The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-10-12
The Game of
Love
By JUSTIN wENTWooD

Hnghh hgure, side by side with
Lucy S paced through the dark aud
Henry Wilcox watched them s0mberly
from the window Of his Office
At first hideous thoughts allied his
heart but then he grew calmer. lie
had no great passions an that he had
he had bestowed upon those two. IL
was life. II was what he should have
expected.
lie would live on and on In his
great, lonely house. as he had done so
many years
Henry Wilcox had never married.
He had loved In youth aud he had been
betrayed. All his love had gone out to
his nephew. Hugh. whom he had TAX
en- In childhood from his dissolute
brother. and TO his ward, Lucy Pendle.
He had adopted her. too when her
father. distant cousin Of his, had
died. That was years ago And she
had twined herself round his heart
Lucy was twenty-five, Henry VIII
cox was exactly twice her age. He
had always known the day must come
when he would lose her. But he had
not expected that It would be Hugh
Hugh and she had grown up together
from childhood II was a year since
they had met and now
Well, he had beea a fool 10 cherish
those dreams Of her An old fool, for
what part had youth with age? A
mad fool, TO dream that Lucy could
ever grow to care for him.
They were coming In. He read the
happiness In their faces. Lucy came to
him and kissed him. She would never
know how It scared his heart, that
touch of her lips on his.
Had a good time, young peoplef'
he asked cheerily.
pretty good" said Hugh. by the
way, Uncle, you know I'm leaving 10
the morning7 I've got something l
want to say to you first"
tomorrow morning" said Wilcox,
with the mad desire to postpone his
inevitable fate.
And he paced his room for hours.
There had been time when he al
most thought that Lucy cared for him.
What fool he had been
He went into the living room. Good
night, my dear" he said, taking her
into his arms and kissing her again
Il hope you'll be very happy" he con.
tinued
Lucy's eyes filled with tears. ooh,
my dear, II you could knowl" she
murmured.
Nov won't have you crying
when you've nothing but happiness in
store for yout said Wilcox "You
women don't seem 10 know the differ
encc between smiles and tears"
They're not always very far from
each other. are they. my dearT Lucy
murmured.
She looked at him In such a strange
way as she went ont Of the room. He
wondered whether she guessed his
feeling for her Yes. women were In.
tuitivel Lucy must have known.
He waited for Hugh next morning in
his office. Hugh came running down
the stairs, carrying his travelling bag,
youthful vigorous, alert.
"You wanted to see me, HughT'
asked Wilcox
eyes" answered Hugh, looking 4
little sheepish.
ats about Lucy. I SUPPOSED"
at is" said Hugh. There was sort
Of strange challenge In his voice.
"You want to marry herr"
mo. l don't" answered Hugh, and
Wilcox stared at him In establishment.
II don't understand you" he said
coldly. II thought you and she cared
for each other"
I'VE do. all right, but not in that
way. Uncle Henry. The fact Is, we get
on each others nerves dreadfully. But
I've been playing gooseberry ever
since came back. You see, Lucy
thinks she's In love with another man
but she isn't sure he cares for her,
and-between ourselves-I think that's
her idea of-sort OF encouraging him.
because he'll never speak unless he
thinks he has a chance" He clasped
his uncle's hand. II guess It's all
right isn't III" he said Good luck"
"You Internal scoundrell" ejaculat.
ed Wilcox.
But he could not trust himself to
say another word. And he could hardly
believe. He waited, watching Hugh's
1.-THE figure disappear down the drive,
and then went into Lucy.
my dear. I'm an old fool. and per
haps I misunderstood him. But he
gave me TO understand that your
heart was engaged Is III"
"why. my dear. it's been engaged
ever since I can rememberi" Lucy an
swered.
'sTo-tO-r
She put her arms softly about his
neck. aAnd was sure you cared. and
there wasn't any other way, guardian.
dear" she murmured.
Missed Main Event
Bishop Moss Of Nashville was talk
ing about church sensatiOnalism.