my m aterialized desire w hoever It hap used for wom en to com pare men to.
fr«.u Pi * depths .1 my heart and are
pened
T hat m an sat right there at ray side iiwt
“ T H E T IN D E R B O X” T he C to rag be w as standing by the win and
¡-.a l ib* t Will you believe tlie?”
ate four wattles, tw o large pieces
(C ontinue ! trom first page(
now
can he help loving Sallie with
1
of
chicken
and
a
liver
wing,
drunk
two
dow In the half light th a t cam e, part-
her
so
etupiiatl*
ally there?
ne unsw ereu with lotty scorn.
t ly from the candles In their tall old cups of coffee and then devoured a
I
answ
ered
him
to his lik
“Yes'm, d u t’s so,” answ ered Petunia silver candlesticks that w ere G rand | huge bowl of peaches and cream with ing. anil he w ent 1 on suppose
across the road
"I never come oaten u sjiell so easy m other Shelby's and partly from the three muffin cukes while enduring the to
W idegables and left me alone In the
before.” And her yellow face had a last glow of the sundow n over the I tragedy of the realization of having to cruel
darkness
|>lnk glow of happiness all over It as ! ridge. T hat w as w hat I needed!
I decline the governorship of his state.
I’lcase.
God. when things seem to
she audit'd lovably on the black b ru te
“1 w as coming in from the fields 1 w atched him do it, first in aw e and be drow ning
titis m ake mo
I went off Into a corner and sat down across your back yard, and I saw the ; then w ith a dim understanding of swim with head me up like Amen!
for a quiet hour to think .Nobody In table lighted and you on the front | som ething, I w asn't sure w h a t Most
the w orld know s everything.
porch, sta r gazing, and—and I got Jos- j women, under the circum stances,
C H A P T E R X.
"Supper’s on the table,” Jasper an j per to Invite me." he said as he cam e would have gone to bed and cried It
nounced after having seen Mr. Haley over and drew out my chair ou one out or nt least have refused food for
Some Sm olderings.
go dow n the front walk tonight J a s side of th at wide square table, while i hours. W e’ve got to get over those
’M a failure! Yes. Jan e; 1 am !
per has in ch great respect for the Jasp er stood w aiting to seat him at habits before we get to th e point of
Polk H ayes is an up to date,
cloth th a t never In the world would he j the other, about a mile aw ay
having to refuse to be governors of
bright
man of th e world, w ith lots
have asked Mr. Ilnley In to supper "1 w anted you.” I answ ered him the states and railroad presidents and
of
brains
and, 1 should say. about
w ithout having a t least u day to pre stupidly as | sank Into my place and things like th a t ’
the
average
m
asculine n ature and a
pare for him.. Any of my other friends leaned my elbow s on the table so I And while he ate. there 1 sat not able great deal more
an the average
he would have asked, regardless of j could drop my w arm cheeks Into my to more than nibble because 1 w as am ount of hum an th charm
. However,
w hether or not I w anted them.
m aking up my mind to do som ething he has got no more brains than 1 have,
hands
com
fortably.
I
didn't
see
why
1
I som ehow didn’t feel th at I could eat
th a t scared me to death to think ab o u t has had really few er advantages, and
be blushing.
alone tonight, but It w as too late to go should
“’"h a t’s the reason I cam e then.” he T hat gaunt Craggy m an in a shabby it ought to lie easy for me to hold my
for Sallie or Cousin Jasm ine, and, be answ
ered as lie looked at me across gray coat, cut antebellum wise, w ith a owu against him. But I am about to
sides, It is w eakm lnded to feel th at j the bowi
usk roses th at were cravat th at wound itself around his fail on him
way. W hy shouldn't 1 w ant ft) eat by j sending out of w m aves
of sw eetness to collar, snowy and dainty, but on the For the past tw o w eeks he has been
m yself’/
e lines as the coat a ml evidently of constantly w ith Nell and has got her
;
meet
those
th
at
were
com ing In from sam
T his is a great big house for ju st one j the honeysuckle clim bing
rural m anufacture in the style favored in a dream y slate th a t shows In her
over
the
wln-
wom an, and I don't see why 1 have to
by the flower and chivalry of the day
be th a t one! I never was intended to ! dow. “ If you were ever lonely and of H enry Clay, had progressive me os face and every m ovem ent of Iter slim
be single. I seem even to think double. needed me. Evelina, you would tell com pletely overaw ed for several min body. And yet I know w ithout the
I could feel the tears getting tangled me. w ouldn't you?” he asked as he utes as any painted redskin ever dornl shadow of a doubt th at he Is Just bid
in my lashes, but I forced them back. leaned tow ard me and regarded me unfed a sq u aw —or as Jas|*er did P etu ing hls tim e to try me out and get me
on his ow n term s. My heart aches for
Now, I don’t see why I should have j still m ore closely.
