Show I I 1 GLAv J t UT DEWEY GROVES ri k THIS HAS HAPPENED Bertie Lou Ward on the eve of her hel wedding to Rod Hod Bl Bryer Er receives a sharp edged paper knife as a gift from Lila the Marsh prettiest girl girlIn In town who had turned Rod down because Ime he heas was as not wealthy Time feel fee oC the metal meta chilled her And time the thought that It was a dagger dag- dag dagger ger to pierce her imer happiness flashed across her mind so that her dreaming dreaming dream dream- ing anticipation turned to miserable foreboding But Bertle Berlle Lou courageously cour- cour resolves not to be jealous of Rods Rod's past love affair His lIls future fUture fU- fU ture Is tn n her keeping She was beautiful In her wedding dress but the JOYful sinking singing In her heart ceased just before beCore the ceremony cere- cere mon mony when Bertie Lou accidentally accidental accidental- ly overhears one of her brIdesmaids ask another if fC she thinks the bride likes being second choice Dazedly she stands before the altar altar al- al tar but when the words of time the minister end and Rod whispers My wife wiCe with a world of wonder and adoration In his imis eyes Bertie BertieLou BertieLou Lou knows that she would rather be second choke choice than to give him Up I Then Lila comes up to offer congratulations lations I NOW GO ON WITH TH THE E STORY CHAPTeR II Sure go ahead Rod replied I good to LUas LUa's offer to help prepare the housekeeping rooms that he and Bertie Lou would occupy upon their return Lila threw a glance at Bertie Lou who appeared not to have caught time thc significance Lila LUa had sought to put Into her remark about knowing know l Ing Rods Rod's tastes Time The young oung bride was engaged In receiving the tho good wishes of old friends and thanking them In a slightly tremulous voIce Others were pushing forward for fora a word with Rod But Lila had not finished with him Stung a trifle by Bertle Bertie Lous Lou's failure to show any signs of annoyance she said suddenly sud- sud deny denly with a high laugh Well I suppose I might as well take my last kiss now while J 1 can get it ft Rod did not realize what she was about before she had flung both arms around his neck and given him a lingering kiss fu full upon time the lips or I the sake salte of auld lan lans lang s sync ne she added People stared as she moved laughingly awa Lilas Lila's behavior frequently shocked time the townspeople but she had always stopped short or of getting herself ostracized But this they thought was going a bit too far fam- Bight Hight under Bertie Lous Lou's nose And the words that had made her herand herand and Rod one still echoing In the air Bertie Lou took It like a thor thor- She acted just like a bride Perhaps it if nothing had happened happened hap hap- to mar the occasion she would not have forgotten the mask of the flapper who wasn't wasn really a flapper at all but just a sweet girl who was trying to live up to what she thought ht was was' expected of modern youth I I It had been a blessed relief to Mrs Ward Vald when Bertie Bertie Lou had submitted quietly to being drawn to her new mother laws ample portions and wept over without protest She could not know of course that Bertie Lou had burled buried her face gratefully In that broad bosom while she winked away a aI couple unwanted tears But Berlie Lou wasn't going to Ignore Lila Illa or passively let matters matters mat mat- take their Course Kissing might be In order at a wedding It was true but Bertle Berlt Lou knew perfectly well WEI that Lilas Lila's act ct meant more than timan a 3 mere mero kIss Whether or not it was to be followed by other overt assaults upon her happiness hap hap- Bertie Lou could not foretell foretell fore fore- tell but Lila must be put right about It at once Bertie Lou lived through two honeymoon weeks of neVer to be f forgotten bliss with nothing to mar them but time the shadow of a predatory sweetheart ex-sweetheart that flapped in time the background of her con con- Rod as a husband was flawless Hed He'd alwa always s 's been time the finest look look- lag InI bo boy In Wayville But the best tIming thing about him was his utter indifference In- In difference to his good looks Per Per- h ps th hIs Innermost thoughts he was pleased to be a tall clean fea- fea ce n ribbed sort of p person but if SQ so the feeling never reached time the surface to manifest itself annoyingly annoyingly an- an to less favored individuals Tie lIe and Bertie Lou thought they ever everyone one at time the Lakeside hotel i fooled about their new status but that was sas only because they were too contained to see the smiles that followed th them the e em u-c- u yearning Wistful envious but good will smiles They hail had er e rousing health love of me life and love Bertie Berlle Lou even forgot Lila at times time