Omaha daily bee., 1922-05-14

set his barrow down and give way to fits of un-
comfortable laughter.
It was In the midst of one Of these attacks OF
the rsibles that he turned the new page, when
right before his eyes a huge open automobile,
full Of merry 'studes'' Of both sexes came
whirling down the street and was held up mo-
mentariy by the passing Of an electric train. In
that moment Joe dscerned that Fat" Franklin
was at the wheel and that the merriest Of the
party was the girl who sat beside him. a girl in
q blue sweater, with knitted cap OF the same
color pushed to one side by a wealth OF golden
braids, which she seemed as anxious now to dis
play a. she once had been to conceal--for 1t was
Leila!
She was rocking from side to side in sheer
exuberance Of spirit allowing the cadences Of
silvery laughter-over some wit OF Fats" no
doubt-to peal out SO that they sounded to the
lovers Jealous ear even above the rumble Of
the passing train. In the same instant that he
saw all this Joe curled up and dropped behind
the screening heap as II one Of his own bricks
had struck him where his belt buckled. For =
moment he was sick with the pain Of Just such
a blow. Then, manfully. he sought to master
himself.
Didn't take her long to make up with him!"
he groaned in q hollow voice, and then raised
his head cautiously. They were gone. "Me
wheeling bricks and her Joy riding!" he NUT
tered, eickly.
The afternoon was spoiled for Joe. But, luck
ily-or unluckiy--it was Friday afternoon, and
Friday afternoon had always been succeeded so
far by Friday night. Friday night was his night
to be with Leila, when he could see her, step out
with her, talk with her, with no Fat Frank.
lns, no automobiles, no anything else to make
tho slightest claim upon her attention. Yet he
decided this evening, when she came in to din
ner to be distant.
But he couldn't manage being distant with
her. For one thing, 1t was plain that Leila had
been discovered. Halt the seniors in the place
were tossing goo-goo glances in her direction
tonight Humbly, confidentially, Joe communi-
Gated his intention to visit her tonight "as per
usual" To his CONSERVATION, she confessed
previous"
Joe was hurt, and showed it; whereupon the
young lady reproached him with:
II didn't suppose you'd mind If I got the
chance for q ride. They have come so seldom,
you know; and besides, the visibility has been
kind OF low OF late as far as you were con-
cerned."
The remark was without emphasis and purely
by way Of explanation but 1t stung-it pierced
and the gall sack of young hearts bitterness
was suddenly filled.
Mind? Sure not. Go ahead I'm glad you
can get em. Get all you can of 'em," Joe urged.
and was careful to urge it cuttingly. "And don't
mind me, I'm nobody. You don't need me any
more"
The girl stared with round.eyed astonishment.
and then resentment curled her beautiful lips
TO- all right" she retorted, IF you want to be
selfish!" and switched her golden braids.
Selfish! He-selfish, after all this sleight OF
hand! Gould she, after accepting his uncounted
pitchers Of cream and boneless T-bones, turn
about and cooly accept another fellows auto.
bile rides? And on his night, too? II 1t were so
elastic indeed was the conscience Of woman.
Joe turned scornfully from her presence, but
some time during the ensuing sleepless nights
perceived that the fault was all his, that he had
been a fool He had argued that because she
accepted T-bones 80 radiantly she loved him
Were the other young fellows to infer that be-
cause she accepted their automobile rides with
equal radiance she therefore loved them? I'm.
thinkable! Quite unthnkable. But the beans
were already spilled, for next morning Leila
Mason did not sit at his table. Upon the other
side Of the room she ate cereal with thin. blue
watery fluid upon 1t, and hot cakes fabricated
with one little pat Of butter per cake and sweet.
ened with one lonesome tiny pitcher Of syrup.
Joe was mad for Leila to know that his re-
sentiment had melted that his heart was bathed
in the bitter waters Of remorse and his soul en-
vironed In an atmosphere Of deep contrition
but she would not even look in his direction.
Days went by like this. and even weeks
weeks Of agony for Joe. but weeks of giddy hap
piness for Leila Mason. A hard, skimpy life had
become suddenly rich. varied and joyous. Half
dozen Of the best known men in college con-
tended for her idle hours, others among them
besides Franklin owning automobiles. and shs