Show I The The Mile Half-Mile Walk B By BIar Mary Ix s. The mile half-mile walk leading from Colonel Lees Lee's spacious lawn through stretches of sand sanI and patches o of salt IO marsh mar to the pl pier r had been theirs ex- ex cl since Ted red had ma made e that astoundinG as- as statement to Jack Jacl Langley and anel Miss 1158 Cannon h ts t's the tine matter Teddy got a achill achill ahill chill hill What hat woe wo eth thee Langley had queried when the tine two couples coupes met at the tine junction of or the tine walk valk an and and- narrow pier iier Winter weathers weather on rest New responsibilities always h heavily Tc fed l had mad coolly replied The Tho truth ruth I is you ou appeared at an Inopportune tune une time Miss 1195 Deborah bending toward oward that young oun lad lady with unusual grave dof deference has just promised to tobe tobo too bo be o m my wife Ife Now where I is tho use of or keeping it he remonstrated d dropping back Into his customary de- de courtesy y so completely that refutation lied died on her lips through heer sheer amazement I asked if it you'd oud have e me and didn't you ou say sure ure 1 ho hu demanded demanded de de- he- he in extenuation when Langley his lis hasty felicitations exhausted had mad him himself ulf and his calmly smiling quietly curious companion In Inn these days das of ot slang I if that is Js not equivalent to to tine the meanest thing youve you've ever over donoh clono And before Miss 1 Cannon Miss lIss Deborah was at white heat In Inn tense tene ense pallor had succeeded the tine first t laming laming- In men her cheeks choele Theres a limit to all things with the sole Role exception exception ex ex- of a practical jol jokers joker's ers er's folly oily How low you'll explain this prank to the Lees is beyond me The give explanations IndicatInG indicatIng InG ng b by a a backward nod the disappearing disappear disappear- Ing ng couple Well Vell accept congratulations lations Our bridges arc are burned burnell fast enough b by this time You'll have to stop trIlling trifling now Trifling she sine jeered your monopoly Im entirely serious always alwa's wad was Tho fine gods deliver mo me if you ou call any iny of or the last half haIr dozen a sample of seriousness There have been only so many all told That second time should have satisfied aU fied tho tIne vanity of ot an any summer girl firl I 1 I fairy fair Gro grovelled It lOll was simp simply summer summer- foil folly in a anew anew new guise Lifes Life's training ing begun with your rude rudo awakening made it impossible to read your agony In any other light Had you OU not deemed deem mn ed eel It expedient to explain to schoolgirl schoolgirl school school- girl innocence that veiled Implications II and fulsome flattery did not necessarily necessarily I mean a proposal of marriage o I might have credited your our sincerity Oh drop It he growled vely Ively I was a cad Ive I've acknowledged ed cd it times without number Since y you u refused what did lid it matter As Aso Asto Asto to o trifling I T ceased cease forthwith making love love- promiscuously My II time and alid devotion devotion de de- de- de have been yours ours er ever since you OU read me that lesson Rather Rathen Im I'm still engaged in that bitterest of all school school- hIg ings 3 Ive I've not s er a alair's lairs hairs breadth In five years m my devotion devotion devotion de de- de- de Is Ls know of or all nU men Seems to tome tomo tono no mo that might atone Besides you have dallied with your own wish long enough No use denying it else why you marry marn Camden or Do De Long or any of your youn other followers Ive I've o outlived In your yoUr our regard Say Soy what you rou OU will Ive I've made It possible for tor you to love hove tho the other fellows vs It isn't absolutely incumbent that I should love any man It is Incumbent nt that you OU meet tho the question squarely It It would be bo a misfit misfit tine the question ques que Ug tion 11 has so many n-many shapes shape an and fi on sine she 1 scoffed Her H eyes op opened I wide vide like hike a startled lId chills a n little I trick she sine hind hall under stress as bending bend bend- ing lug forward he Inc grasped her shoulder l' l with Ith some somo force fOlce His face was lIk like as us he Inc retorted grimly tent t- t ent oft I love your youn 11 0 impudence in a as con I lo lot t r e every other othen wilful trait about abouL you ou But Hut now mow Im I'm desperate This Tinis I Is the la last t time My Iy dear deal Teddy feddy force of habit H Iq Htoo too strong I shall shull be refusing ing your proposals for years yem'S to come she sIne flouted releasing herself by a vigorous vigor Igo ous mo em movement nt In un the meantime I 1 decline to sacrifice my new Hew foulard fouland to the tho present excitement It looks decidedly de do- cl squally squall and anil a winters winter's ls squall is a most unpleasant lIlt foe to good looks and ami complacency Grappling against a suffocating sense of defeat he stalked utter curiously l conscious of oC setting his i determination to the indignant nant strokes o of 01 her hen firm heels on the tInt planking They had been loitering on the tine half- half mile walk valk when hein It happened and ond the tine savored oll of manner mannel of the tine happening those preceding l with two possible po exceptions ex ex- standing out unique in un their separate ways was Sinco Since that dreadful first time she had never been sure suie of his sincerity She had hod a shaky slinky notion notion no no- tion ion that mat ho was waR only teasing Coupled wIth her personal distrust ho had acquired as a practical Joker a most deadly Innocent facility for leading his victims up to n a certain point and dropping Ih them m flat The simple truth to told lei with a 0 peculiarly inscrutable and arid baffling smile met with Invariable discredit while he lie might deal out the tine most outrageous gag to one ono or 01 a dozen unsuspecting credulous s creatures who swallowed the bluff and ensuing chagrin with affection and confidence e. c That there was sel seldom om rancor or on venom venom ven vein om em in his f made him him al alays alwa's always al- al ways was lovable easily foi forgiven given But Bul tints this one girl gin small darK dank piquant with her vaunted distrust was as a veritable vent vent- able thorn in inn tho ho flesh llesh realizing as he did his complicity in establishing men her unbelief A 4 sudden fur fury enveloped him as he remembered how lon long and ly he had loved her mar Pra Pray do tell me how you expect to extricate yourself she hung ilung back presently Explanations are arc due In about two minutes Engagements En require congratulations never lions never explanations he retort retort- e ed baffled rage rago giving way to an equally equall intense and fervid resolution to win vin out this time She turned to him resentful Impotent impotent Impo impo- tent manifestly impressed h by this un un- un of heard when time the wind wind- squall swooped s upon them thurn After the first battling with the furious element clement Deborah thrusting aside asido his Involuntary tar tary a assistance grasped her hel obstreperous ous skirts with one hand inand and her careeninG hat hint with tho the other and I tied toward the house In Iii full view of the party house on tho the venda sho she faced aced about once after more casting ono calculating glance at the cold rain I sweeping across the tho river rl front Out of her storm stormy face her eyes I sought ht but found no sign of or yielding in his nis stern face and attitude So be It then panting defiance against the buffeting wind Since Ince you won Wont ont t retract i J why whY neither shall Their eyes eos met fused fuse unto Into one gleam into Instant vital Hal understand ing and capitulation After years of oC I longing he would woul have taken talen her greedily Into his aching arms In the I face tace of oC the tine storm and people had sine she not with mocking intuition evaded both himself and the first great Gleat drops by b turning to meet assembled hosts and fellow ow guests with an nn assumption of ot dignity and amI calm that was InS ing to poor pOOI Ted |