The Dolores star., 1924-12-19

| life. | lust listened 10 the music hpd
watched the people. and then ! saw
| that It was quite easy. oh. how 1
] love IL :"
what a plty,I can't have You to my
supper party tonight" Gerald sighed.
| She leaned toward him. She was
| still n little out OF breath. Her checks
were pink. her eyes ag!ow.
"Mayn't come. please. Geraldf" she
begged. II should be So happy"
Gerald looked doubtful.
There would he the devil TO pny
with Christopher" he pointed out.
And. besides. 1t really isn't the place
| for you
What do you menn7'' she persisted.
Well It's bohemian sort of af-
| fair" Gerald explained. a little nwk-
wardly. "The girls aren't all Of them
just what they should be"
MYRTLE laughed again.
But what does that mntterT' Rhe
| protested. They will not hurt me or
them. When | am not dancing with
you, can sit alone and talk to no
| one"
IerHIn snooR MS nehU.
Cant be done. little girl" he decid-
ed, regretfully. christopher is quite
| right when he says | ought not to en-
| courage the taste for that sort OF life
| in you at all. These girls NIL drink n
! lot Of champagne, and smoke furiousiy
lead rotten lives, most OF them-und
| their conversation sumetimes-well, It
| kn tn
| Some evening or other III have quite
a small party-iust one or two who
| know are all right"
THAT isn't what want" MYRTLE de-
| clared. 81 want to go To the party to-
night. You will dance with other girls
! If am not there. don't want you to
not today, at any rate. You hnve
danced with me, and II was wonder
full"
81 begin to think that l don't want
to dance with any one else myself"
Gerald confessed, looking at her admir-
! ingly. "I'll think It over on the way
| back"
They made their way out TO the open
! space in front of the hotel where Ger
| aid had left the car. and very soon
| they were on their WAY homeward.
| Driving, for the first half-hour, nb-
sorhed Gcrald's whole attention. and
MYRTLE leaned back in the low seat by
| his side, filled with the Joy of their
| rapid ascent. the smooth. birdlke mo-
tion which seemed to be taking them,
with scarcely an effort. up into the
clouds
Il think" MYRTLE whispered. that
this is the real road which leads to
! happiness. The road down there is
| tangled and twisted Here one seems
to breathe more wonderfully to come
nearer TO things one feels but does not
| understand. II Is more like the air
around the farm. when used to get up
sometimes before the sunrise and walk
| through the violet patch and the
Expresses TO the gnte. The sun rose ut
the end OF the road"
You are quaint child, MYRTLE"
Gerald reflected. II wonder what would
have happened to you II we had not
passed along that night"
She shivered.
Il know" she answered. "I am quite
sure TINT | know. | felt II in my heart
when leaned over the gate and looked
to the end of the road. There was the
mystery there towards which | seemed
always to have groped. That night It
was the mystery Of life or the mystery
or death. You came. and II was life"
They were travelling more slowly
now, crawling along the level stretch
Of iedge-llke road at Its extreme sum-
nit Gerald had never before felt the
fascination of the girl by his side as
he felt 1t in those moments. He
stretched out his left hand and she
gripped 1t In hers, tearing on her
gloves so that her fingers could clasp
his.
And since 1t is life" he asked. lis
the mystery passing?"
Her eyes were swimming with the
desire Of happiness
There is no mystery any longer"
she told him. 81 know what lies M
the end of the road. where the sun
used to rise. | know now"
Gerald. impressionable as ever. felt
the spurious glow of exaltatIon. spuri.
Gus because its influence was wholly
external His face became rrayer b,s
tone wns almost stern.
"hht we hope you will find there"
ne SAID. is happiness. Christopher
mas explained to you about this post in
Englandf"
Yes" she answered.
You will like It?"
MOI"
hut you must be happy, MYRTLE. We
want you to be happy" Gerald do.
clared.
| fO BE CONTINUED,