The Holly chieftain., 1924-04-24
CHAPTER vii,-continved.

out or the room. ana lie Olu NOT LnoNe,
nor did she, until they heard the fop
Of the swing-door into the kitchen.
Then she turned and faced him, and
he moved step toward her-and
stopped Something the same look
was in her face that he had seen just
after he had kissed her. the look that
had made him think of Beatrice; not
q womans look at ala child's. IL
WAS troubled now, and desperately
resoiute. Her pose was not woman's,
either: 1t was-a schoolgirls. He
saw her lips were trembling and felt
4 lump come into his throat.
Il must say 1t quickly" she began.
and then for matter of seconds
stood silent. 1T was true, what you
said In the car that day. 1t was all
true That's why 1t made me so angry.
I didn't know it till you said it. That's
that's one of the things | had to
tell you. didn't think I'd ever do
It. but / haven't been sleeping very
we'll And none of the things tried,
to get it out of my head, We're any
good SO thought If told YOU
You see why, don't you? mean, you
understand 1t isn't"
"Yes, l understand" he told her
hastily. This Nss quite untrue. In
the revulsion of fee..ng that had swept
over him he was bewildered. The
was to remember every word she said
20 that he could think out her incred-
ible meaning afterward They wouldn't
have much more time now. Henry
might be coming back any minute.
II wish you'd sit down." he said. and
after she had obeyed him. in sort of
entrsnced dociiity, he added. "If
there's anything you want me to
do"
There isn't she interrupted with
gasp; mot thing. It's just"
She broke off there and clasped her
knees. "There's something else
want you to know. I've never told
John what really happened that day.
But | didn't tell him-what you must
have thought did. said it wasn't
anything. | gave him my word 1t
wasn't. Just wanted him to let me
alone and not ask questions. But of
course lie thought"
Yes, Of course" Joe assented at
random. That's all right"
HE was horribly angry" she per-
sisted. II don't know whether he is
yet or not. He doesn't act that way
any more. but perhaps that's just be-
cause he doesn't want me to-worry
about it,
"Well that's all right" A glenn of
a smile broke through on the words.
You don't need to worry about me.
anyhow. III look out for myself l
hnve been, all along. for that matter"
She nodded Il couldn't bear to have
you think. II anything did happen,
that l was the one wllo-started it,
I knew what you'd think of me. When
you'd really been the one who-saved
me. didn't suppose men did chival-
rous things like that. That's what it
was. Because it wouldn't have
meant anything-much to YOU
''It's all right" he repeated. The
poor phrase seemed to be all he could
lay his tongue to. After a moments
struggle, not with embarrassment, but
with the mere stiffness Of his mind,
he added, There's nothing more for
you to worry about. You can for ;et
all about It,"
ho aFrtttn ". f,,y Al
and he met 1t with smile of his own.
At last he had something TO say.
That was surprising word you used
/ don't believe it was
ever hooked on to me before. I've
never been what you could call a
Galahad-"
II know" size broke In. There was
a spark of animation in her tone now.
She was no longer frozen. 81 heard
all about that before l ever knew you.
I always thought you must be one Of
the-horrldest people. that way, had
ever known. suppose that's why
partly why-it got me when you acted
the way you did in the car"
Il can't see" Joe said. that there
vas anything murh to that. 1t was
string we couldn't play out, and
said so. Maybe If l hadn't had a good
deal of-experience, l wouldn't have
seen that we couldn't play 1t ont"
When she spoke again, at the end
OF a short silence. her manner had
stiffened. so that once more I. wns as
II she were trying to recite something.
IL suppose must have been one of
the most ignorant people in the world.
I didn't think could tell you this. |
don't believe It's thing you'll be able
to believe. But it's true, and it's the
only real excuse have. ! thought
I knew a lot. rs much as most people,
but l didn't. ! knew--nothing at all.
1t was all new-that day. As If I'D
never been married-or anything. You
can't believe that-can yOu?"
II knew II then" he said, not look
Ing at her as he spoke. "That was
what pulled me up. gave me time to
,fr,ly I.,t, Y.