Show IT Taming Tamin aming My nd By Kathleen Fox Copyright 1919 1819 by bt the McClure Newspaper Newspaper News paper Syndicate CHAPTER 77 L Another Effort Toward Peace I L will not admit even now that I treated Crittenden unjustly I 1 cont confess ss that he made many efforts for tor peace between us but It was a peace of his own own that he sought A peace peace It was too that I knew would be only an armed truce for tor I had com come to know him well having battled against him with variable success And now that I realized I had won over him that In all but words he acknowledged himself beaten I was waa by byno byno byno no means disposed to withhold the punishment T rl knew new ho he should have Itis ItIs It ItIs Is ever a difficult thing for the victor to refrain reh from e exploiting his gains for tor forthe forthe the fruits of ot victory are sweet So holding myself proudly I accepted nothing of his overtures unless they I were to my liking A development that pleased me greatly and which I enjoyed the more because he was in ignorance concerning concerning concerning concern concern- ing it was Betty Hardings Harding's engagement engagement engage engage- m ment nt to Jack Langley 1 I was in a mood to appreciate full fun well the tho disappointment disappointment disappointment dis dis- appointment he would feel teel when he knew it Nor did I to forget t the envy that would be his with the realization that I had known It long before belore he suspected sus sus- I 1 was wan out when Crittenden arrived home the day of the luncheon Betty had gone home early in the afternoon and I 1 had ridden forth on Pegasus for fora I a gallop In the park It was nearly 6 o'clock when I got inOh InOh in In Oh you are here ahead of me I 1 Isaid Isaid said when I 1 entered the house Crittenden looked up from a book he was reading Yes he answered nearly an hour ahead of ot you you After Arter this significant remark he resumed his reading I 1 started upstairs Bess he called come in for tor a minute if you dont don't mind If I didn't didn't t mind I felt very much a victor to hear that from him It had been rare indeed that he had asked something of ot me in such a manner as that I 1 returned at once to the living roomI room room- I I dont don't want to annoy you he began be began began be- be gan but I 1 wish we might find a way to get our ship on an even keel again He paused for tor a moment looking at atme atme atme me in a way most conciliatory Cantwe Cant Can't Cantwe w we he said persuasively I thought for tor a a. minute before replying re- re plying That I would not yield anything anything any any- I thing I had g g ned I 1 had decided upon long before A victor does not usually consider surrender for tor himself t and I 1 felt very much like Imposing terms But I 1 had been over that ground also And I could not see the possibility of ofa ofa a lasting peace My optimism had played me false alse before I 1 should trust it no further Rather would I depend upon my own ability to give better than I 1 might be forced to take For I 1 had as I had Just found a strength that could be used with telling effect if it rightly employed I cant can't answer your question Isaid I Isaid said sald saldat at length any better than you youcan can In fact I 1 am convinced that I II 11 I cant can't answer it as well I II I I I know You blame and condemn I I me for tor what wha t has happened and you are unwilling to expect anything better better better bet bet- ter in the future Crittenden saw it Just as clearly asI as asI I 1 did His reply however surprised me Yet I was very glad that he un understood understood understood un- un I my viewpoint It would make it much easier for tor me to establish my position I That Is the exact condition I 1 said and waited I Then it Isn't worth while for tor me to tomake tomake i make any promises You would ex expect expect ex- ex me to break them I nodded i So then It becomes necessary for forme forme me to devise some other method of ot procedure he reflected If there Is some other method he added Yes Yes I assented and added significantly significantly sig sig- It If there Is one For a minute we sat In silence n neither ither looking looking- at the other Then I stole a glance at him His Ills brow was wrinkled as he sat forward in his chair ch r rand and I saw that his hands were wre tightly t clenched not working as when he Is s E raging but as though he was wah trying to concentrate upon something The only thing left as I see It it he E announced presently Is for tor me to goin go goIn goIn In such a way as would show Id I'd keep 10 my promises if I made them n I said nothing He rose and left lert the room I sat for tor awhile thinking it over I 0 He He had seemed serious enough and t very earnest as well in this promise to fi 11 himself but I remembered my hopes had been dashed before beCore It was not I t for tor me now to expect I 1 could only l wait waft and see fi CHAPTER 78 A Luncheon fo for Betty Immediately our relations became impersonal save that at every opportunity opportunity opportunity Crittenden tried to surmount the barrier between us by building a ladder adder of ot gifts girts His old way ay of ot apologizing