Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1930-07-31
CHAPTER II
The Lady Promises

again and again her condolences fall
tered before mammals bright energy.
before mammals staccato bossiness II
was really her first secret from her
family. and she did not feel right
about 1t. OF course she was old
enough to have a friend II she wanted
one. friend OF her own choosing, but
LilIians attitude that she was having
an affair."" a romance on the side, .
purely for the thrill of 1t, dIsmayed
her. Yet she couldn't tell mamma,
and an incident occurred which sealed
her silence.
She had called VIII on the telephone
the next morning after her encounter
! with him on the street, and that had
been the beginning OF an absorbing
intimacy. He worked In the afternoon
and at night six days week. He had
nothing better to do with his fore
moons and his luncheon hour than
share them with Ernestine. But the
very time OF these engagements made
Ernestine safe from curiosity. Il was
4 time of day exclusively the property
OF women IN mammals world. 1t
would never have occurred to mamma
that love affair could have pro-
ceeded during a succession OF fore.
moons.
And love affair was what 1t rap
| Idly became. Ernestine could not pro-
long the time with VIII enough to suit
| her, and his eagerness soon matched,
then outrode. her own. His enthus-
iasm, his energy we're compelling, and
Enestine felt the rousing and stir
ring OF her own personality In touch
with his. Within a week she was des-
perateIy In love. She had no room for
any thought and feeling. but those
which concerned VIII Todd. Present
~ she realized that the termination
OF their friendship would be true
catastrophe, and with this realization
she began to practice secrecy with
skill and determination.
One blowy. gusty Sunday morning
In December she had escaped church
and met him and talked, hand in hand.
as they always talked, quickly.
/ starvedly.
Eventually little silence fell be-
tween them, and in its magic. without
speaking word. they turned and
kissed each other, and smiled a little
dimly and leaned together. The touch
OF lips, and then the pressure OF cheek
to cheek WIS magic. His arms slipped
| about her, and for a long long time
they sat In swing OF Joy.
There was no word spoken, no prom
ise, but Ernestfne knew now that SHE
must tell mamma The family was
home from church when she reached
the house, sitting In the big living
| room. all OF them engrossed In gossip
Mamma looked III -Ernestine sharply.
"Why didn't you come to church,"
Il went for walk" evaded Ernes.
tine, and her face flamed with color,
for they all looked 1T her. and she felt
that Wills lose.naking was visible
upon her. Mamma said no more, how.
ever, and Lillian turned 10 her with
the news.
You remember told Sadie
Hall was In love with the actor, Lon
Delancey?" Ernestne nodded. and LII
fian said with some satisfaction, "Well.
she finally succeeded in meeting him.
and they were married last night.
Every one WINS talking about 1t I'm
church this morning.
well. what Of III" said Ernestne.
"She can marry him, can't she7"
"Ernestinel' said her father stern
ly. "You know 1t isn't suitable" He
was big man, n little too stout with
handsome tiorid face His brown
eyes were warm and kind. but his big
nose was acqusitiye, his mouth stern
and hard, A man of brilliant mind, but
limited by prejudices.
1T Is her money he wants." said
papa, land nothing else The girls a
fool, and was not brought up prop
erly, or she would never have done
such thing"
Loring put In his oar. He was al
ways there on Sundays, thought Ernes.
tine, who WIS tired OF having him
around.
Any man who urges a girl to keep
her love affair Il secret from her folks
Ia a blackguard, and a girl may as
well realize 1t first as last No real
man would do such thing. He would
be honorable" He looked at her when
hs said 1t, with such meaning that
Ernestine felt faint dismny
But how ridiculous" she exclaimed
~You all know. every one OF you. that
II she had told her folks OF her In
fatuation, they would have carried her
of to Europe. or had him forced out
OF town. They would have separated
! them instantly"
but that's why she ought to tell
her people," said papa. mo girl can
trust her own Judgment, when she
gets out OF her own class. Her people
know best and She should confde IN
them
4 All this while mamma had been
watching Ernestine Mamma was so
! pretty, with her violet eyes, and
smooth fair hair, and her slender Wig
OrOuA BODY But mamma was sharn