| Show L iO i ir t N hb Grit TT 5 ILLUSTRATED tr RAY IT BY CL SYNOPSIS S 5 SHall Hall photo photographer artist prepares for the days day's work In his studio He Is reminded by 1 Fisher his us- us assistant assistant as as- of oC a party he ho Is to give In the studio that night and warned arned that his business Is In bad financial shape Mr 11 Doremus attorney and Justice of oC the peace prace calls caUs and Informs Hall hail that his Uncle Johns John's will has left him on condition that he marry before his ty-eighth ty birthday which begins at midnight midnight mid mid- night that night Might Mrs Rena Royalton i calls at the studio and Hall asks her to marry him at once She spars for time but finally agrees to give him an nn answer at the party that night Miss Carolyn Dallys calls j CHAPTER IV Continued IV Continued 1 Hall had gone into a momentary reverie In that dream day he had already already already al al- al- al ready lived three years with Carolyn traveled abroad abroad even to Constantinople Constantino Constantino- had seen her entertain grand dukes on his yacht acht had fought two or three duels with offensive Italian n. n officers officers of of- on her account They had ridden ridden rid rid- f den horseback up California canyons Just now they were back in New York There was even a litt little e Hall Boni- Boni stelle- stelle Here Wake up He was was suddenly Jerked back Into the present with Carolyn CarolD now seated on a couch impatiently staring at him He smiled self seU the matter with you Hall she eho asked looking at him queerly You haven't got a over hang-over or orly thing have you I didn't think you doped He Ue In laughed nervously I suppose you fascinate me me Carolyn She gave a whoop of jO joy Me uncle She pointed Inquiringly at ather ather her ber breast Say Hall HaU old chap pass I Ithe the molasses We women just eat it up UP you know know Makes us fat I need needa a lot of ot it Exit headache This This' was hopeless for Hall He must get get- serious or there would be no managing a proposal Or perhaps her manner gave him the cue cue cue- wo she be be more amenable to a humorous us offer Try i it said his Intuition He walked up to her Carolyn see here her how would you like it it you thought Id I'd lain awake all last tast flight thinking about you you yes yes and th Oie ine- e night Jj Before r r rand and all ll last week I Fine I feel better already Too good to be true though Did you OU really really really real real- ly She rumpled his hair affectionately affection affection- I certainly did The fact tact is Carolyn Carolyn Caro Caro- lyn Im I'm pretty desperate about you Carolyn Caroln winked Easy now now easy easy she ehe said calmly right though Ive I've got a case of oC Carolyn Dallys Dalls good and plenty Its It's begun to hurt girl know it Carolyn rose yawning Oh well if If it youre re g going to be silly Hall I think Id I'd bett better batter r be he going How abo about t these proofs anyway Proofs be darned Youre You're not go- go tug not tug not till I settle nettle this thing Shall ShallI i I bare my breast and let you ou give it the stroke smiling Or do you prefer to administer an opiate He dropped the mock-heroic mock pose Viand and nd took ok up the blunt He walked over to her and took her hand She had no objections whatever ap ap- ap Carolyn its it's an honest fact I want you your I Mr am I really to understand un- un that you are proposing to tome tome tome me Carolyn smilingly looked him In Inthe inthe inthe the eye o Oh I suppose you oU think its it's a joke Just just- b because I cause I dont don't speak in jn blank verse Well Ill I'll be darned I believe the theman's theman's theman's mans man's serious She said n nothing for tor a a. a moment narrowing narrowing narrowing nar nar- rowing her eyes and looking at him with th the saire saire amused n used tolerant sion ston Then she spoke Well Hall It strikes me you must be pretty sure of ot me me to do it in a two-step two like this Why usually they crawl all over the carpet Hal Interrupted her Oh Obi dont don't Carolyn Please lease dont don't Carolyn's fact c changed You dont don't actually mean meau it jt 1 she asked anxiously putting a iI hand ou on his ls u arm Mean it Why Carolyn of or of coura II lI mean it Its It's no use I cant can't make I It theatrical You have a sense of ot humor so have I. I Perhaps a girl ought to be entitled to a little fireworks fireworks fireworks fire fire- works on ou such an occasion occasion or or even poetry p poetry try Ill Ill I'll try It it if you insist you know know but but somehow I cant can't take my- my so seriously She withdrew her band v-band hand nd J f frowning Ob Oh that doesn't mean that I dont don't take seriously Carolyn or rather that I dont don't want to i-d i I mean confound mean confound It Im I'm not conceited con con- Fm cited enough to convince myself that Im I'm I even a little bit worth your while Well then try to convince me why dont don't you what Im I'm trying to do girl Lord Carolyn theres there's no