The Washington herald., 1922-06-09

possible that when he swung his
ists IT would have been as x he had
a brick in each hand. and that one
Of these. landing conveniently on
the rotund target of a stomach
which Fat presentedt nrst. ana the
other following to. the chin. might
have made wreck of Mflton Frank
lin. But nothing OF this kind hap
pened. for instantly the little girl
was standing between them.
straight. taller than she had ever
appeared before. her cheek glow
ing. her eye Sxpressing Indignation.
resentment and blazing rebuke.
Control yourself. Mr.. franklin"
she said with dignity. 81 could see
1t was a pure accident. Mr.. Han
cock was not In the least to blame"
AN accident?" queried Fat In
eredulously Not much II wasn't
any accident. This fellows taken a
dislike to me. sail" But Fats fist
had ceased to menace. The girls
eye had cowed him or elapsing sec
-onds had given him time to cool OF
why. Mr.. franklin, How could
You say thst?" reproaehed the girl,
and Milton began to feel-ashamed
for his brashness and to be more
Immediately conscious of the en-
barrassments of his physical condi-
tion.
Besides. the head waiter was on
the scene by this time. rebuking
Joe. staring severely at the ideety
freshman. and assisting. by the sac
rihce of many paper napkins, In
wiping OF the neck of Mr.. Frank
Inns person and the back of his
coat But no amount of wipings
and no sacrifice OF napkins could
make Mr.. Franklin presentable for
the street or the lecture room. He
had to depart ignominiously for his
rooms. a bath. and a new set of
garments from the skin out. He
went dripping soup from two heels
and with a lowering glance at Jo-
seph Hancock.
Gloating and exulting In the dis
comfiture OF Fst-and before her
Joe. unaware how soon he was to
turn a new page In the book of his
knowledge of womankind. started
out to have happy afternoon with
his bricks. Never had the toll
seemed so light, Never had a pam
Drama OF such entertaining memory
pictures reeled. before his mind.
Whenever these reached their eli
max. with Fat red-faced and del
uged, sputtering and sauawking.
Joe was compelled to set his barrow
down and give way to nts Of uncon-
trolfahle laughter.
1t was in the midst Of one OF
these attacks OF the risibles that he
turned the new page, when right
before his eyes huge open auto
mobile, full of merry "studes" OF
both sexes. came whirling down the
street and was held up momentarily
by the passing OF an electric train.
In that moment Joe discerned that
Fat franklin was at the wheel. and
that the merriest Of the party was
the girl who sat beside him. girl
in a blue sweater. with a knitted
cap OF the same color pushed to one
side by a wealth OF golden braids,
which she seemed as anxious now
to display as she once bad been to
conceaI-for 1t was Leila!
She was rocking from side to side
IN sheer exuberance Of spirit. al
lowing the cadenees of silvery
some wit OF, Fats, no
doubt--to peal out so. that they
sounded to the lovers Jealous ear
even above the rumble OF the pass
ing train. In, the same instant that
he saw all this Joe curled UP and
dropped behind the screening heap
as II one of his own bricks had
struck him where. his belt buckled
For moment he was sick with
the pain Of just such blow. Then
manfullly he songht to master him
self.
Didn't take her long to make up
with him. he groanea I'm a hollow
voice. and then raised his head
cautiously. They were gone ME
wheeling bricks, and her joy, riding"
he muttered sfckly."s a...-t--.
(ContiHued TTonorr0p)