The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-22

restaurant table. We always seemed so much alone in crowd.
 T must have looked differently than she expected when I met her, for herface. which had been all alight with welcome, seemed to hide its expression immediately behind a peculiar impenerable veil.
 Even then, however, I did not un- derstand. I rushed in, where angels feared to tread, to say the thing I wanted to say without any interest in what she had come to say to me.
 The waiter gave us our accus- toned table and after our order was given, Margaret said:
 Well, what 1t is boy?'
 Why do you think there Is any thing?' I asked foolishly, sparring for time.
 ooh, I know-I know. I almost knew 1t before I came, for though miles may stretch between us, I can usually tell what you are thinking
 "'Then I'd better mind my P's and Q's,' I smiled.
 T don't think 1t has ever made any very great difference she re- joined quite amiably, but this time for once-I am going to let you talk, boy. You have something to say to me-
 Well, Jim. told her the whole story from beginnig to end without reservation or glossing over. I de- scribed the American Beauty, I toli Margaret how the woman affected me. I admitted being all varieties of a fool. I told her just how I hated myself for my dereliction. But I tried to explain that I could not resist the fascination of the American Beauty,
 Suddenly realized that for the first time we had ever been together it was l who was doing the talking instead of Margaret She was silent. Strangely silent. It alarmed me.
 'The dining room was full of peo- pie but we were so interested-at least was 80 interested-that we might as well have been in the cen ter of a trackiess forest for all that anyone else meant to me. However, her silence became very noticeable and I looked up to find that her beautiful eyes were drenched in tears.
 Instantly my hand shot across the table and covered hers which was lying at her plate
 'Why-why. dear heart I stam- mered, You don't really mind all this foolishness?'
 Of courselI care she said trem- ulously, drawing her hand away be- fore 1t was noticed by any of the diners, busy over their own affairs.
 Margaret, dear heart, you know I don't love her. Cant you see that if I had really and truly cared I would never have told you anything about it?'
 Certainly you must understand I need not have done so. but I would ao soon think of lying or evading an issue with myself as with you
 An, Harry I'm afraid that's what you always do-even with yourself-- evade the issue And then she smiled her tender smile as she said: Yes, presume I should feel complimented that you had so much confidence in me. But does man, Harry, tell the woman he really loves and whom he wants to love him just what you have told me?'
 "'Of course suppose that the hap pening. as you have called it, means nothing to a man, but you see. boy, it Is something no woman can an- derstand.
 You say you love mo, and yet you have just confessed that you mad forgotten me utterly during the last few weeks. Don't you see, dear, that there are now three women in your life Again the tears welled up in those beautiful eyes.
 Don't Margaret, don't. can't bear it."
 Copyright. John F. Dille Co.)
 Tomorrow--Margaret Decision.
 ~ \ m