The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1920-06-18
CHAPTER x-cOntlnued.


Nhy-in way, yes"
The doctor achieved a perfect cir
clet, and beamed at 1t.
Something else?"
"A good deal else" said billiard, abb
stracted. but that's no reason for
me to bother you with it. didn't know
II was so apparent"
Silence.
It's not my habit" said the doctor
presently, ito offer any advice unless
Tn asked for it. Gratuitous advice
never did anybody any good. And no
boCy takes it unless it costs some
thifg-and not often then. And I'm
neither your regular physician nor
yotr confessor. But if had made a
dia lnosis at this present minute I'd
say that you need a preacher a great
de;a more than you do a doctor"
q do" said billiard, look.
ing Up sharply. "Only :. . it's out
of he question. Just personal things
doftOr-nothing can very well talk
about"
-Four trouble" said Doctor Durant,
isn't physical as much as it is spir-
itual. It's nothing but taut nerves. It's
nothing but your struggle against the
restraints you put upon yourself. How
10 I know? You've told me so !.
svey4 time I've seen you. It's in your
SHcA, my boy. It's in your eyes. Con-
Staatly. And it looks as though the
nrnference is about over be-
ctuse if that isn't Carol coming up the
Steps, my ears aren't half as good as
they used to be-"
Both men were on their feet as she
Fame in, swirling.
ooh" she cried to Hilliard. 81
didn't know you were coming up to-
night! Suppose I'd missed you!"
He merely smiled, and made no an
8wer; 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
diving room. Carol was in the old ia
sniliar corner of the sofa HiIliard 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" he said, "just how much
would you have cared if you had?"
trboro xvoc 81 c+o+oIv old Io,on cto nd
Ing at height behind the sofa; it's
shadows were gracious and it's light,
as it crept through a shade of painted
gellum, touched Carol SOFTLY in a
efficacy of radiance which was infin-
stely caressing. Her hands were lying
lille in her lap; she bent her head, and
viewed them studiously.
"Why, l should have cared a great
DEAL" she said. I'm always disap-
pointed when miss seeing friend of
mine. What makes you so pessimistic,
al of a sudden%
Hilliard redeemed, and his eyes grew
brighter.
Friendship he said tardily.
''What an accordionlike sort Of thing
shat isr'
"Why, Mr.. Hilliard! !" Her tone was
Mt the same time interrogatory and re-
proachful.
"Oh, I'm not speaking of YOU" he
said. "Only of the thing itself.
IT'S big or little, close or distant
and il hasn't anything to say about it
~. You'll have to excuse mel
was thinking out loud :"
"Please do" she said. 'You were
on the way to be interesting. Think
GU: loud some more"
billiard glanced sharply at her.
Don't laugh at mel" he said, almost
Foughly. For heavens sake, don't
you know that the one time you
shouldn't laugh at man is when he
deserves it,"
Carols attitude was vaguely less
suggestive of ease.
81 wasn't laughing at you," she said,
truly. But what you said was so
so queer"
ION, yes. 6lllldfuS accent was
very fiat. Il suppose it was. 1t must
have been. | always seem to be
more or less up in the air when come
20 see you, don't I? The last time we
talked about friendship"
But that was at least month ago."
she said hastily, "and in the mean
vine, you've been just as nice and
cheerful as anybody. I thought you
we're all over yoAr troubles"
"Cheerfulness wasn't what you
asked for" billiard swallowed hard
81 1 came up here, Miss Du-
Yant, to have really serious talk with
sou really serious. It's been
delayed too long already. 1t took me
two solid days to get my courage up
to it. And and now I'm here,
l don't even know how to begin"
He scowled heavily into the vacant
fireplace, and held out his palms with
a mechanic gesture as though to warm
them at an imaginary blaze. "You
know" he said absently, your father
:. d very extraordinary man-very."
The compliment to the doctor had
its invariable effect upon her; she
glowed under it.
"Tve always known that I'm
"a