Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-02-22

for you. You make me yawn. 10
away, will you? I want to be kissed
and 1 don't care for an audience"
you're wrong, Delicia," protested
Ford. ~ do want to get married
sometime. But I want to choose the
girl and do the pursuing. I'm going
to pick my own wife, by gosh, because
want her. Bachelors stay bachelors
because girls try to stampede them in
to marriage. You can't help but be
suspicious of an article if you aren't
allowed to examine it before you buy
it,"
"Hooey," said Delicia. $50 home
and talk to yourself. You'll have lots
more fun, because you can supply the
right answers. And don't come cry
ing to me with your broken heart af-
ter you've lost that girl. It will serve
you right. Not that I think she'd
marry you, anyway. Go on home"
"What I'd like to know, Delicia,"
he went on determinedly, "is how
many of your mansnatching tricks
you've taught that child? I've told
myself hundred times this last month
that it isn't the girl herself that's got
me sunk. What have I got in COM
mon with a native girl, anyway? It's
just your damned technique working
as smoothly at secondhand as you
make it work yourself"
.Delicia was sending him frantic sig
nails to shut up, but he either didn't
see them or was too occupied with his
own troubles to understand.
81 think I'll rum" he decided. "Let
her have her college boy. If I stick
around here much longer, I'll get to
figuring the world well lost for love.
If married her and then found out
after all that she was just dumb ma
tive girl-and the chances are that's
what I'd find when I got her away
from your daily lessons-I'd leave her
flat. And then I'd have an irate
father to settle with"
"Just talking to yourself, or do
you expect an answer?" jeered Delicia
still making frantic signals for him
to shut up and 60 home.
"Just making up the alleged mind"
he said with sudden grin. "The man
who loves and runs away"
"Just has to run back another day,
Delicia finished for him. "Don't be
such spineless coward, Ford"
"I'm going home and pack" he
grinned at her sheepishly. "I'l be
out of here before morning. You stay
on at my house, Don, and give the
keys to Delicia when you leave. When
I'm safe and far away, Del, write me
and tell me the truth. That it really
was me Lila was after. And tell Lila
for me"
Suppose you tell me yourself"
came Lila's voice from the darkness
outside. "Wait. Pm coming in"
If ghost had walked through the
room, they couldn't have been paraly-
zed into any more complete immobilily
Lila stood framed in the doorway, a
wistful, hurt, whitefaced girl against
the black curtain of the night. Delic-
ia was the first to recover, because,
of course, she wasn't as surprised as
the men to learn that Lila had been
listening.
Remember, Lila, anything you say
will be held against you," she said in
futile warning.
81 can't help it, Delicia," said Lila.
"Ford has got to know the truth. I
didn't realize until just now how he
would feel if he found out-after we
were married. I've got to tell him!"
"Oh, Lila!" sighed Delicia. "What
Ounce you are!"
"What have you got to tell me,
Lila?" aked Ford.
"That I've hated this cheating game
from the very beginning!" she cried.
"Why, even if it had worked, I'd have
had to go on lying to you the rest of
my life. And anyway, don't think
your tricks do you so very much good,
Delicia. You may know how to lead
men to the altar, but you haven't been
able to hold them after you got them
there. You"
"Lila!" cried Delicia sharply, as
white faced as the girl in the door
way. "Don't talk! Don't ever talk
when you're out Of control. You'll
just be sorry"
"I1l never be any sorrier than am
at this minute" said Lila sorrowfully.
"Nor any more ashamed. I'm sorry
I ever listened to you. Ford and I
i might have been happy together if I