Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1926-07-17
,arefully choosing his words:

carefully choosing his words:
II don't know how to answer that
question. dear. but have always
loved you'll must always have
loved you. Nan. because no other
woman has ever interested me.''
She did not raise her eyes; there
was still something she must say.
There % Mrs. Mears =" she
said. In whisper.
There was q moment OF amazed
silence: then Peter laughed. He
laughed with such frank surprise
and tender scorn that tears of relief
stuns Mans eyes.
You're not serious" he said.
Way I never gave her q serious
thought! She was very good to me.
but she always talked about her
husband. poor chap! II ever q wo.
man loved q man I should say that
she loved him"
"Mr. Seton told me" Nan be.
gan huyriedly: but Peter stopped her.
Il forbid you to speak that mans
name. He never spoke the truth IN
his life. I shall take good care TO
let everyone know how he tried to
thrash Claude. and that's not a
pleasant thing for . man to have up
against him.
You forget that father owes him
! money. He'll be moro bitter than
over now"
Your father owes him nothing.
Nan. have you forgotten that I'm
not Quite q pauper7"
She raised her startled eyes to his
! face.
"You mean that you-you paid
him?" she asked In a whisper.
II would do a great deal more
than that for you" He took her
face in the hollow of his hands.
Man. I shall never be able to make
1t up to you--if live to be @ hun.
dred-for these last weeks"
She closed her eyes.
Il want to forget them. don't
want ever to think OF them again."
Already they were slipping into
the background: already the dread.
full feeling OF happiness irrevocably
lost was less acute.
She laid her cheek against Peters
arm with a little sigh.
| II ought to be going" she said
| Joan will wonder where I am.
| never told her was coming out
| You're not going back till you
say that you've forgiven me--till
you say that everything Is just as II
was. only better-that you love me
quite as well-that you never cared
a straw for Seton, or John Arnott"
His voice grew suddenly grave.
] Man. supposing you'd married
| somebody else, and I had not found
out till too late that-that you"
He put his arms round her with sud.
den flerceness. II think Il would
have killed me-" no said passionate.
ly.
| Nan put her arms round his neck
and laid her cheek to his. Somehow
It seemed quite easy to let him know
now how much she cared. She mar.
veled that In the old days abe had
been 30 shy and undemonstrative.
| And darling-when will you mar
ry me?" Peter asked in a whisper.
She stirred uneasily.
There are the boys: I can't leave
them"
II don't ask you to-except for
honeymoon: you can't expect me to
take them all along with us7" he
submitted whimsically.
She laughed.
II don't think / should mind even
that-if we were together"
She raised her head suddenly.
THAT was someone calling--it must
be Joan. -. Conceive must go
back"
He caught her to him and kissed
her again--a long kiss that swept
away the last doubt and shadow be.
tween them, then they went back
down the road hand In hand.
Joan met them at the CATCHER
small face looked pale and startled
In the faint moonlight.
"Oh. thank goodness" she said
when she saw Man. II thought"
Then she recognized Peter. and drew
long sigh OF relief.
And this, I suppose" she said.
breathlessly, "is the end OF the
story"
Peter Lyster looked at Nen--a look
that brought q lump to Joan's
throat. and made her long for the
adored Tim moro than ever, II such
a thing were possible.
mo-" he said steadily. Its oniy
the beginning"