Evening star., 1922-11-19
THE BITING FACTS

pair hailed them from she foaoSloe Q
mile from the clubhouse.
"Why, it's Jimmie and Nan again"
said Mrs. Malleson. Wont you take
me on to the club with you? I'll sit
on your feet. or anywhere. Ono OF
our back tires has blown out"
"Of course" said Nan. This seat
holds three with a little squeezing"
Can I help you?" offered Jimmie
to the lieutenant. who. coatless and
hatless, was sweating over the Offend
ing tire.
"oh, leave him alone" said Mrs.
Malleson. He'll get 1t on after a
while I've told him and told him
that he ought to have those back
tires replaced. He thinks rubber
ought to last like steel"
With which heartless speech she
climbed in between Jimmie and Nan.
At the clubhouse. however. she re-
fused their polite invitation to join
| their round.
NO" she said, "I'll wait for Louis.
We were coming out for tennis. and
he's really the only person can play
ANYTHING with-he understands me-.
Upon my word" said Nan as soon
as she and Jimmie were out of her
sight. "She talks about him as II
they were Enthusiastically. First.
she won't wait for him to put on the
tire, and then she will wait for him
because he understands her game"
How do you know how people talk
when they are married." asked Jim
mie anxiously.
Il listen to mother and father, don't
I?' said Nan. And Uncle Harry and
Aunt Ellen, and to those funny newly
weds, Mr.. and Mrs. Nelson. who live
next door. and heaps Of other people.
They all talk just that way"
II suppose they do." said Jimmie.
Here. let mo tee up for you"
They proceeded on their round In
companionable converse. 1t was
heavenly day for golf; blue and still.
but not too warm. There were not
many people on the links, either. The
rosy color in Mans cheeks deepened
| with the exercise, and her dark hair
! curled- crisply under the brim of her
, reflected Jimmie, how pretty she was
| and how little she seemed to know it.
| He began to wonder II, by sticking
| closer to the business and making
hit with his father, he mightn't get
| his salary raised lowell. a livable
| amount at New Years. And then 1t
| struck him that he had read some
where that two people could live more
! cheaply than one-a warming and
pleasing thought OF course. he
| wouldn't say anything to her just yet.
but he wasn't going to wait long. 1t
wasn't safe. Some insufferably super
wealthy and desirable young man
would come along and inevitably grab
| off such an exceptional girl as Nan.
Jimmie felt mad jealousy Of rage
against that imaginary young man
arising within him. 1t quite put him
of the game.
| %i* + +
THEN it occurred to him that he
| i had been fool enough not to ask
, her II she would 60 with him to the
Friday night dance at the club! And
this was Wednesday! Good Lord
how careless, He fooled an easy
approach in his excitement and hur-
ried to her (she was just on the
green) to make up for his negligence.
Thank heaven, he was not too late.
IF mother'll let me-" said Nan. un-
aware of his tumuit. I'D love to go
with you. But. you know, mother
thinks that until I'm really out
ought not to go to many dances and
| things. She says a girl doesn't get
! half so much attention paid her when
she's a debutante If she goes about
too much before. I think it's all very
silly, truly. I don't care a thing about
society and all that nonsense, but
mothers firm
Her big brown eyes looked up so
sweetly at Jimmie that 1t was with
difficulty he restrained himself from
telling her how adorable and wonder
full she was. OF course, the presence
of the caddies was a drawback to any
such declaration, and then-he didn't
know what shed say. He drew a
long breath.
"I'll ask your mother" he said. I'VE
could come home early II she'd rather.
Im--I'm just Crazy to have you 60. -
He meant to say crazy about you,
but the words stuck. He must pro-
coed cautiously. 1t wasn't likely that
she could possibly be interested in a
boob like him 80 soon. Maybe-after
years-when she had come to realize
his devotion! His pulses bounded at
the thought. He made a long and
accurate putt and grinned at the
whole world.
Later, when he put the question of
escorting her daughter to the Friday
night dance. Mrs. Dixon was pleased
to assent, but with the condition that
they must be home by midnight. 1t
was a comforting thought to Jimmie
that Nan should be SO shielded and
guarded by her mother, even though
it curtailed the pleasure of the even
ing for him. He knew that Mrs.
Dixon would be careful with all the
other fellows who would be running
after Nan. Not so bad-what?
Thursday and Friday passed with
excruciating slowness. To be sure.
the new white flannel trousers were
finished and delivered. and Jimmie
had invested largely in new haber-
dashery, and had had the car thor
oughly overhauled. He had said that
he would call for Nan about $50 on
Friday evening. but at 1880. when he
was leisurely eating his dessert, he
was called to the telephone.
Il must see you at once" came
Mans voice in a cautious whisper.
I've been trying to get chance at
the phone when no one was around
for. hours, but mother and father have