The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1926-01-28

"Mr. Arnott tells me that you are
on leave"
yes" He had taken off his service
cap and passed a hand rather weari
ly across his forehead.
ut beats me-" he said after a mo-
ment. why fellows always make
such a fuss about leave" He laughed
half shamefacedly. 1T makes me
wonder if 1 ever did-before this"
He looked at Nan with a sort of
anxiety in his eyes Has Arnott
told you about me?" he asked.
He told me that you had been
wounded" she answered gently. 1t
gave her a sort of comfort to be able
to talk to him; for the moment pain
was pushed out of sight, she tried to
make the most Of these few poor mo.
ments.
Lyster shrugged his shoulders.
THE wound was nothing" he said.
i've often wished since that it had
finished me-" He smiled ruefully,
meeting her eyes. II suppose you
despise me for saying that"
NO" said Nan; her heart felt full
Of tears. II believe everyone feels
like that sometimes" she said after
a moment. II know 1 have-I mean
l have felt that I didn't want to go
on living, that there is nothing to
live for !" She laughed, to cover
the tragedy of her voice. Lyster was
watching her gravely; a little puzzled
look in his gray eyes.
II should not have thought you
would ever have felt like that" he
said presently. you look so gay and
smiling" He stopped and glanced
his shoulder to the end of the
shop, where Arnott was still laugh
ing with the girl at the counter
What is Arnott doing?" he asked
with a touch of impotence in his
voice.
Nan rose at once; she choked down
the s%uffocating feeling that rose in
her throat. She went over to where
stood, she felt in some way
that Peter was weary of her. and
even while the knowledge hurt she
knew that she would be wiser to end
the little tete-a-tete. She spoke to
Arnott quietly.
Are you coming to have you1
Peter-Mr. Lyster-is won
what you are doing"
She waited for Arnott before she
vent back to where Peter sat: she
herself to Arnott for the rest
# the time
I'm trying to persuade Lyster to
ONE down into the country with me {
or a week" Arnott said suddenly ]
'London's all very we'll, but we've
-ot to remember that we're both
more or less crooks for the present |
he noise outside the Grosvenor last |
light was m%addening | hardly slept
wink. Now down in the country
here my sister lives"
Peter struck in rather irritabIy.
your sister probably would not |
hank you for foisting two more OF K
IS sick men on her" he said
"Oh. that's because vol don't /
now Doris. Nothing's toe much
'ouble for her. she'd have the whole
f the British army to sleep in the
ouse if she could" He looked at \
an and smiled. Peters a disagree D
BILE old beggar." he said, cheerily |
Seems to have got it up against wo !
zen for some reason or another" He
poke without thinking, and the next
he would have cut off his
ght hand to take back the care
ssly spoken words for Peter said
I
We'll, I've no great reason to care {"
+ them He looked at Nan. halt
)ologetically
Mans crooked smile twisted her q
IS for a moment and vanished like N
pale ghost
She pushed back her chair ano CT
Sc.
I'm gong 10 buy some sweets foI u
she SAID You two stay Of
ere She went over to the coun
r just as an excuse to get away
I'm Peters eyes. She could not rio ST
rself of the thought that all the
ne Peter must know-that behind L
ose troubled eyes of his he knew sc
this vas Nan, the woman whom "
had adored. and that he was crit
ing her and deapising her because
e was able to play the game OF tie
elense 50 well la
When she was out OF earshot Peter
'ked at his friend m
Who is she?" he asked with faint
crest
ITO BE Continued In
ga
we /" -,