There w ws s that hour on the mossy bank far back in tIme the hills under a clump of or sliver silver birches I where they timey had lunch ana amme crank Tran J I front ow the sprIng g- g beside the tha brook 2 rl Belte LOus LOu's eyes were wele lIke summer sum sum- mer immer stars Rod took her imer face in hIs hands Olm Oh Bertic Lou he said Her lIeI head came to lo rest on his shoulder and Rod held her like some precious possession he feared to lose Vb Why lIe dIdn't know l It was going to be like this lie He was tas actually blInking tears Sappy But Buthe Buthe he didn't care lIe He hadn't known l what he was a fellow tellow tel tel- low who wouldn't fall off time the sneer wagon at a time like this wa was dead lie He turned Sortie Bertie Lous Lou's face up to his and saw that her e eyes es too were full of tears Timey both smiled Whose gIrl are you now BertieLou Bertie BertieLou Lou Bryor Bryer he said With only one man In the world you ought to know Bertie J iLon Lou Bryer youre you're in Yen Well the jokes joke's on you too she laughed back at him Youre just thrilled to lo death Mrs Bryers Bryer's bus hus- band I I know it it Rod returned with mock sheepishness but for goodness goodness good good- ness sake Mrs Bryer dont don't peddIe peddIe ped- ped dIe it ft Perhaps I wj will unless you ten tell roe me what I want to hear You know your jour declarations have always been ague Rodd Roddy Youve You've left a alot alot lot unsaid Rod released her Imer Come over to toI that tree Im I'm going to broadcast broadcast broad broad- I cast It ft It w was s a towerIng pine tree They could smell the fresh spicy odor of it as they stood arm in arm and looked toward it Bertie Lou youre you're just a girl gIr Rod said softly I 1 thought you were too advanced to want time the old stuff but I guess ma maybe be you Jou wont won't scoff if I tell you something something- that lve wanted to tell you rou lots of times before Bertie Lou pressed her imer cheek to his Imis es Go on say it ft Roddy I wont won't laugh Rod tUrned and took her hands In his Bertie Lou I love you rou ca An idyllic honeymoon completed the spell that the magic of a June wedding had cast over them more than any anything thins else In the world They Timey dropped the Idiom of tM the younger set then while they talked of their future Rod smoked a cig- cig ruet ct without offering one to to BertieLou Bertie Lou She didn't notice the ornis- ornis sion There was something about the woods that was out of keeping with a et smokIng wisecrackIng wisecrack wisecrack- Ing girl Time The spirit of the place had got Into theIr blood Its peace and Bertie Lou forgot Lila But Rods nods vacation came camo to an end and lh they y len left time the woods behind them Lou winked back a vagrant tear as she took a a. last backward look at the scene or of Imer heL recent happiness Then Timen she laughed at herself Why she wasn't givIng up anything She and Rod were merely transferring their beautiful union from one locale to another It didn't wor work however self encouragement She had to face Lila now face people Lilas Lila's kiss had told everyone that she wasn't through that and her imer taking a hand in the fixing mp p of their new home Berths Lou would fight but she didn't lIke to to i If only One could have perfect safety safety-no fears She felt not yet t half way home that some of time tho bloom of her fairy tale existence exist exist- enee ence had Imad disappeared Would It aI Il a-Il go People weren't happy happ Could fihe ime and Rod escape Live LI their lives Jives protect their blessedness Bert Bertle e Lou sighed having Havins to fight somehow detracted from time tho beauty of her marriage Simo Sho lund nevel never cared muc for timings things she had had to wring from reluctant givers rs She liked to be enthusiastic en- en tle oVer her plans she wanted timings things whole en entirely unmarred A And nd she sime ss feared to ha vc imer scarred by It It ItI I hu hurt t her lo have Lj I 7 I j In ing upon it ft marl marking It with sordid tou touches hes They were met at time the station by bya to their new a ci crowd and escorted home over time the grocery store nod Bed had rented it before they were i married and the proprietor had agreed ed to rEdecorate th while they were away Bertie Lous Lou's bridesmaids had promised to arrange tIme the furnishIngs furnish furnish- Ings and hang time the new curtains that Bertie Lous Lou's mother had made Bertl Berti Lou was assured that time the was a a. dream but her greatest joy was sas that Lila yas as not among those who sho met then And no one mentioned her hel Bertie Lou began to hope that she alme luul ascrIbed a aise ahe Imp to Rods Rod's old flame And LI was waiting In time the flatTo flat I To Be e Continue s T. 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