coonm. FAOE EIGHT TOO LATE— ALMOST æ By B. A. BENEDICT • Smelata* WNUayrvlM. HEN a girl resell** nineteen she has «very right to feel that she I* grown up. But Marie) PrlMt's mother and father (especially th* latter) didn't share this feeling. For example, Mr. Priest still clung to tbe Ides that be should meet and approve of every young man who wished to take his daughter out It made Marlel feel silly, but after all a bed of roses is a bed of roses, esiwclally when times are hard, and as yet she hadn't met any young man who was worth risking a rebellion over.’’ That la. she hadn’t met any one be­ fore GUI Sheldon came along. And then she didn't know It until It was too late—almost. She met GUI st a dance at th* coun­ try club. Re was down from Boatan visiting the Nevilles at tbelr summer place. Marlel was attracted to him be­ cause she liked th* sound of bis vole*. (He bad a Harvard accent). And when after cutting In on her seven times, he asked If he might take her dancing next Thursday night she laughingly assented. Already she had begun to discover that young Mr. Sheldon had something beside* * Harvard accent But sh* didn't decide definitely that it was young Mr. Sheldon himself, and not th* sound of his voice at all, that she liked until he called for her Thursday night. When she came down­ stairs GUI and her father were sitting in the library. And that's all they were doing: sitting. Mr. Priest had settled his horn-rimmed glasses on his nose, (which he always did when one of Marlel's new young men were un­ der scrutiny), and was glaring. Young Mr. Sheldon was glaring back, bnt there was a smile on hl* fare. It oc­ curred to Marlel that there was somo- thing about that smll* that wasn’t Just right __ She entered th* library, unseen, and was on th* point of announcing her­ self when her father said In a not too gentle voire: “Well, young man, why W flat*. But he didn't. He wsnt'-d tn know If ah* would go driving with him Saturday. He said he’d meet her at th* post office, and grinned m*an- lngly. 8* they went driving Saturday and canoeing Sunday and to th* movies Mon­ day and dancing on Wednesday. Each time they met at tbe poet office, and neither of them mentioned her fsther. On the following Saturday, Gill told her be was going back to Boston. Ma­ rlel caught her breath and wilted. “I wish you’d come up some time and spend a weektmt with us,“ he said. “You’d like my folks." “Oh, I know I would. And I'd love to come/’ Gill cleared hU throat *1 hate on- derhanded business. Your father would never approve of your coming—If be knew." “He'd probably disown me,” Marlel agreed. “And still you want to come?" She nodded. Gill sucked In his breath. “If he disowned you, wbat would you do?" “I don't know,“ said Marlel. "Bnt still you’d come?” "Still," said Marlel. GID frowned, thinking deeply. "Ma­ rlel," he said after a moment, “this is all my fault I—I—" He turned to her suddenly. “There’s one way out If we got married, your father—eventually he'd probably get used to me.” “Probably,” said Muriel, “h* would. Now there remains only the matter of you and I falling In love." “In love!" Gill stared at her la as­ tonishment “Why, good heavens. I've t.een In love with yon since that first night we met. Do you think for a single minute I'd consider taking on a fa­ ther-ln-law ille* your dad If X weren't In love?” "And do you think I'd tolerate a man who Insulted my father If I didn't fove him?" said Marlel. And that night, for the first time, Marie) Insisted thn* Gill drive her home and come Inside for a minute. Gill compiled with a dubious expres­ sion on bls face, an expression that turned to mlaglvings when he found Mr. Priest waiting for them. Misgiv­ ings gave way to astonishment when the old man beamed at him and ex- tended Ills hand. You're "My boy, congratulations! th* first young man to call on mv daughter who's displayed mor* back­ bone than a Jelly fish!** Marlel beamed, and Gill felt as though he'd been struck. He didn't get It at all. not even when she explained that she wanted to make sure he loved her In spite of her fsther, and want­ ed him to know that she loved him In spite of his Insult a Artifice sh* colled IL But Gill only nodded and smiled In a blank sort of way. it seemed to blm that every one had gone to a lot of trouble to bring about a happy end­ ing. For. In spite of everything, he was happy and quite content Tobacco Industry Recalls Canada’s Early Struggle don’t yon say something? Yon’s* sat there Ilk* a bump on a log ever since I cam* Into this room." Gill's smll* grew more unattractive. “Th* reason I haven’t said anything, old man,” he replied, "is because It Isn't my place to make conversation. I’m tbe guest here and you’re th* boat. Yet apparently yon expect me to do th* entertaining. It's quit* obvious, sir, you hare neither manners nor breed­ ing, nothing but a lot of shriveled up Ideas Ilk* meeting and approving of your daughter's suitors, I’ve heard •bout you, but I wouldn't believe It— until now.” 1 It was In that moment that Martel «added Mr. Gil) Sheldon bad some­ thing much more likeable than a Har­ vard accent. she almost swooned with Shock, but sh* knew she liked him. ■ Nr. Priest was slowly strangling In hla chair. In fact. Gill had risen and almost reached the door before the old man got himself under control. And then the words he uttered didn't make sense; be sounded like on* In whoa* throat an oliv* had become stuck. Marlel turned and mad* a quick exit th* way she bad com*, and when GUI reached the street he found her wait­ ing there for him. “Hello," be said. "You’d better «o back. Your pop doesn't approve of “So what?" said MarleL Gill frowned. “I Insulted him,’ he explained patiently, i “And you did a nice Job of IV Marlel complimented. I Young Mr. Sheldon scowled at her. Presently he said: "Hop In and let’s go to th* dance.” And Marlel smiled 'and bopped In. Before th* dance was •v*r she succeeded In completely , over- 'coming the faint mlaglvings that thoughts of her father aroused, and id was conscious only of a sweat sensation of happiness. Hours later she Interpreted the sensation, or gather confessed It She was In lore. ,Oompl*tely and permanently. Follow­ ing th* confession cam* the usual re­ action: Did Gill Sheldon love her? ¡What if he despised her because of her father? What If be went away and left her alone? Wbat if she never saw him again? I Marie) didn’t sleep much that night JThe next day she drove over to th* Burdons’. The Burdons lived next door ,to the Neville*, Nevilles, where Gill was stay- Ing. Her artifice t was rewarded when *0111 himself .ame cai ... ---------- along th* path ft trough the trees and smiled at her tleasantly. He sat down beside her E *n th* screened In porch and stayed fL 111 dinner time. Marlel was afraid h* ) going back without asking for a The history of toha