New Britain herald., 1926-07-29

up his presents!'
 Then, all at once, 1t came to he that she didn't really care whethe
 she lost Bill Erskine or not! N,
 really.
 It wouldn't hurt her to lose hin
 as if it had hurt her when Ton
 Gaines dropped out of her life. Sh
 had been filled then with an ach
 ing, empty feeling that had taste
 for months and months-that ha
 never really gone out of her heart.
 But Bill Erskine had no real hol
 on her. She liked him enormousl at times. He fascinated her as worldly-wise man often fascinates young and ignorant girl, and tha Twas all there was to it.
 If I hadn't been lonesome ant blue about Tony, I'd never hay, looked at Bill, in the first place, Merry confessed the truth to her iself, at last, "and if he hadn't hat a lot of money to spend on me probably never would have wanted 1 to marry him."
 With her chin held high and her green eyes sparkling. she marched downstairs and sat down on the old haircloth sofa next to Les Pur- Icell.
 She saw Bill frown at her, and she didn't care whether he drowned or mot. She was reckless and light hearted, all at once, without know ing or caring why.
 Isn't this thrilling. to have two boy friends in one night" she gig gled, looking from one to the other of them. i've heard of it happen ing to other girls, but 1t never hap pened to me before! What do you suppose I ought to do to entertain you both? Would you like some Welsh rarebit?"
 Bill, who was always ready to eat. Said that he would.
 They went into Moms' neat blue and-White kitchen.
 There was no cheese in the ice box and Merry would not have known how to make the rarebit even if there had been.
 But there was a big dish of scal- loped oysters left over from SUD- per and Merry heated them on the stove. Les, with an apron tied around him made rounds of toast and a pot of coffee.
 Seated or one corner of the kitch- ,n table, Bill Erskine chewed al lis black cigar and watched the pair ,f them, silently.
 Merry went in the dark dining oom for some coffee cups and Les her.
 "Tll help you carry them out" he 'ffered, and Merry piled his arms ligh with cups and plates and nap- tins.
 When she turned to go back to he kitchen, Bill was standing in he doorway. And, as she tried to ,ass him. he suddenly pinned her lose to him with his big arms, and ave her a hard. long kiss on her 1outh.
 As he did it, she saw that he was ot looking at her but at Les Pur- ell. There was a defiant look in his | yes, as if he wanted Les Purcell to now that he was kissing her be- ause he had a right to do it. That he belonged to him. and to mo- ody else.
 Then he let her go.
 "You'll pardon us for that, Pur- T won't you?" he asked as if he idn't care whether Les would par on them or not, q haven't seen V girl for a long time" He nodded grimly, and went back
 the corner of the table where he Id left his cigar. s q like the way you say that. Like e dickens I dol" Merry blazed out z
 him. "MY girl, you say, as if l ,longed to you! MY hat-MY black I gars-MY Masonic ring" She i pped the ring on Bills hand scorn- ' fly, as she spoke. MY girl-I'm l ,t anybody's girl! I'm the rose of s ,-man's land,'" She ended by sing g the last words, impudently. T For it came to her in a flash that k Il was jealous of Les Purcell, and V erry knew, as every woman knows at there are some men who care a ost for a woman when some other 9 an is paying her attentiont Bill Erskine was that kind of | S an. He had once told Merry, t lnkly, that he enjoyed seeing h ,ange men in restaurants look at a r with admiration in their eyes. lat was why he liked her to wear [ ack lace hats and pearls and a ssh gardenias. because they W ought her soft beauty into the otlight a "Les! Come here and chop some a for mel" she called, wickedly a into the pantry. She knew perfectly we'll that there F IS no ice in the box. Mons, who sI lde q religion of economy. never O ught a cents worth of ice after it bor Day, no matter how hot the ather was. Just as she never be- lir n to take it until Decoration Day n sry spring. fl I'll chop it for you! Where's the
 picS?" Bill almost beloved, as bl heaved himself from the edge of , table.
 Never mind-I guess there isn't sr v" Merry answered, coming out m the darkness Sof the pantry, To It you can pour some water into re se glasses, if you want to make hi lrself useful. Bill" bl While they were eating the seal ed oysters, Mons and Lillie " ne home from their evenings th usement. Ii hey came straight through the se to tho brightly-lighted kitch- kn
 Lii foms was in her usual black. lit . Lilly looked more showy than r in new fall suit that matched Hk color of her hair. On one side wi her head was the most brilliant sh,
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