Henderson daily dispatch., 1937-04-27
81
CHAPTER "a

"JACQUELINE." said Colone
Lutman as she was about to leave
his apartment after again declar.
ing she would not marry Jim, I'm
not suggesting that you should
marry Jim Asson."
She shot him a quick glance of
amazement.
docs that surprise you ?'' he
smiled. MY dear, if you imagine
for one moment that I would have
you marry Asson against your own
inclination, you don't know me.
This morning, I admit, you took
me by surprise, and said good
many things in the heat of the
moment which must, I'm afraid,
have given you wrong impression
of me. There is no question Of
bullying or threatening you. It
needed only little calm reflection
to convince me that, since you feel
as you do about Jim, marriage with
him is out of the question. Neither
of you would be happy, and it
would distress me to feel that I
was in any way responsible for the
unhappy state of affairs. AS a
matter of fact, am very far from
sorry that you have definitely de-
cided not to marry Jim"
Jacqueline could only gaze at
him in utter beWilderment.
Jim, I'm afraid, is very much
upset about it," continued the
Colonel. 81 saw him this morning
after leaving you, and broke the
news to him. It hit him pretty
hard, but he took it like a gentle
man."
Jacqueline's lips were a little
scornful, but she made no remark.
'But one mans loss is another
mans GAIN" went on the Colonel,
land I'm afraid can't pretend to
be sorry. Jim, of course, is very
wealthy young man, and 1 can't
hope to compete with him fnan-
cially; but I am very comfortably
off, and I can we'll afford to make
your mother a substantial allow
ance, and if anything should hap
pen to me you would be well pro-
vided for"
For some moments Jacqueline
stared at him in anlazement. Then
she smiled family, and hint of
amusement showed in her eyes.
Colonel Lutman," she said, ARE
you suggesting that should marry
you?"
Lutman laid a hand on hers as
it rested on her knee.
my dear, why not ?" he said,
and slipped an arm around her
shoulders. "You don't realize, Jac-
queline, how beautiful you are
your eyes, your hair, your lips.
You have adorable lips, Jacqueline
lips that were made for kissing"
She felt his breath on her cheek
and his arm drawing her toward
him. saw the look in his eyes, and
instinctively stiffened herself to
resist; but with sudden irresistible
strength he swept her to him, and
his lips were crushed against hers.
The next instant she had wrenched
herself free and sprung to her feet.
For a moment she stood facing
him with flaming cheeks and
furious eyes; and then her arm
flashed back and forward and her
clenched fist struck him full in the
mouth.
He jumped to his feet, with
hands clenched, his mouth grim,
that hard, steely look in his eyes.
Jacqueline stepped quickly back
ward. But with an obvious effort
he mastered himself, adjusted his
eyeglass and reproduced his genial
smile.
"And is that your answer, Jac-,l
queline?"
Eyes, it is"
He shrugged.
IT suppose I'm old-fashioned,"
he said. IT was not aware that
the modern young lady could de-
cline a proposal of marriage with
such delightful subtlety."
"You know now, Colonel Lut-
man."
He nodded.
i."Tve always heard" he smiled,
"that experience is hard mistress,
and now I'm prepared to believe
it."
A little trickle of blood came
from his lips where her knuckles