Evening star., 1926-04-11
You Are Young Only Once

Hes perfect gentleman.
Marge's mother remarked. But l
can't say feel comfortable with MIN.
OF course he's got money"
"Of course" agreed Marge's father.
without enthusiasm.
The truth. though he wouldn't ad-
NIT 1t, was that Edward Dodge made
him uncomfortable, too. AS for Ed
ward Dodge, he also had been un-
comfortable, though nobody guessed
that.
why" he demanded, when he re-
turned to his perfectly appointed
apartment, "does girl like that have
a family anyway"
From which even the least analytic
can surmise what was happening to
him. Against that he fought. He was
45, as he reminded himself. He could
name a hundred reasons why It was
folly for him to let himself think Of
marrying Marge.
"The best thing for me is a trip to
Europe" he thought.
Yet he fingered even while he as
sured himself that things couldn't go
on this way.
IN April Jimmy apparently came to
the same conclusion. He had been
in the background Of late. Such time
as he had to spare was spent on his
first and only love, the carburetor. He
worked over it sometimes until 2 or 8
in the morning. 1t was that, without
doubt, that left him bit haggard
these days.
So he looked when he planted him
self in Marge's path one soft Aprll
evening as she came up the street.
II want to ask you just one ques-
tion," he announced forthrightly. Are
you going to marry that man or aren't
you?"
us that any Of your business. Mr..
Eorris?" Marge demanded.
II suppose not" he admitted. And
added suddenly and surprisingly, "But
this is your last chance"
Last chance at what?" she de-
manded flippantly. "You think a lot
Of yourself, don't you, Jimmy Norris?
He's darn sight nicer to me than
you ever were, and if he asks me to
marry him Ill-I1l be the happtest
girl in the world"
Ever so fieetingly the tight line of
Jimmy's set mouth quiyered. But
there was no sign of that in his
voice as he delivered his final shot.
For his money, l suppose" he
flung at her. well, all I've got to
say is that you'll be sorry the rest of
your life
And so he left her wondering just
what he meant. For there was some
thing running under his words. 1t
had been evident in both his eyes and
his voice. But then. with a sense Of
panic she recalled what she had said.
Supposing that Edward Dodge didn't
ask her to marry him? She knew
there were warning forces in him;
that though every advance carried
him a little further, 1t was always
followed by a swift, almost abrupt
retreat.
Being feminine, she had set her
teeth at this knowledge. But she in
tended to accept him just the same,
If only to show Jimmy Norris.
4 x X +
THE next night Edward Dodge pro-
posed. They had been to the
theater. They were in a taxi, and for
q time he had been silent.
"Marge," he broke out impulsively
as % might have. do you know how
adorable you are?"
She could guess. She had deliber-
ately maneuvered to the end he should
know it. He was nice and she liked
him. A lot. OF that she made much
in her mind. And he could give her
everything. Travel and luxury. AS
for the cottage she had told Jimmy
she would share with him, she was
older and wiser now! Why be fool
iSh?
And so she played her cards like a
sensible little girl. And played them
well. For
"oh. Marge. my dear"' added Ed
ward Dodge. curiously husky.