The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-09-24

, or course, pollIeneSS demanding that he remain at least until the extent of her injuries was discovered, or un- til he was assured of her we'll being. For he felt. that, in a measure, he was responsible for the accident. So he hung about the corridors while unspoken sympathy was showered upon him. Evidently Annette had not raved about him without some one's having conceived a romance concerning the two.
 Still Bob could say nothing. As a gentleman, he was not entitled to-. In addition, if he could have, the women had declared nothing defin- itely. Their manner simply assumed to nderstand-which was maddening One cannot attack unvoiced assump- tfons. He shifted to rather formal dignity, which seemed to make the ladies all the more certain that he was trying to bear up braveiy, but that he did not care to admit them into his circle of sacred. sentimental
 He felt. at last, that he was in the category of Annette's Latest con- quest"
 Finally Annette's father and mother arriving, Bob pied his sorrow at having been the contributing cause to the accident, breathed a sigh of relief. and, at the earliest pos sible moment, got away.
 A Dilemma
 Alone, he threshed out the matter with himself
 What should he do9
 He could not desert Annette-that was certain. She was too good a friend-so good a friend. he admitted, that she did not stop to care what criticism she might invoke upon her A mL 4..- l~ f-n him. Friends who were willing to make sacrifices for another were priceless. He was not the sort of man to despise any woman who cherished an honest regard for him.
 Time-and Annette, he felt-must correct any impression of their en- gagement. He shrugged his shoul- ders. They were both honest and sincere. If Annette did not correct the impression, time must. For Bob felt sure that Annette would marry the first really good catch" she had. And it was never hard for her to at tract suitors.
 But the accident created what was to Bob a catastrophe.
 It gave Mary Trevor a wrong im- pression.
 For one day, Annette, recuperating, had requested Bob to read to her. Feeling an obligation. he had taken out two or three illustrated maga- zines.
 Bob had settled himself into a com fortable attitude, magazine resting outspread upon the edge of the bed where Annette could see the pictures. One of Bob's hands weighted it to keep 1t open, and Annette slipped her fingers into hia palm, after the man. ner of child wishing to be com forted. Bob understood that-in fact, it was a little way of hers, to which he had grown accustomed-but the blood quite receded from his face as the white-capped nurse ushered Mary unexpectedly into the room.
 Would Hasten
 Bob arose at once-but too late. For he had caught in Mary's eyes, which had fallen upon their clasped hands, that she felt she was very much "de trop;" that she had dis turbed an intimate hour.
 "Oh, I'll be in only a moment" she hastened to assure with a little catch in her breath.
 Annette said nothing-took no pains whatever to relieve the situa- tion.
 Bob. mute, yet unable to take the thing calmly, arose and declared he was POsltlN6 AIitklo WAS Qy HE IO hear some live gossip-not prosy magazine stuff-and he left imme- diately.
 To have remained, he felt, would have been to place himself in the at- titude of a lover sitting callers out.
 Mary had turned her head from him, and was talking animatedly of plans the Art league had put on for the following month.
 When Bob came again to see An nette, he found her fairly beaming with a great secret to impart.
 "Oh, Bob. Mary Trevor's going to get married! It's Herbert McAllister. That makes four big weddings this fall"
 Bob felt even the nerves in his little fingers vince.
 "Yes?s But Bob could not bring himself to ask a single question con corning it. Annette rattled on.
 Speculation
 Don't you know she'll look won derful In her wedding gown-those big eyes and all that mop of red hair! I hope she doesn't cover 1t up with one of those awful caps. I have always said Mary was the most glorious looking girl in our set. And she was decidedly the most popular. But she always was funny"
 How do you mean?" "Oh. so solemn and everything.