Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-08
THE ARRANT ROVER
Gay Romance of Phlandering Love
By BERTA RUCK
Mr. Right "Ths Snbonseions CoWsf &C.

unSpOken, NOW. lou u nave II al
your own way, would you? Would
you? Would your
Archie Laverock suddenly remem-
bered a woman at q dance-oh, right
back in sixteen that must have
been-who had spoken Of a curious
phase through which >some friend
ships pass a time when it's too
soon for personalities, too late for
! weather-and theatre talk. At that
intermediate stage the people some
times become senselessly outrage
ously rude to one another.
And at this moment the young
man realized that he longed to give
tongue il some wounding brusquerie.
He was almost, yes, certain, that he
surprised that same wish in the
eyes of the girl.
But she only said. ooh. put that
oval frame on the silver table here:
that's where it lives" in the tone
of Il profiteers wife directing the
new parlor maid. Curt tone. I'M
pretty manner. they did not become
the Beauty Girl. She did not know
it, but at that moment her whole
tiny person seemed to cry aloud
that she was meant for gracious
flower-like ways, for caresses; that
she ought at this very instant to be
saying and hearing quite other
things. Angry-lCt the young man
be angry, but only for the space of
lovers tiff. Then the MAX
ing-up that all the more endears"
quickly, quickly, why all this
course was only the hasty whisper
of nature the old nurse, and if we
invariably listened to her our world
would indeed crumble about us.
So the young man, stung. not by
her, but subconsciously by the
senseless waste of good hings in
general looked down very coldly up
On the young woman; with out
ward meekness he set down the
frame. Then. suddenly, quite spon-
taneously and in tone of real in
terest, he gave 'Hullo." that made
her turn quickly round.
What are you looking at. Mr..
Laverock?"
This The Rover held out a
photograph in smaller frame.
Il know this girl" said he, his
eyes on the image of pretty face
with Red Cross band above
serenely laughing eyes. Wasn't
she working at Lady Richbourne's
Hospital for Officers, in TOWN."
Yes" returned Lucy Joy, taken
aback. "She's Ethel Johnstone-she
was at school; one of the big girls
when I went. You know the mad
infatuation one gets, as a child.
| thought she was the most
wonderful creature who'd ever liv-
ed"
she was topping girl" pro-
nounced the Rover. in tones of I'M
stinted and real admiration. She's
prettier than this" he added. put
ting doWn rthe photograph. Much
prettier."
DO you think 500" said the
Beauty-Girl. amusingly Disconnected
Not a common experience to her, TO
hear, in her presence. another girl
SO praised.
"D'you like red hair?"
"When it's the sort of red hers
was" answered this young man.
obviously caught back for the
moment to memories. 1T seemed to
light up the ward like a posy of
marigoldS or something: aWfully
cheering to look at when you were
laid on your back and getting fed
up with day after day in hospital.
She was so bright and jolly, too.
Everybody liked her Everybody in
the ward used to call her Our
Ginger
"Oh. yes. they would" said Lucy
JOY, lightly, absently. She added
on a sudden, unexpected impulse
an unexpected question.
Mr.. Laverock, Was it you she
asked quickly, who gave Ethel that
great big bottle of Mystericuse for
Il present when you left the hospi-
tal?"
The young man looked at her in
swift surprise; looked at her with
those Rover's eyes of his, deep set,
wide apart, sweetly shaped. of
colon that seems sometimes clear
brown of trout-pool, sometimes
gray as rain on rocks, sometimes
green as n quick sliding stream un-
der willows, sometimes a bright and
melting mixture of all these colors.