Evening star., 1924-02-24

Suclt tuIilSS ds tHeSe Fraternity
could not understand, and so mis-
trusted. Loud voice. loud boasting,
easy kindnesses. foolish audacities-
so they did not like Lew. Yet he was
in some respects a likable man.
George Freeland, who lived clear
across the town from Lew. had
daughter named Margaret. Most
people called her Meg. She was at
this time-it was in the last year of
the war-a figure of some interest to
Fraternity, because her name had
been linked with that of VIII Motley.
Lee Motley's son. And VIII had been
killed in France.
There was not, had never heea. any
open engagement between the two in
the formal sense. Things are not so
managed in Fraternity. But VIII and
Meg had been neighbors as children.
they had played together as they
grew older. and before VIII went TO
war he and Meg used to appear to-
gether at the occasional suppers and
public dances which constituted the
social life Of the town. Everybody
liked young Mil: liked Meg. too. She
was quiet. pretty girl, and she had
friendly way.
Since the news of Wills death she
had stayed much at home, and Fra
ternity attributed this to grief, and
thought 1T becoming to her. The
story was an old one, every one knew
it, but 1t happened that no one told
the tale to Lew Thomas.
Will had been dead now near
year. and in the later summer. after
Lewis return to Fraternity, Meg be-
gan to go about more. There was
in low meadow beyond North Fra
ternity huge barn of a building,
which had been erected some years
before as dance hall. 1t was not
far from the picnic grove Of pines
which lies on the slope above Marsh
brook. When there was a picnic in
the grove there was apt tp be dance
in the hall. Other dances were held
at irregular intervals. The dance
hall itself, isolated and alone, more
than mile from the nearest town,
was nevertheless the center OF.
fairly well populated neighborhood,
and a dance attracted folk from miles
around. In August of this year such
dance was organized. and Joe Suter
asked Meg Freeland to go with him.
Thus Lew Thomas first saw her.
:: !. x x
II EW had no partner. at the dance
that night. There were never
was no one he particularly cared to
ask. During every dance number
there were men dancing together OF
the big floor. Any woman who could
or would dance at all was sure of a
partner. Lew danced once with Jean
Bubier, the little Frenchman from
the head Of the Pont, and once with
Joe Race. and then he claimed a dance
from sixteen-year-old Helen Mears,
who lived near him in North Fratern-
tty. 1t was while he was dancing
with Helen Mears that Joe Suter and
Meg Freeland arrived. They had
come with four or five others, drtv-
ing across the town in George Free
lands wagon, well upholstered with
hay. Lew saw Meg at once, and
thought her pretty. When he was
through with Helen Mears he went
across to where George Freeland
stood with his wife and asked Mrs.
Freeland to dance with him. At the
end of that dance it happened quite
naturally that he was introduced to
Meg She was, he discovered, even
prettier than he had thought. Once
they danced together.
The following Sunday Lew drove
up to George Freeland's house-he
had bought a light, secondhand car
and spent the long, hot afternoon sit
ting with George on the grass in
front of the house. smoking and talk
ing wisely. Toward the cool OF the
day he suggested they all. take a ride
in his car, and Mrs. Freeland well
coined the opportunity. She and Meg
sat on the rear seat. George and Lew
in front. They got back to the farm
at sunset, and Mrs. Freeland asked
Lew to stay to supper. He did, and
went home early in the evening with
out having exchanged a word with
Meg alone.
From such a man as Lew Thomas a
boisterous and arrogant courtship
might have been expected, but IL this
was what Fraternity expected the
reality must have been disappointing.
Every Sunday Lew went to the Free
land farm. Sometimes during the
week on his way to town he stopped
to ask Mrs. Freeland If there were an
errand he might do. His demeanor
when Meg was near was almost mild.
Even his great voice was somewhat
subdued. He did not even brag.
One Sunday afternoon in October
Lew asked Meg if she would like to
take a walk, and she consented. 1t
was their first hour alone together
They walked back through Freeland's
pasture and down toward the birch
slopes. above the river and sat for
while on a sun-warmed ledge
there. Meg was never much to talk.
She was q pretty, sensible. affection
ate girl, but there was not much wit
in her. 1t is such girls whom men
like Lew adore. He .adored her this
day quite wordlessly, but Meg had
wit enough to read his alteration in
his eyes, and it warmed her. She was
comfortable with him. She liked him.
After that she used to come out on
the porch to say goodnight to him
when he started home. And after
that, again, George and Mrs. Free
land began to leave them alone to-
gether in the dining room after sup
per, themselves sitting In the kitchen,
q closed door between. One such
night Mrs. Freeland said to her hus-
band:
"I declare, 1 kind of like Lew
Thomas
II guess he's all right" her hus.
band agreed.
You told me- so much about his
lies and all, i expected him to he al