Hyder weekly herald., 1932-08-13
CROSS
 MATCHED By MARTHA M. WILLIAMS
co by Mcclure Newspaper syrraicate.)
 (WNU Servics)


 say-and keeps on saying it in all the moods and tenses."
 You shock me deeply!" Elise flung back rising. "A gift book, too What ever shall we say to the author-send- er?'
 Write him straight off-say we can't wait to thank him till after reading" Gwen counseled.
 But you don't intend to tell him what you think?" from Elise
 Gwen sighed saying: Truths not merely brutal but unpopular. Why hurl large chunks of it at poor soul who never did you the least bit of harm?"
 You forget" from Elise. He in- sisted on sitting out all four dances he had written himself down for at the Valentine party-when the music was making my feet dance in spite of me-"
 The two were real friends, in spite of being kinswomen, and doomed to live in the same wide plantation, miles from everywhere, but in auto- reach of almost anywhere a well-con- ditioned fancy might choose to stray. Elise was statuesque, Gwen r0guiShly pretty. They were neither exactly rich nor poor. Elise herself was bidding her time, being the sort that wears we'll, and reaches full blow around thirty. Long before that time Gwen would marry Somebody-somebody other than Newell Blair whom she had leased and fiouted since the era of short frocks, In spite of his money, and his pedigree. Both were exactly what Elise had set her mind on therefore she waited.
 Charles Joseph Seaforth had seemed mama from heaven-he was good looking, had an air of distinction. Elise had done her best to make him see in Gwen an enchantress, but had had her trouble for nothing. His book had come to her, the first copy off the press he wrote, with a florid in- scription that was yet prudently vague. Craftily she had given Gwen the first reading. hoping by doing so to quicken her interest in the books writer.
 Gwen had turned the tables by in- sisting that Elise was in courtesy bound to acknowledge the gift at once. Browning Elise set herself at the task, but stopped short after the date line to stare at resplendent car purr- ing to halt at the front steps. Sea- forth and Newell Blair sprang from 1t and rushed inside almost without knocking. Elise held out both hands to them as she rose, crying: Luck in- deed Saves me hard job-trying to tell you all we think of THE BOOK in writing, I've only part of an opin- lon now. Gwen hasn't let me read more than snatches-says she can't eat nor sleep until she knows how 1t all turns out"
 Mighty kind of her," from Sea forth Blair scowled-hard. Maybe can break the spell" he growled, making for the back piazza. Gwen's special | happy haunt. In a minute he was | back, book in hand, Gwen tucked pos sessively under his arm q am taking her for drive in the new car, SO | she shan't poster you two any more," he said tossing the book to Elise.
 Mighty glad to see you-but real ly this is so sudden" she smiled at Seaforth
 Il simply had to come-to know what you thought-nothing else mat in all ho said huskily. "Somehow the book is selling amazingly-or shouldn't have dared--lt is all I have, you know except hope-and Hove"
 Elise felt herself profoundly shaken, but completely dazed.
 How can you like me? A plain country girl, when you have seen 50 much of cities?
 Because you are my dream. What l hoped for and never thought to hnd," he said stepping back a pace, the better to look into her eyes. You knowI shouldn't be here, but for Blair-the noblest fellow alive. You see, wrote him asking whether he was my riyal-that was my black dread-he had so much, I, almost nothing. He answered me, man to man: To me there is just one possi- ble wife in all the world. Her name IS Gwendoline Trevor-unless she comes to me of her own good will, I shall be lone man all my llfe.' And then actually he came for me-brought me to his home two days back