The Raymer enterprise., 1920-09-02

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better say, or not say-" He 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 4 little too tender to 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 q 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 I wish you'd 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
friend of Dicks. And :" She
swallowed. and went on more slowly.
you can use your own judgment. Of
course. but II were In yorr place
I'd lie."
"Lie" he repeated. aghast.
"Yes, I would He he
must have sent her some word. Mr..
HIlliard! He must haver She was
desperately serious now, and thor
oughly aroused. ut means the whole
world to her! It's everything! Why.
even I've got more than she has, and
she was waiting for him to come back
to her! I'd lie myself black In the
face. but I'd tell her something--tell
her anything ! could think Of to make
her believe he hadn't stopped caring! |
It can't do any harm now. 1t can't
hurt you. And l won't even ask you
whether you do or not. Only you're
here. and she'll trust you"
win shei"
"flow could she help It? And /.
and that's all. Please don't let her
think he didn't care!
HIlliard stood irresolute: chaos 10
his brain. "I'll See" he sale
with difficulty. "I'll see"
Won't you promise me? ! won't
ask you sfterward. II YOU"
Does II mean so much to your
"Ever and ever SO much. .
Won't you please promiseT'
He gazed at her a moment. yielded
with show Of reluctance.
very WE'LL promise. Because
you've asked II. And because it's the
dearest, most generous. most thought.
ful thing ! ever heard Of In all my
life. And after that, can't we
be truly friendsy
Flushed. perplexed. honored. she
gave him her hand with q hesitancy
which betrayed the deep sense Of com.
plIment she felt.
II don't think could be prouder Of
anything that could possibly happen
to me-" she said.
Was II worth the blatant mummery
he had conceived and executed, Was
II not worth that, and infinitely morel
She was proud Of his friendship
and she shared that distInc-
ton with no one else In the entire
universe.
Proud Of It! Hilliard was fulsome-
ly abashed. Abashed-yes, and stimuli
taneously glorified. He had come to
make the city proud, ignorantly proud,
Of the man whose deeds had merited
no renown. Here, at the very incep-
ton Of his plans, a seventeen-year-old
girl was proud Of him as he was.
Courage. Inspiration. Resolve.
He had won her respect by the prom
Use Of a lie; and In this instant he
vowed to deserve. by other and In
creaslng lies II need be. the prestige
he was unalterably committed to gain,
whereby the past should be as moth
ing. and the future should be a 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-
prOach. She had confirmed his own
Intentions, and given him the will to
advance. He was to act as the stanch
defender Of her playmate persisted,
and to make Of himself a new and a
better man. worthy of the eulogies
which. as trustee. he now accepted for
the unworthy Morgan. He consecrated
himself to this end. Told himself
fiercely that he would succeed. And
she was proud Of him! 1t was an.
other omen.
II was eleven o'clock to the minute
when Hilllard. not quite 30 blithe as
wedding guest, and yet not alto
gether as doleful as mourner. waved
his hand to q 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. a. the front door opened
to him, and he saw. over the head Of
q smirking maid-servant, q hallway
and q vestibule unchanged. his breath