The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-03-20

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keeping the whole world from discov
ering 1t before he did. He made no &C.
cret of his passion. He came straigh,
to her In any company; he never
looked at anybody else. To her OWE
daughter Nina, seventeen years old
his attitude was almost paternal; he
ignored Ward as IL their friendship
had never been.
Isabelle saw that she had made q
mistake. She should have killed this
affair at the very beginning. Tony
was not like the older men, willing to
play the game with just little scorch-
s., ing Of fingers. Appearances meant
nothing to Tony, and she had let the
play go too far now to convince him
that she did not return something Of
his feeling.
She looked down at him now, con-
tent to be alone with her and at her
feet, and hundred mixed emotions
stirred her. His feeling for her was
not only pitiable and absurd In him,
but it was rapidly reaching the point
when 1t would make her absurd and
pitiable, too Nina, instinctively
s3nting the affair, had already ex-
! pressed herself as hating that idiot :"
Ward had scowled, of late, at the mere
mention Of Tony's name. Even her
! husband, the patient Richard, seeing
! the youth ensconce himself firmly be-
/ side her in the limousine, had had
: aside his mild comment: us this young
man a fixture in our family, dearP
! you should be playing tennis,
! Tony" said Isabelle.
| Tennis !" A look Of distaste crossed
Anthony's face.
"Please-Cherie !" he begged.
| There was q silence brimming with
sweetness and color. Tony laid his
hand against her knee, CROPPED until
her own warm, smooth fingers were In
his own.
! "Does Mr.. Carter play golf tomor-
rowT' he asked, presently.
81 suppose sol"
sand you-what do you doP'
"Oh, have a full day! People to
lunch, friends of Madame Carter"
The boy laughed triumphantly.
ST knew you'd say that" he said.
"Now, I'll tell you about tomorrow.
You and I are going to slip away, at
| about one o'clock, and go off in the
gray car. Well go up lowell, some
where, and we'll have our lunch under
! the trees. Well be back at about four
for the tea callers, and they may have
you until come. back for dinner.
After dinner Wen walk on the terrace
as we did two wonderful, wonderful
nights ago, and perhaps" His voice
| his eyes were rapt. "Perhaps." he
said, lust before we 60 In, at the
end of the terrace, you'll look up at
the stars again"
"Tonyl" Isabelle interrupted, her
face brilliant with color. my dear
! boy-my dear boy, think where this
| is going to end. In all reason-in all
reason"
isabelle, what in Gods name has
reason to do with 1t !" He knelt be-
fore her, and caught her hands, and
Isabelle had a terrified fear that
Ward, or Nina, or any one else, might
start up or down the terrace steps and
see him. "The instant you realize
what you and are to each other, my
darling" he said, "you begin to talk
Of reason. Love isn't reason, Cherie.
It's the divinest unreason in the
! worldi Cherie, there's never been
| another woman for me; there never
| will bel I can't live without you; /
don't want toll You're frightened now,
you don't know how we can manage
It But TIL find the way. The only
thing that matters is that you must
belong to me-you shall belong to me
as I to you in every fiber of my be-
ing"
"Tony-for Heavens sake" Isa-
belle was In an agony. Somebody was
approaching. He had gotten to his
feet, and was gloomily staring at the
! river, when Nina Carter, followed by
q great white Russian hound, came
flying down the steps.
Mother" Nina, a tall, overgrown
girl, with spectacles on her straight
nose, and straight, 1ght-brown hair In
thick braids, stopped short and gave
her mothers companion a look Of
whitening distaste. Mother" she be-
gan again, aren't you coming up for
tear
ASK Betty Allen to pour" said
Mrs. Carter, regaining her composure
rapidly. and assuming the air Of host
ess at once.
Betty went home for a tub" Nina
! explained. "She's coming back. But.
Mother" she added, with family re-
proachful and whining information,
really, you ought to be there"
Continued Tomorrow