Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-09-28

'ssht H. lo"' lou tOlu me you did
gARt first day"
She was silent. Again he was in.
vesting her with a longing which she
had never really had, until he had
planted that longing She had wanted
she knew not what. Now she accept
ed the dim, the romantic interest OF
this role.
81 guess you don't see how II
seems he said, 'to me, coming along
"a stranger so. ! don't like it,"
He frowned. regarded the river.
nlcked away ashes, his diamond obedi-
emily shining. Lulus look, her head
dropping, had the liquid air of the
look of n young girl For the first
time in her life she was feeling her
helplessness. II intoxicated her.
They're very good to me-" she said.
He turned. ado you know why YOU
think that? Because you've never had
anybody really good to you. That's
why"
But they treat me good"
They make n slave of you. Regu-
lar slave" He pulled, frowning.
I'D shame. ! call it," he said.
Her loyalty stirred Lulu. 1--WE have
our whole living"
and you earn II. been watching
you since l been here. Don't you ever
60 anywheres?"
She said "Thls Is the first place
in--in years"
Lord! Don't you want to? OF
course you do"
"Not so much places like this"
81 see What you want is to get
away-like you'd ought to-" He re-
garded her. you've been blamed
fne-looking woman" he said
She did not flush, but the faint. I'M
suspected Lulu spoke for her:
You must have been cookbook
Ing man once yourself"
His laugh went ringing across the
water. you're pretty good" he said.
He regarded her approvingly. 81 don't
see how you do it," he mused. blamed
If do"
How / do what?'
"Why come back, quick like that.
with what you say.
Lulu's heart was beating painfully.
The effort 10 hold her own in talk like
this was terrifying. She had never
talked In this fashion to anyone. 1t was
as II some matter of life or death
hung on her ability to speak an alien
tongue. And yet, when she was most
AT loss that other Lulu, whom she
had never known anything about
seemed suddenly TO speak for her AS
now:
She sat bumped on the log. her
beautiful hair shining in the light of
the warm sky. She had thrown off
her hat and the linen buster, and was
in her blue Bingham gown against the
sky and leaves. But she sat stiffly,
her feet carefully covered, her hands
Ill at ease, her eyes rather piteous
in their hope somehow to hold her
vague own. Yet from her came these
sufficient. insouciant replies.
Education" he said laughing heart
lily. That's mine, too" He spoke a
CreeQ. ulIl l never idu IL anu
amt never missed it,"
Most folks are happy without an
education," said Lulu
You're not very happy, though
"Oh, no." she said
well, sir" said Ninian, I'll tell
you what well do. While I'm here
I'm going to take you and Ina and
Dwight up to the city"
ITO the city,"
ITO a show. Dinner and a show.
I'll give you one good time"
oh" Lulu leaned forward. Ina
and Dwight go sometimes. / never
been"
We'll, just you come with me. I'll
look up what's good. You tell me just
what you like to eat, and well get
it"
Il haven't had anything to eat in
years that I haven't cooked myself"
He planned for that time to come,
and Lulu listened as one intensely ex-
periencing every word that he uttered.
Yet Il was not I'm that future merry
making that she found her JOY, but IN
the consciousness that he-some one
anyOne-was planning like this f'r
her
Meanwhile Di and Bobby had rcund-
ed the corner by an old hop-hoise ana
kept on down the levee. Now that
the presence of the others was with
drawn. the two looked about them dif-
ferently and began themselves to give
off an influence instead or being
pressed upon by overpowering person
alities. Frogs were chorusing In me
near swamp. and Bobby wanted one.
He was off after IL. but ID eventu-
ally drew him back, reluctant, frog
less. He entered upon an exhaustive
account of the use Of frogs for bait,
and as he talked he constantly nung
stones. Di grew restless. There was.
she had found. certain amount OF
this 70 be gone through before Bobby
would focus on the personal. Al
length she was Obliged TO say, Like
me today?" And then he entered
upon personal talk with the same
zest with which he had discussed Dait.
Bobby" said hi. sometimes l
think we might be married, ana not