Show LONI lovena f iy ay 41 1 TT irv illustrated 6 bacri RAY C ayr a ay y cnorr I 1 SYNOPSIS 5 hall halt Iloni stelle artist photographer rep 0 pares arca for the days work in tits hi studio U ie li in reminded by flodde fisher his a 11 ia ol of a party tie he Is to give in th h e studio that night and warned arned that his hi business Is I 1 in bad financial shape mr doreau us attorney torney and justice justlee of the peace ca call nat a and I 1 informs ITI that his aze uncle n ie i john 0 hn s will lilha has a left him on condition conditi 0 n th that a aw he marry before his awen wen I 1 ty eighth birthday which begins at mid night that night nigh mr rena no boalton alton calls eats at the tullo andrall and tall asks her to marry him at oner once she pars tor for t time ime b out ut an anally a ily agrees to give him an answer at the party that night miss carols carolin n dally dallys calls CHAPTER IV continued hall had gone into a momentary moment nry reverie in that daydream day dream be he had already lived three years with carolyn traveled abroad even to constantinople had seen her entertain grand dukes on his acht had fought two or thre duel duelm with offensive italian officers on her account they bad had rid den horseback up california canyons just now thoy they were back in new york there WAR was even a little hall doni boni atelle Il herol lerel wake apt he ile was suddenly jerked back into the present with carolyn now seated on a couch impatiently staring at him IN sal self consciously what a the matter with you halll liall aho she asked looking at him quo tl you got a hangover hang over or ay y thing have you I 1 think ou on doped he ile laughed nervously 1 I suppose you fascinate me carolyn she gave a whoop of joy me uncle she pointed inquiringly at her breast say hall old chap pass the molasses we women just eat it up you know knowl makes us fat tat I 1 need a lot of it exit bea headache dachel this was hopeless for hall he lie must get serious or there would be no managing a proposal or perhaps her manner gave him the cue she be more amenable to a humorous otter offer try itt eald said his intuition he ile walked up to her carolyn see here how would you like it it you thought id lain awake all last night thinking about you yes yea and the night before and all last week I 1 fine mel I 1 I 1 eel feel better already too good to ba b true though did you real ly lyt she bis his hair affectionately 1 I certainly did the fact Is carolyn im pretty deal erate about you carolan winked easy now easa 11 I 1 she said calmly right though I 1 ive cot got case of carolyn dallys good plenty ita its bogun begun to hurt girl ayou know it itt carolyn rose yawning oh well youre going to be silly hall liall I 1 id better be coins how ilow about the proofs a flyway I 1 proof proofs ae be darned youre not go ing not till I 1 settle this thing ahall I 1 bare my breast and let you give it the stroke smiling or do you prefer to administer an op opiate late he ile cropped the mock heroic peso so and took up the blunt sincere lie ile walked over to her and took her hand she had bad no objections whatever apparently tir ly I 1 caroley ita its an honest fact I 1 want you youl I 1 mr Bon latelle am I 1 really to understand der stand that you are proposing to me carolyn smilingly looked him lo 10 the eye oh I 1 suppose you think its a joke just because I 1 dont peak speak in blank verse 11 well ill I 1 it be darned I 1 I 1 belleve the mans ser loual she sad nothing for a caoru moru morvent ent nar nor rowing her eyes and looking at him with the same amused tolerant ston slon then she he spoke well hall it strikes me you must be pretty cure sure ot of me to do it in a two step like this why usually they crawl all over the carpet I 1 hall liall interrupted her oh dont Caro carolyn lynt please teabe don dont 1 j carolyn CAroly Ws face faco P you dont i ac tully meau mesa it honwyt she asked anxiously putting A hand ou on na arm mean itt why carolyn of conrat I 1 mean itt ill its no uee use I 1 cant can t make it theatrical you hare have a sense of humor ho bavo have L I 1 perhaps a girl ought to be entitled to a little fireworks arks on ucb such an occasion or even poetry arf tr it it you insist YO know but somehow ome how I 1 cant take my self so 0 o seriously she withdrew ir tur band frowning lob ob that mean that I 1 dont take seriously Cr carolyn rolyn or rather that I 1 don t want to 1 I 1 mean confound it im not conceited enough to oun convince vince myself that I 1 m even a little bit worth your while well then try to convince me why dont you 9 what I 1 im in trying to do giell lord carolyn n theres no use in your not believing you must believe ill it I 1 14 ant to you U goma fierce really I 1 do dot I 1 want you 1 the way ay a little kid ante wants ice fee cream the way a 6 girl irl wants a new ea ler ter hat bat heaven tv 1 it 11 really as bad an that she turned away oh hall really you know youre loo louel loust oh I 1 in in the clown wl with tee he drip baby bilby all right I 1 laugh and joke while lille my heart ib breaking luril lord III I 1 in as merry as a man alth ath a broken leg I 1 lust just plain want ant to marry ou carolyn caroln all la Is that a sj hard bard to under unde stand t try and get it through aur held will you I 1 want ant tj 1 l so bad that im 1 making afoot a fool of myself alythe hy tho deice dont you lat ai gh out but carolyn Ca a emile smile had died she only nodded and shook bands hands with urn him I 1 say hall youre all she bild blushing slightly I 1 heavens I 1 er thought you could do tt it like that and get a away ay A ith it come over here and bit sit down we 11 talk tt it over she led him to tub couch ho ile t followed her with docility and sat do down n beside her no now she announced lets begin over again I 1 in m not eure sure I 1 get you I 1 bud no idea you m were ere really in earnest