The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-12-30

Int /
new
possibly
ling cas-
Re limits(to
am finding
Il that you are
lphasis upon the
qualifying for the
ices said, fdemurely,
ing eyes,.
enby demanded, draw
Corners of his mouth.
so,' from Frances. "That
- ! am now sowing
return gold
int that Mise? !"
Studied poor Jim
to hit off his ia
cleverly," DENLY
n, do you initiate all
II SO, I'd love to have
myself"
Htter; you would not"
emphatically.
build; cross my heart and
e." from DENLY.
Iinute he turned angry red
of himself as he heard, in
E emed his own voice. 81 wish
uld forget how to say No"
I'd To- wish it; harder than ever.
I'm going to ask IL you will marry
out Of hand and run along home
me to mother" his pique swept
In new rush of tenderness.
p (playing with me, dearest. Re
nO9r this is dead earnest. l."
herhember! There have been 9TH
rom Frances wickedly.
lie nodded. Several others. Now
makes me shudder to think Of them.
n had won-and met you-too
from Frances, breaking
gale of laughter. DENLY
% his feet, crying in a half
voice: after this--I can be-
u would laugh at seeing a
& Dear" from Frances in her
. manner. .Tet me explain, Mr..
N DENLY laugh at your Haieeilee. -
.-because it is too perfect. 1t
Unknown immortal fact that no
j kisses perfectly the first time.
Bht to be as well understood that
man has it very badly he COM
makes a mess Of telling you
am no trifler," from DENLY, stiff
But how if-you are trying to
avenger?' Frances flung at him:
Lldn't that explain - several
IS? Especially as you are-or
Carter Gordon's best pal"
enjoys face was study, changing
fly through red, white, and set
gray. After a long minute he
huskily: ''So-you are Furnishing
for an intention? One abandoned
before saw you-from the minute /
heard your voice in the twilight,
there among the roses"
Frances felt sherself trembling. She
was so glad, so sorry he had not lied
to her. Something subtle as flame,
also as soaring had leaped between
them there in the scented dusk. She
had been fighting it ever since-fght-
ing hard In desperate fear She had
sensed a fiber of loyalty in
him that would make hurt to friend
double hurt to himself.
SO, protectively, she had fouted him
daintily, all the while alluring him
and thrilling in the joy of his response.
But she had not dared to be trustful
barely one and twenty though she
was, she knew the game of hearts in
all its facets. Holding herself hard
she said clearly: II do not defend
myself beyond this-I doubt If the
game we played really hurt Carter.
Except, of course, in his vanity. He is
too facile. He had no eyes nor ears
for anybody but Lora Lane-at first.
Frankly, I felt myself a rescue-mis-
sionary In taking him away from
her."
You would have been-if you had
held him." DENLY said bitterly. "Now
II think he will marry her-out of
spite to you. And that will be his
destruction"
"How?" Frances breathed rather
han asked. DENLY went on huslily-:
He is real man-but with an in
lerited handicap. Dipsomania. He
has fought it calamity, successfully.
Eo1r love would have been to him a
.rown to victory. Lora is-just the
opposite"
"How dare you love me--in face
II that-tragedy?" Frances cried, her
voice breaking at the last. II do not
iare-I love you because cannot help
something stronger, more elemental
hau myself constrains me-" was the
Il