The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-02-12
CHAPTER XVIII.

Having finished some errands down.
town. the next afternoon. George Am
bersOn Minafer was walking I'd NatiGn-
al avenGe on his homeward way when
he saw in the distance. coming toward
him. upon the same side of the street.
the figure Ct young lady-a figure
jest under tie middle height. eomely
/ indeed. and to be mistaken for none
other In the wcvld-even at twB hun
dred yards. To sis sharp discontinue
| bis heart Immediately forced upon him
the consciousness Of Its acceieration a
sudden warmth about his neck made
/ him aware that he had turned red.
ond then. departing. left him pale. For
a panicky moment he thought OF fac
. ing about In actual fight he had little
doubt that Lucy would IT. eet nm with
no token Of recognition. and all az
once this probability struck him as un-
endurable. And II she did got speak.
was II the proper part Of chivalry to
I lift his hat and take the Get bare
{ headed7 Or should the finer gentle
man acquiesce in the lady's desire for
l nc further acquaintance. and pass her
with stony mien and eyes constrained
forwardl George was a young man
badly fiustered.
/ As they drew nearer George tried to
prepare himself TO meet her with soze
, remnant Of aplomb. He kept his eyes
from locking full at her. and as he
saw her thus close at hand. and COM
| Ing nearer. q regret that was dunn
/ founding took possession Of him. For
the first time he had the sense Of hav-
/ ing lost something Of overwhelming i'm
portance.
Lucy did not keep to the right.
but came straight to meet him, smil-
ing. and with her hand offered to him.
"Why-you-" he stammered, as he
took It Haven't you" What he
meant to say was: Haven't you heardY'
Haven't whatT' she asked; and ssq
saw that Eugene had not told her.
"Nothingr' he gasped. MAY +
may i turn and walk with you a little
wayf"
Yes. indeed - she said cordially.
He would not have altered what had
been done: he was satisfied with all
I that-satisfied that II was right, and
that his own course was right. But he
began TO perceive a striking inaccu-
raey in some remarks he had made 10
his mother. Now when he had put
matters in such shape that even by
/ the REIMBURSEMENT Of his 'ideals OF
/ life" he could not have Lucy. knew
that he never could have her. and
knew that when Eugene told her the
history of yesterday ne could not have
a glance or a word even friendly from
her-now when he must in good truth
give up all idea OF Lucy" he was
amazed that he could have used such
words as mo particular sacrifice" and
believed them when he said theml She
had looked never in her life so bewitch-
ingly pretty as she did to-day: and as
he walked beside her he was sure that
she was the most exquisite thing In the
world.
Lucy" he said huskIly. 81 want TO
tell you something. Something that
Matters
II hope It's lively something. then"
she said. and laughed. "Papa's been
so glum today he's scarcely spoken to
me. Your Uncle George Anderson
came to see him an hour ago and they
shut themselves up In the library, and
your uncle looked as glum as papa.
I'll be glad II you'll tell me o funny
story, George"
"well. Il may seem one to you he
said bitterly. "Just to begin with I;
when you went awsS you didn't let
me know; not even q word-not q
line
Her manner persisted In being in
consequent. "why. no." she said. Il
just trotted on for some visits. Don't
you remember. George7 We'd had a
grand quarrel. and didn't speak to
ench other all the way home from a
long. long drivel So. as We couldn't
play together like good children. OF
course II was plain that we oughtnt
TO play at ALL"
"Playr he cried.
"Yes. What mean is that we'd come
10 the point where II was time to quit
playing-weu, what we were playing"
AT being lovers, you mean, don't
your"
Something like that" sae said light
ly. "For us two. playing at being
lovers was Just the same as playing at
cross-purposes- hed all the pur-
poses. and that gave you all the cross
ness: things weren't getting along at
all II was absurdl"
We'll, have It your own way" he
said. ''It needn't have been absurd"
"No. II couldn't help but bel" she
Informed him cheerfully. The way
am and the way you are Il couldn't