"
"Bu. that was at least month ago."
she said hastily, land in the mean
tine. you've been just as nice anu
cheerful as anybody. I thought you
we're all over your troubles"
"Cheerfulness wasn't what you
asked for" Hilliard swallowed hard.
II 1 came up here, Miss Du'
rant, to have a really serious talk with
you really serious. It's been
DELE Jed too long already. 1t took me
t~o solid days to get my courage up
to II. And and now I'm here
l don't even know how TO begin"
lie scowled heavily into the vacant
fireplace, and held out his palms with
a mechanic gesture as though to warm
them at an imaginary biuze. YOU
know" he said absently, "your father
is very extraordinary man-very."
The compliment to the doctor had