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Show ,. r -f -r -f -r -r -r r j A MIDNIGHT TEST J I; By LYDIA LION R03ERTS. see . 1921, by McClure Newspaper Syndicate. "Is It because of someone else?" asked Austin, his gray eyes soberly watching the troubled face of the girl sitting opposite him. "Honestly, I don't know," Insisted Constance, her brown eyes lifted to his wistful, searching gaze. "I just don't feel sure, Austin, and I canuot go any further until I do." "You have changed since George Drew came into our set," pondered the young man, and started as a flush covered the small, piquant face of his sweetheart. "Has he did he " Austin stammered, stam-mered, and waited. "Listen, Austin ; I have always liked you better than anyone and thought once well, I thought I should know just what to answer you when the time came. But now I have answered an-swered you I do not know." "Constance, I know you love me ; you are disturbed by by the other one because he Is different. He is jolly where I am quiet, he is teasing and full of high spirits where I am just patient and persevering. Yet you rely on my. strength." Constance smiled slightly at the memory of the days of curls nnd many troubles that Austin had Smoothed away for her. "It's all right, comrade, think It over and let me know as sotra as you can. It isn't much fun watching your best girl being vamped by another male star." "Oh dear! I'm so sorry, Austin, you are so good to me that I feel like a wretch, but I can't decide yet. Mother and I are going to New York tomorrow night to stay a few days while dad finishes his business. Perhaps Per-haps I'll know. . . . How does one ever know enough to be sure for years and years? But I'll try." Austin said good-by cheerfully, but his heart was heavy as he walked back to his home. Over and over through the next day Constance tried to decide her problem. "I wish I had never seen George," she thought, "and then I would have married Austin." She was glad when it was time to go on the boat, for "maybe distance will help" was her last thought before she drifted to sleep with the swish of the ocean and the throb of the engines en-gines as music to her ears. Out of a sound sleep she heard a voice calling her name and woke startled star-tled to find her mother clinging to the berth In fright and pain. "One of my heart attacks, Constance, Con-stance, hurry," she gasped, and the girl tumbled out of bed and hastily gave the medicine, making her mother as comfortable as possible. An hour passed, with Constance watching every ev-ery breath "and giving medicine at Intervals. In-tervals. Slowly the breath came a little easier and finally her mother spoke. "Just as soon as I can get up let us go on deck," she pleaded. "I am stifled here." Constance looked at her watch as she carefully aided her mother's shaky footsteps through the boat to the deck. They took chairs and leaned back In a secluded corner, utterly alone. Soon her mother slept and Constance relaxed re-laxed a little. She looked across the black, restless water and suddenly she thought of the miles that separated her from home. "I might never see It again," she murmured. "I might never see the merry face of George or the quiet strength of Austin. I might never marry either one the problem would be solved. No I I must see him I couldn't bear it I must go to him and hear him speak." She leaned forward, straining her eyes to look across the spaces. "Oh, If he were only here now I Why, how simple It is after all It Is the one you turn to when there's danger or sorrow, it's the one you love so much that you feel as big as the sky and the ocean. How silly of me not to know before It Is a sure way." . In the early mail a letter sped straight to the office of a young man, who sat down suddenly and exclaimed, "Thank the fates !" when he read It, while his eyes sparkled and his mouth creased in one large, long smile. He read again the magic words, "Take a girl and put her on a boat when she has been frightened by the sickness of a dear one ; put a dark, huge sky above, and a tossing, black ocean below, have the girl miles away from anyone she knows, utterly alone and at midnight. Result the girl will know who is the only one she can love till the stars grow cold." A few days later the doorbell rang nnd Constance hurried to the door of her aunt's house, where she was staying stay-ing with her mother. Two eager arms seized her and two eyes looked deep Into her heart as she spoke her surprise. sur-prise. "Oh, I wanted you to come! And let's never be separated again, Austin Aus-tin !" |