The Washington herald., 1922-06-08
Continued from Yesterday.


Leila did not see just why this
should make a difference, but Joe
said IL did and he was a sophomore:
she was only a freshman Besides.
the world had dealt rather skimp-
iIy with her hitherto. and hers was
not a nature to fly in the face OF
Providence
With Joe the casuistries resolved
themselves quite as easily. He was
getting so Interested in this girl, so
fascinated by the growing round of
cheek and increasing shapeliness OF
arm and shoulder that his appatlte
diminished. He was eating very lit
tie himself. Whatever the coop
lost on Leila Mason. Joe was sure It
made up on him; and yet he felt no
pangs Of starvation. 1t was food
and drink to him just to stand or
and gaze at her when she did not
know that he was gazing: and II
was positively thrilling to observe
her delighted flush at discovering
his glance upon her. She was stii
sparing Of conversation. but such
eloquent messages OF thanks and
grateful appreciation as she sent to
him across that old dining hall!
And pretty. why. the girl was
going to be beautiful=-was beauti-
full already. In his own absorption
with that bright spectacle il did not
occur to him that others might be
discovering that nascent beauty
also. That Fat" Franklin. for in
stance. a proud Junior. pOssessOr of
an automobile and such wealth that
he could fare sumptuously on T
bone steak three times a day IL he
so minded, and who got creams and
syrups and butter galore by the
simple expedient Of paying extra
for them-that he. who was ac-
counted one of the boldest and most
successful "Queeners" in the college.
should this day for the first time
have contemplated with the interest
Of discovery the reddening roses.
the rounding curves. and the soft
blue ewes Of Leila Mason was con-
sideration quite below the threshold
of Joe Hancock's consciousness.
Some queen. I'll say" murmured
Fat" into his coffee cup. and as
saved her boldly with an expert
eye.
For Joe to have known about this
would have disquieted him greatly,
and today nothing disquieted him
because, second week of their
casual acquaintanceship having
passed. he had ventured to ask Leila
to step out with him. and she had
consented modestly. 1t was bliss
fully boy and girl time they had to-
gether They exchanged life stories
and found several pleasant paral-
leIs. Joe heard with sympathetic
hNNW1
ing for an educatiOn-living with
maiden aunt poor. almost as herself
had scraped and pinched her way
through high school and was at last
here. pinching her way through the
university and sharing the expenses
and the discomforts of an attic
chamber in Mrs. McIlheney's room
ing house with Irma Woods. girl
as moor and as ambitious as her
self.
AND on the very next occasion
Of their stepping out togethes-
perhaps because IL was in the moon
light this time and under the grand
old campus oaks-JOe Hancock
found himself desperately in love
with Leila Mason: but when he tried
to strangely put the new. the SUI
preme emotion into words his
tongue was tied. though his heart
pounded and tore at-its fastenings.
The next afternoon he stood be-
fore a ieweIry shop. gazing upon
trays of rings. diamond rings. And
there a great idea occurred to him,
A ring would break the ice. The
production. the proffering of the
golden Circlet with its tiny eye OF
fire would disclose his heart and
high intent in a single gesture.
Thereafter all would be easy
easy. DaringIy. as Hobson into the
bottIeneck at Santiago. he went in
and priced the rings. But here dis
appointment cOuChed. The only ones