Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-12

and some burns. There's some one
! wants to see you-two minutes"
Corliss had been waiting ont side the
door. il seemed. for some SO hours.
He was new torliss. humhled.
shocked into manhood. lie glanced
furtively around. saw that no ono was
| looking. and stopped and kissed TN"
ba ndaged head. crying unashamed.
"If YOU hadn't been 1ohnnN-uu the
spot. sir-but you were. You always
are. dad
ALWAYS Johnny-on-the-spot?" He
mumbled 1t. lie took II into consider
| alton. In spite Of aching muscles and
| throbbng temples and patches ~ Bills
! tered flesh. he had a feeling of com
| fort and assurance that he had NOT
| known in years. 1t was true. lie had
been Johnny-on-the spot. Fit for the
task. Disciplined. That was what
| Wade had been. toO-seasoned. tried.
! competent Two good old husks. lie
thought about ii comfortably. and
! dozed off again.
When next he awoke. he said TO the
nurse in tone more easy to control
II want a message sent to my ONCE.
| Right away. What's that? Been mere.
! sent messages. have they? All right,
| but 7 want n message sent to them
lust the same. Tell Mr.. Henning |
! have decided to buy in. He will I'M
| derstand. Oh is that you, Violet. my
| dear?"
It was-Violet in tears Of gratitude,
| of contrition. Violet begging forgive
ness for Corliss and his lighted can
! dies. ITS all right, he told her
We've come to an understanding
! Corliss and j." OF course that WAS
true-they hadn't needed any words
| for it. He's going to work this sum
mer. Everything settled. But tell me
! about Miss Blakelock, about ka-
"She's down in the waiting room.
| She wants But Corliss at work
But what can he do, Phil?"
Lots of things. ] want to see VI
| Violet went, and Katrina came IN.
| She sat down beside the bed. Her
auburn eyes looked at him without
| Violet's sheen of tears. without
Violet's pity-but with what look
! was it?
| He remembered something suddeniF
II thought YOU were sailing Tor
Europe yesterday
II am not going. Cancelled my
sailing"
Why"
| The ruthless young determination
of her face wavered, failed color
lowered over her. up TO the lire or
|
her blue linen frock. But she oio
not lower her eyes.
I'LL didn't want To go. she
suffered it, inarticulate, but with de
fiant gaze.
| Why"
Finishing and angry and sutdHcd,
she looked at his bandaged head amt
did not see the bandages; she looked
at his burned eyebrows ana dld not
see the scars. .,a
not any of your business.
The childlshness seemed perfectly
to satisfy him.
.I want to kiss your hands" he
said. Twill YOU please come near
and let me? | dreamed about
| them
| But it was her lips. shy and bold,
that she pressed to his.
He tried, with his manned arms.
to hold her away to push her on.
You mustn't. 1 am old. you are
Young. love you, my dear nut
there are years and years before
| you--
"They're no good to me except with
Won. The only thing | was afraid or
was that you might not have fallen
in love, too 1t seemed -presumptu-
ous-to hope it. But if it rs true
If you have"
II have. But
Then the only thing is 10 make
sure we don't lose one, not. "A single
one. of the days that are left.
He tried to fight against the giad-
ness of her look. it's pride, it's promise
But he could not.
Wen be poor as the dickens for
a while" he said. surrenderlng.
Poor as the dickens. I'm starting
fresh. At my age. a husk--
a husk." she bantered. Her face
was soft and gay and tender. on
mean a husky
Copyright. 1920