The Irish standard., 1920-05-22

- rad. where he party halted for q
0ensat TO take q reeereodum n to
the route. Armstrong strayed q yard
e tWo too far. and on the instant Hill
aazd was ut Carols elbow. She said
nothing. nor did he: but when the
march vas resumed. he vas beside her
and beating his brains for IN intro
ductory remark. He had to convince
her he had been trifing with neither
herself nor Angela. and he walked q
good tariong before he could devise 30
much ~ an opening sentence. At
length he cleared his throat.
I've just decided" he said. 'that
TN growing old"
"Yesr' She was tmmeasurably sweet
and distant, and HufArd's courage
FILTERED.
Il have indeed. I've made q most
touching discovery. Do look
grandfatherly. Miss Durant1"
"No; I'd hardly say that"
He made gesture OF gratitude.
you've earned my permanent thanks.
But am growing old. How do I
know Didn't you ever read Leigh
Huntr'
"Just little" There was . trace
Of warmth creeping into her voice
Hiniard held his breath:
Gay I'm weary. say I'm sad:
Say that health and wealth have missed
ne:
Gay I'm growing old. but add
Angela kissed me!
He had spoken the lines magnif}-
Gently, with the precise humor and
pathos which 60 to make them Inn
mortal. I'm glad she fits into the
meter" he said thoughtfully, 'because
I can understand just how Leigh Hunt
felt about Jennie"
"And-how do you think that was1'
Every sensitive" said Hilliard. 'and
perhaps 4 little repressed and-de-
crepit." He smiled reminiscently. II
suppose there are very few things in
life that make a man feel more mind
full Of his own crudity and general
worthlessness than to have a child's
spontaneous affection" 1t was the
testing venture. She looked at him
sidewise.
"More than if-if it weren't a
child?"
II think so." His tone was fault
less. "a woman can make man feel
like liomeo, but 1t takes a very young
girl to make him feel like Launcelot-
at my age"
"She is adorable. isn't shea" His
heart jumped at her cordial accept
ance Of his statement. "Only-she's
seventeen. Mr.. Hilliard."
II know" he said gravely. "And
that's why I'm so conscious of my
own senility. Because oil that beau
tiful innocence and ignorance is
doomed, Miss Durant-who knows
that I'm not the very last person to
see it? Today. I'm only much older
man, some one she likes: tomorrow,
may be man without the only
and the more she liked me, the less
she'd show 1t. But there's been
mighty little of that sort of thing for
me in the last few years from any
body, and do appreciate it. and I'm
not ashamed of 1t. either"
"No," she said. "you couldn't be.
You're too human" She smiled at
him. and he was transported at the
proof Of her sympathy. If were in
your place. I'd want to feel the same
way about it,
He thanked her In his heart. He
had saved both Angela and himself,
and held his pristine advantage.
But there was no disputlng the fact
that he had made an active enemy of
Waring, and an alert rival out of
Armstrong. He smiled grimly as he
looked at the man ahead.
"Mr. Armstrong seems to be very
nervous" he said. "Not that I can
blame him for wanting to be in my
place. On the contrary, I'm sorry for
him."
"That shows very good disposi-
tion," she said dcmurely.
perhaps it does. and perhaps 1t
doesn't. believe every man owes 1t
to himself to get what he wants. If
he does, he's n success; If he doesn't
it's his own fault"
AS he said this, they came abreast
of the others, and Armstrong, who
had heard the final sentence, whirled
toward Hilliard.
"Regardless of methodist" he de-
manded.
"Why--to some extent" laughed
Hilliard. "Why not?"
Armstrong delayed, so that the two
men were few PAGES behind the rest
of the group. us that your regular
creed, Mr.. Hilliard?"
my creed isn't composed Of words.
Mr.. Armstrong, but of actions"
They had spoken so quietly that no
one perceiving them would have re-
motely suspected that challenge had
been offered and accepted.
factions do speak louder, Of course
''Mine," said Hilliard, twill give you
no OffenSe. Butt generally get what