The Washington times., 1922-07-02
CHAPTER xxIII.

CHAPTER XIII.
TERRY, wandering 70 the gar
age to collect Toby for his
- afternoon scamper with the
other dogs, encountered Haines
upon the threshold. He was ex-
amining one Of the closed cars
which he had either just brought
in or was about to take out, but
he was not in livery, though he
wore his goggles pushed up over ,
the peak Of his soft cap.
He looked up briefly, touched
his cap, and returned to his work
as Toby came scampering eagerly
down the narrow stairs from the
quarters above. Terry had hesi-
tated and drawn back on catching
sight of Haines; she recovered her
self instantly, and bent above
Toby with a slightly heightened
color and an air of nonchalance
which she did not really feel. In
deed, she was conscious of an odd
and disturbing flutter of her
pulses as she met the honest, quiet
gaze the man turned upon her.
She. was, to her own bewilder-
ment, by no means at her ease.
Inwardly she ragged at herself for
her folly. She had already voiced
to Lee and to her mother her opin-
ion that the chauffeur should have
been summarily dismissed for his
impertinence; but this evening
there was that in the way he
looked at her that was oddly dis
turbing. 1t made her feel some
how defensive and guilty.
She Was selecting one of Toby's
collars from among the many
varied ones that, with their accom-
panying leashes, hung above his
basket when Haines abruptly
spoke.
He had passed across the thres-
hold, leaving the car, now pur-
ring softly, outside, and had
drawn one of the doors slightly
to behind him, obviously to pre-
vent Toby dashing exuberantly
past him.
At the sound of his voice Terry
wheeled, then stood still. His face
was quite without expression, but
his eyes shone.
"Is it true" he asked, without
preamble, "that you are going to
marry Roland Gish?"
Terry gasped, strove for
crushing retort, met those shining,
steady eyes and answered, against
her will:
"Yesw
Haines leaned a broad shoulder
against the Intel of the Enclosed,
heavy door, and thrust his hands
deep into his pockets. His eyes
did not leave her face.
81 want you," he said quite
calmly, ito alter that decisionw
Again Terry gasped, and now
the angry red famed high in her
cheeks, her eyes were flashing.
"This. is intolerable! Your au-
dacity is only equal to your inn
pertinence, Haines! You-you
:" she broke off, breathless,
impotently furious before his un-
shaken quiet. "What do you
mean by it, I say? What :"
Haines's mouth twitched family
at the corners. He held the pas
sionate indignation of her regard
levelly, answered as levelly.
"That / love you i. :" He took
his hands out of his pockets and
came a step nearer to her.
"I'd rather see you dead" he
went on, and now his voice was
vibrant with repressed passion,
"than sullied by that mans touch!
I'd rather die for you, here and
now,. than let you 60 on with this
criminal folly that you are con-
templating! It's not even as if
you loved him! You don't!
You're not the sort who loves
easily. 0h"-he drew a long
breath, Strengthening himself sud-
denly and standing UPRIGHT
knoww = ~
He took his hands abruptly out
of his pockets and flung them
wide, passionately. His face
shone Whitley against the grow
ing dusk without. His nostrils
were ever SO slightly dilated, his
eyes burning. -.
you're q baby. You don't
know what love means. You'll
never know II you 60 to a man
like Roland Gish to teach your
Terry opened, her lips and
closed them again. Toby, pant
ing, ears cooked, circled round her,
occasionally shifting at the collar
in her hand. Outside the thrum-
ming purr of the big car seemed
to grow louder. Above>it Haines's
voice rose again, vibrant once
more, almost savage in its inten-
sity.
"Only it's not going to be. /
tell you, it's not going to beW
Terry found her voice at last.
II rose shrillv almost b,,sto.;.oII