The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-31
THE  A CITY
 ROMANCE nry NnnEnlA 1TnmhE. uAHniMETEp
CHAUTER 135
V1PfldlA TRTusE MRpiWRrR

Richard Rankin kept his promise not to mention the matter of the loan until after dinner that evening.
 The drawing room in which he and his hostess sat was cozily warm. The shaded lights and drawn curtains save 1t an air Rf comfort. The clouds that had hung low all. the af- ternoon had, at dusk, begun to descend in rain. New the wind had risen and rattled windows against which the cold drops dashed persis- tently.
 Tt is a beastly nightr' the girl broke the silence that had in it no awkardness." Vet the sound of the storm does not depress me as 1t might,-for I have @ friennd here with me. At times. though I hate bad weather. It gives me the blues"
 Her companion nodded. T know all about that. It gives me the willies sometimes too. But the beauty of this room and the loveli- ness of your presence are accentuat- ed by the thought of the cold and gloom outside. I was realizing all this just now as l remembered my promise to you"
 Your promise?"
 Yes. drawing his chair nearer hers, "the promise to defer further remarks with regard to your good ness to me until after dinner tonight. Now I must speak,
 He paused, but she did not reply. The expre ession of her eyes showed him that she was waiting for him to so on.
 a wonderful thing In lending me money when your best friend-the man who has been your guardian
 He did not oppose it." she in terrupted For l told him nothing of my intention until after I had giv- en you my check"
 You are even braVer than thought" the man said admiringly. q yie'l you had not felt it incumbent upon you to go through the humilia- tion of confessing the facts to him,
 T did not feel it my duty" she ex- plalned But when he asked me questions about some of my money I told him the truth. The money was my own," she added with a toss ot her head.
 "Of course, l understand that. But I also understand that you must have had a bad quarter of an hour when you did explain your first independ- ent financial transaction.You cannot deny that Muir was displeased.
 T am not denying 1t.
 Nor" dropping his voice still low CT" that you went through all this painful experience for me-or Tor the cause if which I am interested-to speak more accurately.
 It had been for him, or TOT the cause, only because it was his. Real izing this. she flushed consclousiS when he asked abruptly
 'You did this wonderful thing pe- cause you were interested in re- form work-as I am-didnt you
 T lent you the money becouse wanted to feel free from the dept u. ~ may as well be honest about It, as YOU are l was not thinking oi the cause-bnt of you. ,;.;
 She did not apreciate the signlti- canoe of her admission unul he caught her hands in his.
 "0f me?" he whispered. AouI beautiful, lovely-YOU, the henh whose garment I am unworthy to touch-you did this for me
 She looked into the handsome iace so close to her own, and listened to the musical voice. Her heart pea fast. This was the most roma ~ ,,oonent in her life. Yet she tried 10 snssk lightly in spite of her emotion.
 ayyhv yes" with a catch in her lauzh-s'it was for you, of course Honestlv. am interested in your work-in a way-but 1 am not hyprocite, so will not pretend tnat l was thinking of thls Wneh ieii. a
 
 side issue. .,z,,od
 And it was for me that you rlskeu the displeasure of the only person who has authority over you he murmured musingly.
 uer sAlf-esteem was strung to pro test. Authority" she repeated scornfuIiy. Nobody has that over mel'' mN,o+ even Muir" -st
 @No," she exclaimed. "Mr. Muir has no authority over mel!
 Then triumphantlv, nave right to say what is in my ia, what cannot be silenced longer winifred, I love you! Darling love
 She was swept along by his feyor' l by the magnetism of his perso1s4'es hv her desire for love and romance, As he drew her to him and put ms a-rns about her, she did not resist
 (To Be Continued)