use In your not believing you must believe it I you something fierce fierce really I do II I want you the way a little kid wants Ice itce the cream the cream the way a girl wants a new anew new Easter hat hat hat- Heavens Is it really as bad a as s that She tUrn turned d' d away Oh Hall really you know youre you're too ridiculous ridiculous ridiculous lous Sh Mh h. h Im I'm the clown with the dying baby all right I laugh and nd Joke jole while my heart Is breaking Lord Im I'm as us merry as a man with a broken leg I just plain want to malT marry you ou Carolyn that's all Is that so hard to understand understand under under- stand Try and get it through your our head will you I want to so bad that Im I'm making a fool of myself Why the deuce dont don't you laugh But Carolyn's smile had died She only nodded and shook hands with him lIim Say Hall youre you're all right she said blushing slightly Heavens I never thought you ou could do It like that and get away with It Come Conte over o here and sit down Well We'll talk it over Sh over Sh She led him to the couch He followed her with docility and sat down beside her Now she announced lets begin over again Im I'm not sure I get you I 1 had no idea you OU were really in earnest honest If you have anything Important important important tant to say to me Hall Ill I'll give you just five thee minutes of oC my valuable valuable valuable able time Dont tease me any more Carolyn Carolyn Caro Caro- lyn he Implored Give me my answer answer answer an an- Answer to what She stared at him wide eyed Oh I suppose you are so accustomed accustomed accustomed tomed to being proposed to that you OU forget about it the moment its it's over but really Carolyn Im I'm In earnest I want you ou This is the most Important thing that has ever happened to me If you dont don't accept me me-I me I dont don't know what Ill I'll do It will ruin me Carolyn will willoU you say yes say yes es She shook her head No Hall I wont Carolyn dont don't play with me please I wont won't take no for tor an answer I tell tellI I you Ive I've got to have you Dont Don't you care for me at all Carolyn Carolyn Caroln looked him over again and said Oh yes with a drawl Why shouldn't I Youre You're looking good and looking and clever clever and and oh h all sorts of oC things Yes I like you all right Oh dont don't guy me Carolyn Ive I've Motto Mot ot otto to know know immediately Dont Don't say no Trying to take me by storm eh No use use Hall old chap Hall jumped up scowling Then Its It's no 7 See Seo here Hall dont don't be silly Let me get my breath wont won't you Give me a little time to decide Really you know you are forcing it horribly How much time do you want How much do I get Till Till can can you make up your mind by tonight i Oh I say you are in a hurry If It I II cant can't then I suppose my option expires expires expires ex ex- I pires Oh dont don't take it that way way only only hang It I Just cant can't wait walt Carolyn rose and smoothed down her dress At midnight then then then-as as the clock in the old belfry beltry strikes the fatal fata ho hour r She Slie struck deOh de Oh not midnight midnight no no lets let's see see see- earlier than that that that-I I cant can't possibly wait 1 00 j 1 O S 1 t e f c cd d fl h V y J Jy r y If You Dont Don't Accept Me I Dont Don't Know What Ill I'll Do till midnight you know Some time In Inthe Inthe inthe the evening Youre You're coming to my party of course I suppose Ill I'll have to to bring my answer Yo You seem to want me t to do most of the work In this affair I Hall looked at her reproach reproachfully Cully Oh come now You know Ive I've got to tobe tobe tobo be bo here here Ive Ive I've Invited a lot of ot people All right then I shall run all the way with my hair down and jump Into your lap Hall and whisper Yes Yes or or orNo No or No or Yes She Sho accented the speech with an absurd gesture of or her forefinger I wish you'd take it a little more seriously Carolyn honestly I do I Itell Itell Itell tell you its it's a mighty serious thing to tome tome tome me He shook his head thoughtfully Wb Why it U will wUl change my whole life It will develop me mal make o me d do things gs I have never i done before It will wUl give me a thousand opportunities Ive I've always always always al al- al- al I ways wanted wanted- Carolyn laid her hand on his arm Walt Wait a minute please I she ahe said eald Ive always known I was wa's an awfully nice girl girland and ail ll that sort of thing of ot course but I didn't realize I was such sucha a mighty influence in your life lire Do you OU really think that if it you OU murr marry murry me its it's going to make maIm all aU that difference to you Why Vb Ill I'll be another person I Well We'll have a n glorious time Carolyn Well We'll travel and well we'll ehl go go- go Again she Interrupted him Sec See here Hall Ball I haven't any money 4 you I kl know OW that dont don't you I He lIe was properly indignant By I jove you dont don't think Im I'm that kind of a a. man man do you I