apologizing apologizing apolo apolo- I reflected and decided that if he le but knew how Ineffectual it was be because use I was so strongly opposed to tot It t as a matter of ot personal pride he hen n would discontinue this method of ot conciliation con con- dilation But apparently he did not sense this condition and kept It up Bess he one night at dinner dinner din din- ner I saw a gorgeous oriental rug in ina ina ina a window today It would be a beautiful beautiful beau beau- I thing for tor the living room The smaller rugs could go upstairs Id I'd I like ike for tor you ion to see It and If tr you jou ou want I it it t. t well we'll get it I That would be a nice thing thine for tor the 11 h house use I said I lIe He made an impatient gesture I didn't mean to buy it for tor the i I I 1 house louse he complained I wanted to buy It for you you Oh I exclaimed but quite without without without with with- I I I out enthusiasm But Rut It ft would be for tor forthe the he house anyway He looked at me steadily for tor a mo moo moI I ment meat his face Impassive e Yes I 1 suppose so he said halfheartedly halfhearted I II There followed days das on days when he tri tried d to reestablish himself on his former footing Meanwhile I was as studiously stu atu- stu-I stu I careful to say lIay nothing that I would precipitate a quarrel but was I l I firm in m my he determination to let him himbe I I be pat put to the test that he himself had imposed It appeared to be the better j way forA for tor both of ot usA us I I of ot the A feature new life lite we were living iving was as the establishment b mu- mu I I 27 I I I I 11 I i I I 1 I I I II I I I I l I I I I I I consent though unspoken of ot m mown my own personal Independence I came and went as I 1 chose He commented I not at all aJI on the fact that I frequently reached home from a horseback ride arrival Sometimes he long ong after atter h his s displeased looked at ate Hie as though when I cantered in on Pegasus just Ip 11 time for dinner but he managed to refrain from commenting Ion it it Not ot once did either of ot us refer reler to putting our ship on an even keel as he expressed It Weeks passed in inthis inthis I this way spring coming meanwhile and andI freshness the I with life lite taking on be beauty Uty of ot a gladder season I I Life Lite became glad indeed for tor Jack i Harding whose Langley and Betty Detty unannounced Ve We I engagement was yet had seen little of them since the day dayI They found they became engaged Theyo sufficient to o each themselves quite Crittenden rarely re referred referred re- re other Hence that girl girt But Dut I 1 to Jack or he rant when n he understood understood un un- un- un knew that he would rant that that girl was to be Mrs airs Jack Langl Langley v vI Y I saw flaw Betty Detty down town on one day ay and wanted to announce she told me they the the engagement It was late in April u be married In intI JuneI June and they were to tI II I made a suggestion Betty Detty Let me me give you a luncheon r I said and announce it then That t Is sweet of y you o. o B Bess to T want ant antto nt to do that for tor me cr cried ed Betty Detty happily happily happily hap hap- and it was so decided tell teU Crittenden crittend n It is an n I shall ahall not n. n I f ald ia- ia engagement luncheon 1 0 ieli i By no means cried Betty Detty It willbo will willbo bo fun tun to surprise him I had a good reason for tor not saying anything to Crittenden In n the first place it was not my secret and Inthe in inthe inthe the second I knew he was so 80 opposed to that girl that he might foolishly make an hour eleventh-hour effort to Interfere in interfere interfere In- In In some way lift Ho already had approached Jack about Betty and while I 1 was positive he could not in influence influence In- In fluence him I J feared another attempt might cause a breach between them From loTom the cut of ot Jack Langley Lapsley's s Jaw jan Jawand jawand and the steady stead light in his gray eyes he was not a man that would brook brookI interference of that kind He lie was I I deeply in love with Betty Detty as she was with him Naturally he be would re resent resent resent re- re sent It iL Also I will confess contes that a third reason reason rea rea- son for tor keeping news of the engagement engagement engagement engage engage- ment from Crittenden was the fact tact that I enjoyed to the full contemplation of ot othis his when hen he ho really reany knew and understood In the bargain that I was the secret ahead of ot him In I 1 make no secret of the fact tact that I 1 was not disposed disposed disposed dis dis- posed to share and share alike with him himon himon himon on the common ground of amity There was no such common ground be between between between be- be tween usI us I 1 told Crittenden In t the e morning that I was to entertain a few tew friends at luncheon at home but did not even explain explain explain ex ex- plain that it was in honor o of Bett Betty He asked one question Is that girl c coming ml r. r 0 h t 7 1 10 S 0 0 i- i f r Li cd ar Y e t I Elizabeth Harding I exclaimed Oh yes ves by all means Elizabeth Tomorrow Tomorrow lilt It May Not Be Too Late Yet |