Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-01-05


your he said. I'VE were introduced
back there, but there were too man,
young men around you then for me t
set a word lnl Nice boys. all Of them
But not worth your whileI"
Nina murmured q confidence.
What did you say1" Blondln said
But come" he added, frankly, you're
not afraid Of me. are yOuI My dear
little Sri. I'm old enough to be your
xAtheri Look up--I want to see those
eye2 That's better. New. that's more
4rtendly. Tell me what you saidY"
II said--that mother expected me
oo4to like them"
"To-f Oh, to like the boys. Mother
expects it1 OF course she doesi And
some day she'll expect to dress you In
white, and bid us all to come and
dance ut the weddingl But In the
meantime. Mother mustn't blame some
one who has just a little more discern
ment than-well, young Brevoort, for
example, for seeing that her tame
dove is really q wild little seagull
starving for the sea. And you don't
want to fall in love with one Of these
lads for q year or two. anyway"
soh. my, mol" Nina felt the express
siop inadequate, but her breath had
be&n taken away. The man had
tu1ned about q little. his eyes were
allfcr her. and his arm. laid carelessly
along the back Of the green bench.
almost touched the white rufles. They
were In full sight Of the house, too.
and II Lettuce or Anna came back,
4h4y would see Nina IN deep and last
IND conversation With the man that all
thS older women were 30 mad about
fYou don't. But-whatr He bent
his dark head.
II said, But / don't know how you
knew it'p Nina repeated. looking
down In her overwhelming self-con-
seriousness, but with q smile Of utter
happiness and excitement.
A second later she looked up In
some alarm. He was silent-she had
somehow said the awkward thing
againl Nina's heart futtered nerv-
Ously.
But what she saw treasured her.
Royal Blondin had squared himself
about, and had folded his Rrns and
wal staring darkly into space.
"How ] knew 1t r heSsaid In q half
whisper, Is If to himself, after a full
half-minute OF silence that thrilled
Nina to the soul. "Child, / don't knowl
Some day you and l will read books
together-wonderful booksl And then
perhaps we will begin to understand
the cosmic ~secret-why your soul
reaches out to mine-why l not only
want to know you better, but why 1t Is
my solemn Obligation to take the ex-
qAikite thing your coming into my life
may mean to US both You and / have
SQtaehow found each other In all this
wilderness Of lies and afrectations, and
wgEe going to be friends, aren't we9'
N-hCpe we arei" Nina said, clear.
higher throat, with a bashfuE laugh. |
fXon know we arei" Royal Blondln
amended, And in, Q musing tone he
aided; TIN afraid I was q little bitter
Q few hours ago. And then / saw you,
JuSt an honest. brave. bewildered little
gt7. wondering why the deuce they
alp makeTsuch g fuss about nothing
cldthes and bridge parties and din.
nes
fThey never say anything worth
WILLIE" Nina said, with daring. There
w&s exquisite homage In the dropped
listening head, the eyes that smiled
10 CLOSE to her own. "But IL I tell
Mother that, she thinks I'm crazy!"
she added lapsing into the school YER
nacular against a desperate effort to
sustain the conversation at his level.
rBecause you're q little natural
REBEL" Interpreted the man, smIlingly.
those eyes of yours say that. And 1t
DOESN'T make for happiness. Little
Girl" he warned her.
Nina narrowed her eyes, and stared
into the green garden. She was not
wearing her glasses today, and hers
were fine eyes, albeit q trife promi-
nept, and with q somewhat strained
expression.
TOh, / know thatl" she said. II like
the girls and boys-truly / do, and /
am popular with them all, I know
thati But 'cases'f" said Nina with
sc0rn.
S,Dear Heaven" Royal said under
his breath. "No-no-no-that's not
for you'll" he murnured. sand yet"