my ow n kitchen
Nell, and 1 Just couldn't see him m ur
been sentim entalizing over m yself like Am1 again those tw o treacherous tears nia But in nfter
we w ere left alone with der
her girlhood, • and it will am ount
that. Ju s t such a longing, miserable, rose and tangled them selves In my
wait until lie com es—and why doesn’t lashes, though I did shake them aw ay th* roses and th e candles and his cigar, j to th at if he Involves her heart any
ith only Jasp er’s gratified voice m um I more than it is. I m ade up my mind
he hurry or I’ll take the wrpng man J quickly as a sm ile quivered its way to w bling
over com plim ents to Petunia fr to have It out with him and accord
com
m
and
of
my
mouth
But
I
was
attitu d e of mind and sentim ent in wo
tilt* distance. I took my courage in m.\ ingly let him come and sit on my side
men In general Is w hat I have taken a not quick enough, and he saw them
and plunged.
steps w ith me late yesterday a fte r
vow on my soul, and m ade a great big And w hat he did w as Just w hat 1 hands
This
can
be
used
as
data
for
the
five.
noon w hen I have avoided being alone
|
w
anted
him
to
do
He
rose,
picked
up
Im portant w ager to do aw ay with.
“Jam es,” 1 said, w ith such cool deter w ith him for a m onth.
T here are millions of lovely men in j his chair and cam e around th at huge ruination
in my voice th at it alm ost “Polk.” 1 asked him suddenly w ith
the world, and all I have to do Is to go ! old table and sat down at the corner froze my ow
n tongue. "I m eant to tell out giving him tim e to get th e situ a
J
Just
as
near
to
my
elbow
as
the
steam
out and find the right one, be gentle
you about It several weeks ago. I’ve tion into hls ow n hands, skilled in
with him until he understands my Ing coffeepot would let him.
to adopt fa ille and all th e chil their w om an handling, “do you intend
mode of attack to be a bit different “ If you w anted me any tim e would decided
dren
l
intend to legally adopt the to m arry Nell or Just plain break her
yon
tell
me,
Evelina?"
he
Insisted
from
from the usual craw fish one employed
children
anti
ju st nom inally adopt Sal- heart for the fun you get out of it?”
this
closer
range.
by women from prehistoric tim es until
lie,
hut
tt
will
am ount to the sam e Ills dangerous eyes sm oldered back
•‘No, I w ouldn’t,” I answ ered, with a thing. 1 don't have
now. but not later, and then dom estl
to have your con nt me for n long m inute before he an
laugh. “ 1 would expect you to know
eate him In any w ay th a t suits me.
sent,
but
I
think
It
Is
courteous to ask ] sw ered pie:
It
and
come
ju
st
like
you
did
tonight.'
Here I’ve been In G lendale alm ost
for
It."
"Men don’t break w om en’s hearts.
three m onths and have let my tim e be “B ut—but it w as I th at w anted you
hat!" he exclaim ed as he sat up Evelina.”
occupied keeping house for nobody but badly In this case,” he answ ered, w ith and "W looked
at me w ith the expression “ I think you are right.” 1 answ ered
m yself and to entertain my friends, an echo of the laugh.
an
alienist
m
planting a (lower garden th a t can ’t he But even under the laugh I saw exam ination. ight use In an im portant slowly “They do Just w ring and dis
tort them and deform them for life.
used at nil for nourishm ent and sew signs of excitem ent in Ills deep eyes,
ave you said anything about this But I intend to see th a t Nell’s has no
Ing on another w om an’s baby clothes. and his long, lean hands shook as they to "H Sullie?”
weakly as he dip j such torturous operation perform ed ou
I’ve w ritten m illions of w ords in this handed me his cup to pour the coffee ped th e end he of asked
his
cigar
his ginss 1 it if 1 can appeal to you or convince
hook and there Is ns yet not one word Jasper had laid his silver and napkin of w ater atul w atched the Into
spu
tter
with : her.”
in
front
of
him
and
retired
to
adm
on
th at will help the five In th e serious
the
greatest
Interest.
ish
Petunia
as
to
the
exact
crispness
“W hen you argne w ith Nell be sure
and Im portant task of proving that
"N ot yet. but don't you feel sure th at and don’t tell her Just exactly the
they have a right to choose th eir own ! of her first waffle
will eonsent?” I asked with court- j things you have done to me all this
m ates and certainly nothing to help “W hat Is it?" I asked breathlessly as she
deuce
iu my plan n t fever heal. "Sal- sum m er through, E velina.” he answ er
I
moved
the
coffeepot
from
betw
eeu
ns
them perform the cerem onial.
lie
Is
so
generous and she ean’t w ant to ' ed coolly.
