Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-11

She was "a, not 20, she told him. Those
extra years bridged little the gap between
them. He turned out his mind his heart.
frankly before her-and then he asked her to
marry him.
1T don't know" she said II like you awfully
but it's too soon too quick I've always been
SO sniffy about shipboard romances-I dare say
it's judgment on me that should have one
myself"
This isn't shipboard romance" he pro-
tested "Its a life one
You're very sure"
"Of course, ! am"
docs that argue long experience?"
my dearest girl, will tell you the exact
truth. I've been attracted to various women
at various times but I've never asked any one
before to marry me, and I've never told any one
of them before that I loved her. I always
found out I didn't before I said so. AS for
the ordinary shipboard romance-Im as sniffy
about it as you are. 1t seems to me usually
cheap and feverish sort of thing. But because
I met you on a ship has nothing to do with
my loving you. I'd have fallen in love with
you no matter where met YOU"
He waited moment, but she did not speak,
so he went on. Il don't want to talk hke film
hero, but there are just two women who mean
anything to me. One Of them is my mother,
and the other is you. I haven't got any past TO
hide, or any string of affairs and firtations to
be ashamed Of. Don't get the idea that I'm
posing as Saint Anthony, for I'm not. But
I've worked too hard to have the time and
energy to run about after women. And there's
the whole story"
She put out an impulSive hand. ooh you are
nice man! I knew it the first second looked
at you-but didn't know how nice. No. don't
snatch at me. That doesn't mean I'm going to
marry you. I don't want my emotions to rush
me into anything as serious as marriage-I've
got to use my head as well as my-well-my
heart"
But there isn't anything to prevent my
hoping for the best?"
Not a thing"
There it rested. His ultimate success was
not up to him, problem to be solved, situa-
ton TO be worked out. He was confident he
made many plans And before he would take
his own way homeward he was careful to see
that Leila and her aunt were safely through
the customs, transported across the city and
placed in drawing room on their own train.
Wayne added to their impedmenta with a
lavish offering of books and magazines, fruit,
bonbons, and corsage bouquet for each. And,
at the very last moment, Leila made him
ecstatically happy by letting him kiss her
good-by.
He was flying so high in rapture after that
kiss that he hardly had sense enough to find
his own station and train. But at last that,
too, was accomplished, and he reached home
in safety.
Rose met him in the hall, just behind the
butler. "Why didn't you get here earlier?" she
demanded with a perfunctory sisterly kiss.
Mothers been expecting you. There have been
two earlier trains"
Where is mother?"
But he knew where she would be-in the
sunroom he had had specially built for her,
no mere gass-faced cubicle but a replica Of
of Sevilles famous patios. where even in
the coolest Winter there was the likeness to a
Summer garden
She was there holding out her arms. my
darling boy was afraid something had hap
pened to you. Always before you've got the
first train, and Id had Rose telephone and
find out that your boat was in
II was detained, mother. How we'll you
lock! Goy, but I'm glad to see YOU"
He had his arms around her, kissed the top
Of her head.