New Britain herald., 1927-11-25
(NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY ]
CHAPTER III,

Lily's big eyes grew bigger still with amazemCnt.
 "A taXi-driver to see me" she said quickly "A taXi-drivcr."
 She knew, of course, that t must be Pat France. But why on earth had he come here to her fathers house? What did he want to see her for ?-Insisting upon seeing her. too!
 "The cheek of him.' she said to herself, and then another thought came tumbling into her mind :. He had come for that card that she had taken from his cab that after noon. The card with his name and his picture on 1.-the card that was lying in the bottom of her handbag upstairs this very minute,
 With nervous little laugh she got un from the lowered -chintz couch where she and Staley were sitting, and he got up too. He looked at her with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.
 What have you done? Forgotten to pay 8. cab fare, Lily?" he asked good -humorcdly.
 And then Lily did foolish and scrsclcss thing. She said the first thing that came to her lips, and It was a white lie. A lie that was going to breed q great deal of trouble be- fore it was forgotten.
 Yes" she said, almost without thinking. If she thought about 1t at all. it simply seemed the easiest thing to say = the easiest eNplana- ton of ths unexpected visit from a taNicab driver.
 She walked slowly out of the room and into the big hall of the house that was more like a friendly room than inst an entrance hall, with its coal-tire in the gratc and it's big bowl of laffodils on the center table.
 Just inside the door stood Pat France. He had his cap in his hand and under the artificial light hls blue eyes looked even blucr than they had in the afternoon.
 Lily was struck with his eNceed- ina good looks again as she walked straight up to him and said wv hat do you want" in the coolest tones imaginable.
 My Identification card" he told her quietly. "You took it out Of my cah this afternoon, and I'd like it.
 His eyes swerved from her face as he spoke, and turning, Lily saw that Stalev had come up behind her and was standing at her elbow with his hands in his pockets and his lips pursed up under his little mustache.
 "Please let me take care of this, Staley," she begged him, wondering if he had heard what Pat France had said. "please do go back into the other room with Mother. This is my alfair-rcally."
 But Staley was stubborn. All his life he had got the things that he wanted hv sticking to his point and refusing to budge He refused to bulge now.
 He looked at the bluc-eyed cab driver who topped him by a good three inches, and was exceptionally good looking to boot. Then he looked at the girl who had promised to marry him just the night before. She had gone as white as the pale orchids inc had brought her that afternoon, and her fingers pickc! ncrvously at q frill on her back dress There seemed 10 be more to this situation than just an unpaid taxi bill US Staley saw ii.
 How much do you owe this fel" low. Lily?" he asked.
 For q second Lily hositatod, not knowing what to say. And in tha. second shc was los', For Pat France answered 'he question.
 she doesn't owe me fye-cent piece" he said. 'I'm asking her for a-for a paper of mine. She rode in my cab his afternoon and I thought sho might have picked it up"
 Did you ." St1lny asked, and Lily shook her vivid head. She looked as innocent as baby, as she 'ood there with the electric light shining in her wide open eyes,
 NO, | didn't, S.alcy" she fbbod gain. hating herself for it and yet not knowing what else 10 do.
 There isn't anything else to do,' she thought miserahly.
 She felt Stalcy's gaze on her face, and it came to her in flash that he knew she was lying. But sh" hraaened the thing ont. She kept shaking her head slowly.