New Britain herald., 1926-04-08

quickly.
 Morton took her in his arms. "Of course, l love you. It would be im- possible for anybody on earth to love you more than I do."
 Her voice rang out triumphantly. Then why SHOULDN'T we be married? If you love me, and I love you better than everything else on earth, that's all that counts" H CT voice dropped on the last two words, land a startled look appeared in her faC2. But maybe you love Mona better! Daddy, do you love Mona bettcr?"
 Morton rubbed his knee slowly with the palm of his hand. She scarcely drew q breath as she waited for him to speak. The look of tri- umph that famed in her face a mo- mcnt before had disappeared, and as he still delayed his answer, there came 6 droop of misery 10 her lips.
 Do you love her better than you do me-" she asked.
 Morton started up. Good grief, NO. Good heavens!' he walked rap idly up and down the room. "No!" he said again. "I don't love anybody as well as love you!'
 "Thcn why" she began. But he interrupted.
 "I CAN'T marry you, Audrey" he cried, "There are reasons why l cant do it. I simply cannot, It can never bn! Absolutely"
 The girl came to him, and held him by the arm.
 Isis it Nona?" she asked her voice so low he scarcely could hear it.
 "You're a young girl, Audrey" he said. There are things you don't know about-things you cant know about You are a young girl and l cant tell you about them. But Aud irey. darling--I can't marry you"
 She still held to his arms, and lifted her face to him, pleadingly.
 "I know-some things. she said, softly. And daddy, if you love me, I'm ready to forgive anything, and overlook anything, and forget any thing. I know this"
 She drew him a little closer to her.
 "I know that 1T you did anything anything you cant tell me, you didn't do it to hurt anybody. That's the only thing that is evil. You told me so yourself."
 i AbsentIy, more 10 himself than 10 ,her, he said: "I didn't mean to hurt anyhody."
 DO you love Nona"" she asked.
 Morton's favorite motion, when puzzled. was to brush the bridge of his nose with his fingers. He did this now.
 "Do you?" she insisted.
 "I like Mona" he said. Again he touched his nose. as if to drive from it an imaginary fly, You see, Aud roy. l have r. own a. number of women in my life. l know num- her of them now"
 The girl nodded. "T know it-they arc after you in sWarms.'
 Morton made 2 movement of pro- test. "Oh. they are" she said. "I've seen them looking at you! And, daddy dear, I don't blame them for that. Rut do you love them-or any of thcm?"
 Well ] like several Of them, I guess" He said this with an air of frank confession.
 "Tn bet I know" the girl said, "You meet them and smile, and don't pay any further attention. That makes them crazy with curiosity, and they go right after you! Women do that way"
 Where did you get that philoso- phy@" Morton wanted to know.
 "1'm woman myself" she said. "I know that when a man shows he's interested in q woman, she runs away-a little. Not too far, though, if she likes him. But if he doesn't run after her at all, she runs after Linn"
 CbaneinE the subject abruptly. she .confinued:
 "Nou didn't toll me if you were trying 10 have me marry Parrish"
 Morton seated himself on the la ble. and swung his feet. "Tll own up" he said. "I hadn't actually thought of your marrying him. but