If I don't do better than this Jane to the other side.
seo
me
live
alw ays w ithout any i “W hat do you m ean?” I dem anded,
will w ithdraw her offer, and there Is "Ju st a letter th at cam e to me from fam ily a t all. lonely
Now,
she?”
positively cold w ith a kind of aston
no telling how m any years th e hum an the D em ocratic headquarters in the "She would co n sen will
t!"-h
e
answ
ered
ished
fear
city
th
at
shook
me
up
a
bit
and
made
race will be retarded by my lack of
slowly, and then he laid Ills head dowu j “ I m ean th at I have never offered
me w ant to—to tell you about It. No on
strength of character.
the table right against my arm and j Nell one-hnlf of th e to rture you have
W hat do men do when they liegln to body else can know I have been out shook
a t the candlesticks rattled offered me every rtav since you cam e
see the gray hairs on their tem ple;: and on old H arpeth all afternoon tight ing against so the th candles.
"B ut 1 don’t,” he home w ith your affectionate friendli
when they have been best man at th at out, and telling you Is the only gasped, and for the life
of me I could ness. W hen 1 laugh you answ er it be
tw enty-three w eddings and are tired of thing l have allow ed m yself."
not
tell
w
hether
he
w
as crying or fore it gets articulate, and when I
"They w ant you to be the next gov laughing until he sat up again
being at christenings and buying rat
you are ns sym pathetic as sym
lies, and things nt the club all taste ernor." I said quickly. “And you will "E ve,” he suld. with his eyes fairly gloom
pathy
Itself I have held your hand
exactly alike, and they have purchased be too." I added, again using th at queer dancing Into mine, "if women In gen and kissed
it. Instituting and not
ten different kinds of hair tonic that place In my brain th at seem s to know eral m ean to walk over political diffi quenching a raging
th irst thereby, as
perfectly
unknow
able
things
and
th
at
It bores them to death to rub ou the
culties
as
you
are
planning
to
walk
you
are
experienced
enough to know.
only w orks in m atters th a t concern aw ay w ith this one of mine, I'm for You have m ade yourself
tops of their on n heads?
everything for
him.
fem
inine
rule.
D
on't
you
dare
say
one
me
th
at
is
responsive
and desirable
1 don’t w ant any man I know! I
"No!”
w
ord
about
such
a
thing
to
Sallie.
Of
i
and
beautiful
and
w
orthy
have
might w ant Polk, if 1 let him have half
"Yes, your excellency," I hurled at course, It Is Im possible us It Is funny." put me back every tim e 1 have and reached
a chance to m ake me, but th a t would him defiantly.
w as a tragedy to have stu b a love out to grasp you You do n't w ant me,
be dishonor»bfe.
“ You w itch, you." he answ ered me, ly It schem
thought up ou the you don't w arn to m arry me at all,
I’ve got up so m uch nice w arm sis with n pleased, teasing whim sicality spur of e the as 1 m had
om
ent
dowu you Just w ant—excitem ent. You are
terly love for lfickle and Mr. Haley w ilting Into his eyes. "O f course you suddenly by a half dozen knocked
cold as Ice th a t grinds and generates
positive
words
that I couldn't begin to love them in guessed th e letter, and It w as dear to from a m ere m an, uud for u m oment ns
fire.
Very well, you don't have to take
tin* right way now. I nm afraid. Still. have you do It. but we both know It Is my eyes fought w ith his iu open relief
—and
I’ll get w hat I can from Nell
• haven’t seen Dickie for th ree m onths, Impossible. Nobody m ust hear of It, lion. T hen 1 rose haughtily and w alk —and others.”
h ml m aybe my desperation will have and t*ie telling you has been the best ed out ou th e front porch.
“Oh. Polk, how could you have mis
the effect of enhancing Ids attractions. 1 could get out of It anyw ay. Jasper,
understood
me like this?” I moaned
"D
ear,"
he
said
as
he
followed
me
I hope so
take my com plim ents to Petunia. T his and took my hand In his uud drew me from th e depths of an alm ost broken
"S upper's ready am i com pany come,' chicken is perfection!"
near him, "don’t you know th at your heart. B ut us I mooned I understood
Jasper cam e to the front diK>r to an T hat eighth wonder of the world w anting to put your shoulder under —I understood!
nounce for the third tim e, but this which got lost w as som ething even any burden 1 may be bearing lifts it
(To be continue«!)
tim e w ith the unctuous voice of de more m ysterious than the sphinx. It com pletely? T here are thhigs lu this
light th at n guest alw ays Inspires In was a m arvel th a t could b av e'^ g y s situation th a t you enu’t understand. If
him. I prom ptly wont In to welcome
I seem to m ake sacrifices they come The Cloverdnle Courier II a year.
'
I