The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-09-27

ready
kinda life in New York, ! never seen
an artist yet that meant any rood
to pure young girl"
out Of George, Mother" Faith
laughed.
That's risht--pekc :an ut mel"
Mrs. Lane sighed bitterly. but what
want to know is-has he asked you
TO marry him!"
"Oh. Mother!" Faith protested, her
face flushing richly with embarrass-
ment. 'l'vc only known him for ten
days."
Yes, ten days. and he's been hang
in around here every day for u week,
clutterin' the house up with his
candy and his flowers and his dol
lar-a-pound grapes! l amt nobody =
fool! A rich man don't shower u
poor girl with expensive gifts. and
expect no return! Been maxim love
to you, amt he!"
mo, he hasn't" Faith laid down
her fork and rose from the table, her
hand trembling as she steadied her.
self against her chair. Every last
one Of you is dying with curiosity
about me and George Pruitt, and I'm
I'm tired Of IL! Please don't get
mad at me, Mother! l don't Msean
to be sassy but cant stand all of
you picking on me like this. George
Pruitt is the first man I've ever gone
with that ! really respect, but I'd
better tell y0u--all Of you--that I'm
not one tiny bit in love with him.
,~A =
make love to me, and don't intend to.
me to marry him, I'm not going to
do it! Id rather live in a one-room
shack with man love than to
|, marry millionaire! Now, won't
you all let me alone and let me he
friends--just friends--with George
Pruitt? | know enough to take care
o. myself, Mother. I'm not going "a
disgrace the family"
"Well!" Cherry pushed hack her
chair and pattered around tho table
in her heelless slippers. to put her
arms protectingly around her moth
err. II must shy that's a fine way
for you to talk, Faith Lane! You're
always giving me Hail, Columbia
for flirting and leading man on, and
now you admit that you're letting
George Pruitt hang around you day
and night. when you have no inten-
tion Of marrying him. Practice what
you preach, sanity Miss Faithl
Isn't that right, Muggy
~'You're being ridiculous, Cherry"
Faith controlled her voice with dit.
ficulty. "I'm not lending George
Pruitt on, as you call it. and can't
very we'll forbid him to come to see
me or refuse I'd accept his attentions.
without any explanations at all. I'd
simply be q fool to tell him, ! can't
have him for u friend, because
have no intention Of marrying him
when he hasn't asked me. Oh, let's
don't quarrel! We're always quar-
reling. We all love each other. yet
we are at each other. tooth and toe:
nail. all the time" She dashed
to Joy, who had been drinking in
her words, en.mouthed. "It's half
past nine, honey. Better run along
to Sunday school. It would be nice
If you stayed for church and walked
home with Dad"
At eleven o'clock Faith had fin.
ished her Homework, had made the
salad and dessert, leaving them to
chill in the ice box, and had dressed
herself hastily in her two-year.old
white flannel suit, freshly cleaned
and altered and touched up with new
collar and cuffs of hand embroidered
white silk. ~
"Just what are you and George
going to do today" Cherry came
padding in listlessly on her heelless
slippers. to sit on Faiths neatly
made bed.
II told you--drive over to Sulphur
Springs. Well get there about one
o'clock-it's forty miles you know.
Well have lunch there, George Is
going to sketch q while. and then
we'll have swim in the lake, and
drive home toward evening""
"You don't know luck when it hits
you in the face" Cherry told her
enviously. "YoN could marry George
Pruitt. and you turn up your nose
at him. If you really don't want
him. ! wish you'd give me chance"
"Do you mind il wear your white
felt?" Faith ignored her sisters sug-
gestion. "This old tan straw Of mine
is lookin. terrible. Don't bother.
Cherry gave an ungracious assent.
and Faith went to her sisters room
years fall hat. The hat was not on
the top shelf, where she expected to
find It. Thinking It might have fall
en- to the floor, Faith knelt and
searched in the dark closet. Nov
ing q suitcase to look behind it, she
was surprised to find it heavy, Is II
It were packed full. Lifting Il with
m effort, she laid it on the floor of
the room and tried to open it.
Il vas locked. A quick search Of
the closet revealed that nearly all
Of Cherry's clothes were missing.
Bewildered, fighting back . dark
suspicion, she was about to confront
Cherry with . demand for an ex-
PLANTATION when she heard George
Pruitt's cheerful voice. greeting her
mother and father.
(. (Te - Continued.)