dont don't care whether er you have or not lIe He waxed properly properly prop prop- erly heroic Goad Good Lord Carolyn do you think I would marry for money Well then I dont don't see see see- He looked looted about the studio fatuous ly Oh Ill I'll Ill I'll-I'll Ill I'll work voik hard you OU know linow Im I'm sure I can earn enough In fact I have splendid prospects Carolyn really really real real- I ly splendid She gave him another of her long cur curious ous glances through half closed lids You certainly are attractive this morning Hall Too darned attractive I 1 almost believe Ill I'll say yes after all aU But no no I must think it over o I dont don't want to be hypnotized you know Good Good-by Hall HaU Im I'm going For Por a scant moment she paused hesitating self self- conscious as she looked at him with an expression that was seldom seen seen on her face Cace Then she took his hand impulsively Oh Hall HaU dear dear I I thought it was all a n joke at first just first just your fooling fooling that's that's why I was so hor hor- rid But now now now- now nowThen Then as Hall HaU attempted attempted attempted at at- tempted to draw her nearer she sprang away once more proud and cynical Dont you be too sure of me though I may see the funny side of it ag again ln tonight By jove I dont don't see sec how I can wait walt till then he replied bravely encircling encircling encircling cling her waist Say Carolyn Carolyn Carolyn- His lips were almost upon hers hers hers- not quite She burst into laughter as she sprang away Oh no Hall nothing noth ing like that Ive I've got a long way to tog togo togo g go l my dear before Im I'm read ready for the hug You go to work and let me ponder well thee Then without waiting for an answer she floated out of oC the studio In the office she came face to face with Carolyn stopped and looked at her keenly Why Miss Fisher she said you ou ought to get some fresh tresh air know It You need a change Youre You're so pale Her intent was kind but buto butto butto to o poor Flodie who had waited In agony for tor her to leave It was She looked up with her white whiteface whiteface whiteface face still whiter Im so sorry I frightened you ou Flodie gave a a. sarcastic smile Carolyn stopped as as s If It a 1 woolly lamb had bitten her sh She looked Flodie up she looked Flodie down Then merrily she laugh laughe eEl Good for Cor you ou Always speak up litle lit lit- tie tle le one Be bright and pleasant It makes customers like you Flodie met her smile for smile Thank you so much And now would you mind telling me how to like like customers Carolyn laughed again Well she said I may not be a customer very long ong And then perhaps you'll like me Flodie bounced her fountain pen pend d down wn on the desk and Jumped up eyes snapping Into the studio she walked Hall lall was heading for the dark room she stopped him with a tragic Well What think he answered She wants to think It over too She didn't accept you ou reaH really really- Flodie Flo Flo- dill die gasped No took it as a joke Liked It It though hough What the purple deuce am I going to do He looked at his watch Here It is nearly eleven o'clock already al- al ready eady and nothing decided yet Why I even buy a ring At the word Flodie gave a sudden gasp and her hand flew to her heart Oh I wish I could help you she sighed He smiled patronizingly and nodded Yes I wish you could He started for Cor or the door of ot the dark room and paused aused You cant can't recommend an anyone anyone any any- one else can you Flodie If It I could only find someone who would say yes and have it over I could go right ahead She gave him such a look But the hopelessness of ot It U kept her dumb Down went her eyes to shut the tears out Flodie turned away pretending that hat it was absolutely necessary that the he Spanish chair be moved two Inches to o the right Say Flo you y u think up some way to beat heat this game will you With that Hall shut himself into the dark room Into the chair Flodie sank staring at space deep in thought Her fingers worked together nervously her brow was puckered How blind men were Deaf DeaC and dumb and blind and wit halfwit ed ted ted She could not offer herself herselt she loved oved him too well Oh Oh never until today oday did she realize how much Hall Halline ine meant nt to her Now to lose lose him him him oh oh it if f he be were really In love she might bear ear It but It-but but to have him to go like this look his look at everyone and not see her herIt herIt herit It It was insulting she insulting she felt numb at athe atthe atthe the he cheapness the degradation of ot It No o she was helpless the helpless the greater the opportunity the less could she avail herself of ot it But B wasn't there any anyway anyway anyway way of oC showing him she wondered couldn't she make him feel her Surely Surey Surely Sure Sure- ly y she couldn't amount to m much ch after all ill if H she had so little magnetism but buthe she he felt Celt drugged and helpless Her wits were going TO BE DE CONTINUED |
