The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-03-11
PART l-costlnued.

Z
The girl considered graveiy for q
moment then her face broke Into q
ripping smile that swept mp and set
tied Ia her eyes. She reached for
cushion, put II at her back tucked one
foot under herself, and waved the
other In the same fashion as had Miss
Van Teller earlier In the evening.
"NOw talk" she said
do you like meT asked MIR. Ran
dolph.
She nodded her head.
you're not afraid to be hereT'
She shook denial.
'Have you ever been In mans
room beforeT
She looked him straight In the eyes
and made no other sign.
II was Mr.. Rnndolph's turn TO tlush
"Then,' he said, III you like me and
II you're not afraid. please begin at
the start and tell me oil about It."
The girls eyes foil and sought the
fire. Her face slowly naled TO the
shade OF her sonber thoughts. She
was no longer pretty; she WIS beautl-
fal, with a revealing transparency that
made her seem unfieshed, a dlsem-
bodied spirit Of sincerity and truth,
Individually pure.
II had q nurse once" she said, In a
low voice, "afid wire-haired terrier.
show-dog and darling. His name
was Sport She raised solemn eyes
to Randolph's face as though measur-
Ing his powers OF understanding, my
nurse died and then, one day, had to
sell Sport; wasn't old enough to sell
myself
She stopped speaking with an un.
mlstakahle finallty. Randolph was
overwhelmed by the food OF lnforma.
ton that this slip Of girl had packed
into two-seore words. a life-story IN
four lines and revelation Of the
heart thrown In for good measured
Over and above that, he had 10 reckon
+ with the confirmation OF a suspicion
which had been slowly establishing IL
SELF In his mind that he had met her
before, that not for the first time this
night had those soft lips, curved for
merry words, cried, my, whAl II
bumnl" within his hearing.
SO many considerations pressed TO
bis immediate attention that he
awoke ID the actual present too late
10 stem the tide 81 tears that sudden
ly rose 10 the girls eyes
"0h." she sobbed ''what Is to be.
come az meY was so happy here. Il
you hadn't made me thinkl r.
III anything has been said IN thu
course IL these pages % give the I'M
precision that Mr.. Randolph was mod
eled after Joseph or hewn out of ic,
or packed with prohlty TO the exclu
sion of red blood. forget H. At TIL,
sight Of those tears, he slid the iengtl
81 the couch 60 first base, tlelded tn,
girl IL his arms, switched her rount
80 that she lay across his knees, drew
her face against his shoulder. an,
rocked her gently
''You poor kiddle," he said softly
''what devil Of time you've had
bur believe me when tell you It's al
over This Is the night that starts you
ord happy sun into the blue sky agail
Don't worry
She stopped crying aud looked u
into the honest face SO close 10 he
own. puzzling ms to how just thNs
words could have come from 2 hr
the world had taught her rard Il.
son In varying standarfh Che lre'
long quiyeripg sigh.
',R you could yuly wait until ioS
you, body and soal," she breathed
what - earth do you mean
Wasked MIR. Randolph.
"Why. then 1t wouldn't be so bad
SO ugly"
Il don't get YOU remarked Robe
Hervey.
"a nlnn told me Just a little viii
ago that he was milking a cutalogI
Of reasons why women give thel
selves" she continued "He had eley,
already, and vet he was one Of Il
incest men I've met He talked to I
MS though he were showing me WI
that must travel alone"
-Really7" said Mr.. Randolph, st
fleming pereeptibly.