The Omaha morning bee., 1925-02-22

tnlS morning. i III WonueflnS, lie
went on hastily, III you'd go out to
the golf club later for tea? That is"
he concluded lamely, If there's no
reason why you shouldn't
? Lefty smiled easily.
Does any reason occur to you?
Have we metz"
"Why-why, I don't think so,
Miss
'Larendon," she supplied. not un-
advisedly.
We'll then-my name is Noakes
SO now you see, Miss Larendon, he
smiled infectiously I'VE have met,
haven't we?"
why, so we have,o She studied
him amusedly, thereby increasing his
discomfort He bowed.
80 then. may I pick you up, say
here. at 1902"
"Why-I think so.' Thank you
very much"
The girl watched until his figure
swung around a corner.
so that" she said, 'is that"
well, Miss Larendon, very neatly
done"
Mrs. Delaney Candy was cool, Sc
rene, majestic in her white lace frock.
her up-lfted chin, florid face and
broad rakish hat; very much, Lefty
had already decided. In the vogue of
Sir Joshua Reynolds great dowagers.
In the brief time Lefty had been
at the hotel Mrs. Candy had been
very agreeable to her. The woman
had impressed her as knowing every
one worth knowing and in this way
the girl had placed hor definitely
What must you think Of me. Mrs.
ranby, But really tit wasn't as
bad as 1t looked"
DO you know, the older woman
sank into a chair at Lettys side. sur
veying the girl critically,-"you' re
like something out of a Greuze cam
!, Fas,p /
That's awfully nice of you. But I
want to explain about"
Not nice. merely: I'll confess a /
nnotation-although, of course sub
scribe to 1t. Halsey Hartshorne said
1.-THE man with whom, perhaps, you
saw me at luncheon"
Really The girl sat bolt up
right, her cheeks flaming.
Now you may explain about Mr..
Noakes."
"Oh. you know him them"
No I know of him. At least l
think I do. Isn't he one OF the Noak
esses of Connecticut? Cotton mills?"
Yes. Padenarum. You-you see,
I'm living in Padenarum, too"
"Oh. of course. Yes. yes. Then
you
"I'm-I'm the village librarian at
Padenarum.'
Lefty surveyed the woman with
widening eyes.
Really" The girls lips were
parted. Mrs. Noakes-Jerry Noakes'
mother-comes into the library a lot.
She loves romantic fiction and so do
l. Really, she's not an old woman
and awfully young in spirit"
Good enough. And now, Jerry
Noakes?"
He was a football player at Yale
until he graduated two years ago.
You-you could see him going
through the village In his roadster,
sometimes with friends, visiting him
you know. and sometimes alone"
And he would come into the H.
brary, too?"
"Oh, yes, quite a lot. But he never
came to the Ndesk. He'd dash In and
sit at the table awhile where the
magazines are, then dash out. He
never saw me. And I never looked
at him.
"Why not. pray?"
"You see, was awfully busy, usual
Iy--" Lefty hesitated. She had no
intention OF confessing that in her
romantic dreams she had been so
often in his arms, SO often gazing up
into his love-haunted eyes, that when
he actually appeared in the library
she hadn't the face even 60 much as
to gaze furtively in his direction.
"rhen you came here and he came
here. Wasn't that curious coincf.
dence, my dear?"
Lefty laughed, her eyes burning.
"I-oh, Mrs. Candy, I must have
been crazyl I had a weeks vacation
coming to me. II took my savings,
bought two or three pretty dresses
and hats in New York and then came
here-because knew Jerry--Mr.
Noakes-was coming.
II don't know what possessed me.
But l wanted Mr.. Noakes to like me.
That is, I wanted 10 make him see
me. And did" The girl rose. her
cheeks flaming now. 4 did. That
r., literally picked him up. and now
I'm utterly shocked at myself-not
because of what I did. but because
I'm SO brazen about It,"
She was turning away when Mrs.
Candy spoke.
Are you 80 enamored of your ro-
mantio venture that you shouldn't
care to meet Mr.. Hartshorne?'
Mr.. Hartshornel" Lefty swung
about quickly. "Oh, could ] meet
him? do you suppose" As she
hesitated tho woman smiled, nodding.
"He would like very much to meet
you. In fact he 10 giving a little
dinner tonight with bridge--you play
bridge, of course-at bis cottage,
where he keeps bachelor quarters.
And. II you progress suf'ciently
far with Mr.. Noakes bring him, too,
we-Mr. HartshQrns needs another