Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1926-02-06
",Gr. Aruots ts,,s ms that you ar.

on leave"
Yes" He had taken on his service
cap ana passed hand rather weart.
" across his forehead.
lit beats me-" he said efter mo.
ment. why fellows always make
such . fuss about leave" He laughed
half shamefacedly. ..It makes ma
wonder Il ever did--before this
He looked at Nan with a sort OF
anxiety In his eyes. HAS Arnott.
told you about me7' ne asked.
HE told me that you had been
wounded" she answered gently. It
gave her sort OF comfort to DO able
TO talk to him; for tho moment pain
was pushed out OF sight. she tried to
make the most Of these few poor mo.
ments.
Lyster shrugged his shoulders.
The wound was nothing" he said
I've often wished since that Il had
finished me-" He smiled ruefully.
meeting her eyes. II suppose you
despfse me for saying that"
No." said Nan; her heart felt full
or tears. II believe everyone feels
like that sometimes" she said after
moment. II know have-I mean,
have felt that didn't want to go
on living. that there is nothing to
live for :" She laughed. to cover
the tragedy Of her voice. Lyster was
watching her gravely; little puzzled
look in his gray eyes. :
Il should not have thought you
would ever have felt like that" he
said presently. You look So gay and
smiling" He stopped and glanced
over his shoulder to the end of the
shop. where Arnott was still laugh.
ing with the girl at the counter.
What is Arnott doing?" he asked
with q touch Of impat,ence in~his
voice.
Nan rose at once: she choked down
tho sunocating feeling that rose In
her throat. She went over to where
Arnott stood. she felt In some way
that Peter was weary OF her. and
even while the knowledge hurt she
knew that she would be wiser to end
the little tete-a-tete. She spoke to
Arnott quietly.
Are you coming to have your
coffee? Peter-Mr. Lyster-is won.
dering what you are doing"
She waited for Arnott before she
went back to where Peter sat: she
devoted herself to Arnott for tho rest
OF the time
I'm trying to persuade Lyster to
come down into the country with me
Tor week." Arnott said suddenly.
London's all very we'll. but we've
got to remember that we're both
more or less crooks for the present.
The noise outside the Grosvenor last
night was rnaddening. hardly slept
wink. Now down in the country
where my sister lives"
Peter struck In rather irritabIy.
Your sister probably would not
thank you for foisting two more or
less sick men on her." he said.
"Oh, that's because you don't
know Doris. Nothing's too much
trouble for her; she'd have the whole
of the British army to- sleep in the
house if she could" He looked at
Nan and smiled. Peters a Disagree
able old beggar," he said, cheer.ly.
seems to have got it up against wo-
men for some reason or another" He
spoke without thinking, and the next
moment he would have cut off his
right hand to take back the care
lessly spoken words, for Peter said,
sharply:
We'll, I've no great reason to care
Tor them" He looked at Nan, half
alphabetically.
Mans crooked smile twisted her
lips for a moment. and vanished like
pale ghost.
She pushed back her chair and
rose.
I'm going to buy some sweets for
JOAN" she said. You two stay
there" She Went over to the coun.
ter just as an excuse to get away
from Peters eyes. She could not rid
herself OF the thought that ali the
time Peter must know--that behind
those troubled eyes of his he knew
that this was Nan, the woman whom
he had adored. and that he was criti.
cizing her and despising her because
she was able to play the game OF
pretense so well.
When she was out Of earshot Peter
looked at his friend.
WHO is she?" he asked with faint
interest.
(To BE Continued " ".