Evening star., 1923-11-04
II don't mean. Of course-" said
Sara, charmingly embarrassed.

n YELLY-LOU finished her lunheon
IN In q species Of numb and pain
full bewilderment, though outwardly
she made all the gestures. accomp-
lished all the little well-bred noises
friend.
by the aid Of some subconscious in
telligence that carried on her game
| while she was tnwardly elsewhere.
III Larry can talk like that, and
feel like that" Nelly-Lou told herself
| grimly, about anybody. when he has
never talked like that and felt like
that about me-then he isn't in love
with me. that's all!'
It was not the most auspicious time
Larry could have chosen to try to set
! things right between himself and
Nelly-Lou. Nevertheless, that night
Larry called. and about nine o'clock
said abruptly and with trace Of shy.
| ness:
"Neliy-Lou, what's the matter?"
Matter with what?" asked Nelly
Lou politely.
They were sitting. at the time, on
Il
Johnston homestead.
| Matter with yeu and me-" insisted
Larry stubbornly. Have I done any
thing to offend you, Nelly-Lou?"
Mercy, not" said Nelly-Lou. why
should you think that?"
"Because-we used to be pretty
good friends. didn't we?"
"Of course We were friends-aren't
We still?"
I'm darned II know"
"If you don't, who does%
IT thought you might, Nelly-Lou."
''why should I know any more than
your"
"well. it's more or less up to the
girl. isn't it?''
IT didn't know there was any diff
| ferene in our-friendship," said Nelly
Lou most untruthfully.
Its all shot to pieces" said Larry
bitterly. And thought was fool
| enough to hope"
Were your inquired Nelly-Lou in
q curiously stifled voice. We'll.
everybody makes at least one mistake.
Larry" She was all at once swept
with q trembling passion OF anger,
| &C
she had suffered that afternoon before
the revelation of his two soul-sides.
"Nelly-Lou," she walled to her secret
self. "be a lady!" But the adjuration
was useless, lost before the storm.
How can you be SO cold?" asked
Larry reproachfully.
Perhaps I have ice-water in my
veins. instead Of blood" suggested
Nelly-Lou, and laughed-an unpleas.
ant little laugh.
What are you talking about?'
Don't you know"
| T certainly don't"
want me to tell you, Larry?"
II wish you would"
So she told him-and she told i,
we'll Sara's languid drawl reproduced
itself with amazing realism. And oh
Larry" finished Nelly-Lou, mockingly
pathetic, ''you can't think how hurt ]
| was. to know that you could be So
thrilling,-and that you had never
done it for me. Didn't you like me
enough, Larry-or-what?"
Larry sat quiet, extraordinary quiet
knitting his fingers together and star
ing down at them. .
"You aren't going to say you never
said it?' Nelly-Lou implored him
81 was so excited. by the time shed
finished. to think I'd known you all
these years and had never seen that
side OF you, but I suppose a man has
his different sides, hasn't he? And, of
tcourse, he isn't apt to be poetic-and
just q bit melodramatic,; over a girl
| he's grown UP with-is her There's
such a staieness about knowing peo-
pie all your life. Sometimes feel
myself as II I'd give anything In the
world for just one new man in town."
| An earthquake could not have rocked
| that corner Of the Johnston veranda
1 more sickeningly.
"She said I said it-didn't she?'
| asked Larry.
Haven't told you?"
"You believed her, Of course" said
Larry. "It was like me as you knew
met? Incredibly quiet and cool he
sounded.
.'It was not at all like you as I
| fully. That's just what hurt my
feelings so. You'd always pretended
to be such friend Of mine. Larry,
and here you were, able all the time
to talk like the villain in q play. and
never. never doing it for me? It made
me feel as though you hadn't thought
| I was-attractive, and all that"
IT see" said Larry. rising. He. no
more than any other healthy young
man, enjoyed being laughed at. Good
night. Nelly-Lou. I'm going home"
Have made a fool Of you-and
shall pay the price?" inquired Nelly
Lou, hopefully.
"Ill say. somebody hast" said Larry
and went, without SO much as shak-
ing hands.
n YELLY-LOU rose next day trifie
in heavy eyed, but determinedly
calm. and attended a luncheon and a
tea In Sara's honor. Sara, It appear
ed At tho tea, was leaving before
long for the Maine coast. -.
/ mo place in the world can. ever
be as lovely to me as this. I've had
| the happiest. time here" sighed Sara.
| Nelly-Lou, to whom this panegyric
was addressed. said she was glad to
hear 1t. and that, Gainesville would be
very dull now. What Nelly-Lou
| wanted dreadfully to know was
whether Sara would take with her
Larry's mothers engagement ring,
which had already done service for
several generations Of Proudnts.
So the days went by. until the un-
beIieveable day when Larry tele-
phoned Nelly-Lou. directly after
breakfast. and said in a queer, formal
| sort Of voice:
"Nef1v.I on I'm having little