Evening star., 1922-07-30

l suppose j began 10 De afr2lo OF
him. He managed everything. the
children. even the house. He's very
capable" Only the gravity of her
manner stripped this tribute Of its
righteousness. I'm not. I'm only
easy to look at
And to make such a confession a
woman must be very lovely indeed.
WITHOUT even putting it into con-
w scious thought, Stephen knew
there were three things he could do.
He could take her into his arms, as
every instinct shouted in him to do;
he could run away, or he could for
get himself and think of her. The
times in a mans life when he decides
unselfshly are as unaccountable, as
unpredictable, as the times he
doesn't They are neither reason
able nor logical. They just happen.
Stephen Douglas knew suddenly that,
though he might blunder, this time
he would be neither a knave nor a
coward.
Look here" he said. Il don't sup
pose you're any intellectual giant
but most people aren't. You've had
just one resource-your beauty. 1
reckon" he hazarded. 'it takes you
two hours to dress for dinner"
She nodded 'I wish sometimes it
took longer. 1t does when l have 4
facial"
the profoundest hyperbole. Then he
became serious. There's the chill
dren. I'll bet they're lonesome. too;
lonesome with too many nurses and
tutors and Swedish bone -pullers."
He stopped a moment and the ex-
preston of his face was not pleasant
to see Nothing that can happen
later is so bitter as the loneliness Of
childhood. That's something l hap
pen to know. Look here" he said,
why don't you kidnap those In
dians?"
She looked up at him startled.
How did you know"
II didn't"
Her relief seemed to him both
ridiculous aid pathetic. ITS q Sc
cret. Every Thursday" Then. with
the unpredictable resiliency of youth,
she smiled up at him. Would you
like to come tomorrow to a-kidnap-
ing?"
Stephen Douglas hesitated just a
second.
please" she said. She was amaz-
ingly in earnest.
Il should be delighted" His man
ner equaled hers in gravity. III you
should need any legal advice it might
be handy to have me along. Now,
the laws regarding kidnapping in
Illinois,"
Listen to me-" she interrupted.
"At 3 o'clock tomorrow take the path
that follows the creek and 60 as far
as the farmhouse" Her voice
stopped suddenly. 'Michaers going
to have the creek diverted into his
old trout pool. Sometimes 1 think
Michael goes too far when no starts
bossing nature.
That's his job" Stephen defended
him. Think of his dams and his
power plants"
ct know" she said. But the
children like Willow creek just as it
is. It's got wonderful fittings In 1t.
"Crawdads and tadpoles and water
hugs. I know" He remembered the
delightful galaxy of amphibians that
had beguiled his own childhoods
Mud turtles are splendid, too, II the
creeks Shiny enough"
They both laughed.
"How silly Michael would think
this" she said finally.
TT is"
She nodded her head in solemn ac-
ouiescence. II suppose 1T is-but it's
nice"
Ten minutes later servant IN
formed Mrs Higgins that Mr.. His-
rims had returned and was waiting
in the library to see Mr.. Douglas.
She held out her hand TO MIN.
Good might. It's been nice even.
ing"
"Good-bye-until tomorraw.
-
cEATED at the Uttered desk was
- Stephens employer. For an In
slant the two men looked a1 each
other then the older mans eyes wav-
cred. "In westhaven. MASS. they
had a traction suit similar In many
respects to this one" ny dronsd.
stephen Douglas watched MIN curl
ously. He was sun-burnt but bis
eyes looked haggard and t4s muscles
of hss lips were tense. ltwss only
NJ veneer Of health the brd dnned skin'