The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-12-08
Cupid Hath
Ears
By MARTHA MAcwILLIAMs.

q, am always glad to find widow
at house party chuckled Ned Nc
Crae. "Then l am sure l wont be
bored. One is certain to be amused
With one OF the species around.
wonder why old MacNelson still fol-
lows In Hortense's wake IL she had
wanted him, she'd have taken him long
ago"
From her comfortable place In
hammock, under wide-spreading trees,
Lila Marshall regarded Ned where he
sat on low stool near enough to
keep the hammock swaying gently.
ASK me something hard j. she drawled
lazlly. "Horty has sense. Let her en-
| Joy life as long as she can Do you
think that Mac as a husband would
measure up to Mac the lover? I'll
say he won't. Look at my worse half.
playing tennis ON hot morning like
this, trying TO fool himself that he Is
young enough TO attract little Peggy
O'Nell Pass the chocolates, old boy
My disIllusionment hasn't affected my
appetite yet"
"Oh, say. you're Jealous OF that
child. Aren't you the silly one when
It's plain as day your good old scout
sees that the child Is crazy about
Mac and that the presence OF Hor-
tense is real thorn In the chlld's
qulverlng fesh2 He's just entertain
ing her to keep her from missing
Macs attention. Didn't Mac rush her
to death the first two days we were
here, until Hortense arrivedf"
Lila sat up straight rs that the
TRUTH" she demanded. "If II Is, you
Just get your six feet OF good-looking
manhood up to the court at once and
make Peggy O'Nell have the time OF
her lIfew
Ned stretched himself and dust
ed fleck OF imaginary dirt from
his spotless flannels. you're a cruel
woman to rush me around after a
fiedgiing who hasn't sprouted pin
feathers yet. don't like them be-
fore they're seasoned. It's so much
more comfortable to talk to finished
product like you. A man doesn't have
to exert himself"
Lila griEned indulgently. "And he's
safe. playing around married women.
Go on, brace up, Nedl You're afgood
sort. Assume your own responsibilities
in the world. A real love would do
wonders for you." n
1t. was not until that evening sat
dinner that a complication OF nf-
fairs began to be subtly manifested
. TO the guests. Peggy O'Neil was
!, the personification Of 7springtime. In
!. o little apple-green frock, and a
wisp. Of fiesh-colored tulle display
ing rather than hiding the beauty
of her white throat and arms. she
made a striking contrast to the hand
some HOrtense, around whose fash
ing black eyes and too red lips the
acid of time was already etching un
mlstakable lines. A man would have
had no heart II he had not been at
tracted to Peggy that night, her fresh
innocent loveliness, her big, dream
filled eyes. her fiattering attention e
those around her. Lila's shrewd eye.
soon saw evidence that she had GER
tainly started something when she
had sent handsome Ned McCrae towart
the tennis court that morning. Fol
Ned, after years Of philanderlng
girl Just out Of school. And Mac
Nelson for the first time In his three
years arduons pursuit of the gay, fas
. clnating widow was watching Pegg.
, with an undeniable light In his face.
Afterward. when there was dane
ing In the big ballroom on the thirt
floor, II appeared even to Hortens'
that good, dependable Mac was rovinl
! at last. And just then, fate steppe'
In and took hand In the game.
:. Mac had been out somewhere OF
the lantern-decked balcony with tn,
pretty exponent Of springtime whel
, he suddenly presented himself befor
Hortense. Girl" he said, "Tve go
, the devil Of toothache. What In tn
Sam Hill am going to do about 4
, way out here In the country? Nv,
/ taken on a couple of drinks but the.
! don't help bit"
, Hortense rose quickly. There
seemed to be a motherly quality Il
: the touch of her white hand on hi
, arm. "Come on down stairs to tn
> den and I'll fix you upl I'll stol
on the way and get my medicine cas-
out of my room. / travel prepare'
, for any and all emergencies"
Spoken Just like true widow,
laughed one OF the men sitting near.
: When Hortense entered the coz
little den few minutes later sh
found poor Mac huddled on the coucf
his face buried In the cushions. Moth
! Ing ON earth can so unnerve ma
as cruelty aching molar when h
= is miles away from dental help. Her,