New Britain herald., 1927-04-19

1 appre eciable extent. Lola recalled the woman's instructions about tea.
 Could you eat something. Don?" she asked, pulling a chair up beside his bed.
 T could try little something. 1 think" he replied
 Lola placed her hand on his fore 1 head. It was hot. She wet a towel l and pressed the cool moisture against his head and cheeks. From 1 the cupboard she brought bread and
 butter and drawing of tea which | she breWed.
 l The girl was finding new and
 pleasant experience in this service | to the injured man. A new and l finer sentiment. too, seemed to be growing in her heart for Don.
 Am I really falling in love with | him, after all?" she asked herself. ! II was certain that her sole concern now was for his welfare. That he 1 should be safe and well seemed to her the paramount consideration. You ought to get more sleep, Lola" he told her when she had given him the tea. She had even washed the dishes, task she had previously scorned all the days Of her life.
 T don't think I can sleep" she replied. sitting down again by the side of his bed
 You might as we'll Try stretch- ing out on that sofa. You don't need 10 sit up just for me, you know" la insisted
 "No, I'll stay awake. They ought 10 be here any minute now. . ,
 "1 can't understand it." There was a notn of irritation, querulous questioning note in Don's voice.
 This is tn third time" he went or, apropos of nothing in particular, fin the last four months that I've compromised 8 woman. It makes me feel as if were destined for 9 damn poor purpose in life; the cause Of sacrifices on the part of my dear est girl friends. I feel much of tn time like confounded cad. even though it is true I was not particu- larly 10 blame In any one of tn three cases"
 The girl listened, intent her great black eyes fixed on him with an oddly eXpectant expression in them.
 First there was Teddy" con 'inucd Don reIniniscently. For sheer spunk and greatness l couldn't imagine anyone more won derful. I asked her to marry me after that night in tn sub basement when she saved my life. You know, Lola. that Teddy-''
 "Yes. I know" interrupted Lola petulantly.
 well. you know, too," he went on. that she turned me down. Then Diana saved me from drowning risking her own life first and then taking a chance against tn busy tongues of scandal. We spent tn night together in that shack on in island What a morsel for tn old gossips that was' But when ] asked Diana 10 marry me and save her name from tn poisonous slurs of vile-1nindcd old maids, what did she tell me? Do you know?'
 "What?" A wondrous curiosity burned in the black eyes.
 Don laughed rather bitter, mirthless laugh.
 'She told me she wouldn't marry me. She might be tn butt of evil gossip from one end of tn country to tn others, but so long as her father and friends believed in her she didn't mind. When she married a man, she said, that man would not be in love with some other wo- man. as she intimated I was.'
 Lola waited. The Other Woman With whom Don was In love-was 1 he going to tell her she-was he go- ing to ask her 10 marry him as he had done that night in April when
 But Don was raising his head. peering toward the window.
 Y. believe ifs getting daylight. We've been here all night. Sufferin' Mike, But those legs O mine are heavy. They don't feel like legs; they're more like hunks O wood," He hitched his position. grimacing with pain.
 T certainly do wish my dad hadn't struck that foolish codicil in his will" he went on unexpectedly. q could do wonders with that money. if I had it now!" Lola regarded him closely, start led at this sudden new trend in his talk What. she asked herself, was he leading up to now?
 She was half hoping, hardly real izing it was q hope. that he would renew his springtime declaration of i love. She had been a fool to put 1 him off that night. Did the wretched ! inheritance matter so much, after | all? There were plenty of other women, she knew, who would give ! anything 10 be told he loved them. | Any one of them would gladly have answered yes 10 the question he had | put to her. tentatively, at least. This odd, new tenderness she was