honestly it if you have anything important to say any to nip DIP hall pall Doni Dont stelle atelle III give gie you just dve five minutes of 0 my clie aliko ilae time dont tease me any more carolyn he implored I 1 glye give me my an I 1 ana answer er to what she stared at him hira wide eyed I 1 ob oh I 1 suppose oa are so accas tomed to being proposed to that you forget about it the moment its over but really carolyn im in earnest I 1 want ant you this is the most important thing that baa bas ever happened to me it you don dont t accept me mo 1 I dont know what do it will ruin me carolyn will III you say yes yea she shook her bead head no hall I 1 won t carolyn don t play with me please I 1 wont won t take no tor for an answer I 1 tell you ive got to have you don t care tor for me at all carolyn carolyn looked him over ever again and said ob oh ex with a drawl why IT you re ro good looking and clever and oh all sorts of things yea I 1 like you all right I 1 oh dont bu me carolyn ive got ot to know immediately lont say not trying to take me by storm eh no use hall old chapt hall liall jumped up scowling then its it DO nol see here hall dont be silly let mo me get my breath wont ont you give me we a little time to decide really you know you are forcing it horribly how ilow much time do you how much do I 1 get gelt till can you make up your mind by tonight oh I 1 eay may ca are in a aurryl J I 1 cant then I 1 u ry MY option expires oil oh dont take it that way only hang it U I 1 just cant wait carolyn rose and smoothed down oer ber dress at wid midnight night then as the lock in the olo ol 01 belfry strikes the fatal hour she an attitude oh not rot midnight no let a see earlier than that I 1 can t possibly wall wait an famat 0 0 if tau eu dont accept me I 1 dont know what ill oa till midnight you know some tame in the evening youre youra coming to my party of course 11 1 I suppose ill III hare have to to bring brins my answer you seem to want me to do most of the ibe work ork in thie this affair hall nall looked at her reproachfully i oh ob come bowl now you know I 1 ve got to bo be he invited a lot of people all right then I 1 thai I 1 run all the ay ry with my hair down and jump into our nour lap hall and whisper ves or no or ype yea she accented the speech with an absum gesture of 0 her forefinger 1 I wish tako ak it a little more seriously carolyn CAr olyo ho honestly hon oatly I 1 do I 1 tell you ite its a mighty serious thing to met ite lie shook his bead head thoughtfully hy it will change my whole lafel it will develop me make me do dohl icings I 1 have never done before I 1 it will give me a thousand opportunities I 1 iva away wanted caroln carol n laid her hand on hie his arm walt wait a min minute tite pl please easel she said I 1 ve aln always a a kno known n I 1 wa was an awfully a fully nice girl and all that sort ot of thing of course but I 1 didn dian t realize I 1 was nas such 1 mighty influence in your life do you really think that it you marry me it a going to make all that difference to you hy by III be another person I 1 well we 11 have a glorious time tinie carolil carol nl ell travel and well ell go again she interrupted him see here hall I 1 any money you know that ilon don t yota he lie was vias properly indignant dy BY jove you don dont t think I 1 im in that kind ot of a man do youl you I 1 I 1 dou don t care cheth er you have or not he lie waxed properly heroic good lord carolyn do you think I 1 would marry tor for money well then I 1 dont see lie ile looked about the fatuous ly I 1 oh nark bard hard you know I 1 in sure I 1 can earn enough in tact fact I 1 have splendid prospects carolyn real ly splendido she gave him another of her long curious glances through halt half closed lids you certainly are attractive his morning hall too darned attract attractive lyel I 1 I 1 almost believe III eay may yea y es atter after all still but no I 1 must think it as er I 1 don dont t want to be hypnotized you know good by hall I 1 in olac for a scant moment ehe she paused hesitating self conscious as ehe she looked at him with an expression that as seldom een seen on her face ace then she took bis his hand impulsively I 1 oh hall tall dear I 1 thought it as all a joke at first jurl jutt your fooling why I 1 was as so horrid dut but now taen tam as hall liall attempted to draw her ler nearer sprang away WARY once more proud and cynical dont vou be too sure of 0 me thought I 1 may eee see the tunny funny tide ride of it again dy BY jove I 1 dont see how I 1 can wait till then he replied bravely encircling her waist I 1 say carolyn carolynp P his ilia lips were almost upon hers not quite bhe she burst into laughter as she sprang away oh no DO hall liall noth ing like that ivo ive got a long way to go my dear before im ready for the bunny hug bust you go to work and let me ponder fare thee belll then without waiting tor for an answer she floated out ot of the studio in the office she came face to face fact with mith biodle carolyn stopped and boded at her keenly why miss illas fisher she said you ought to get some fresh air ayou know III it you need a change youre so pale her iler intent was kind but to poor F lodle who had waited in agony for her to leave tt it was infuriating she looked up with her white face still whiter im so sorry I 1 frightened youl you I 1 flexile rave a sarcastic mile ismile carolyn stopped as surprised as if it a woolly lamb had bad bitten her she looked flodde up she looked flodde down don tien merrily she laughe good tor for youl always speak up little onel be bright and pleasant it makee makes customers buot omers like flodde met her smile for aal smile 19 thank yog you so and now would you mind tellice me we bow how to like customer customers carolyn laughed again well seq be eald said 1 I mar may not be a customer very ang lens and then perhaps you 11 like inel met flodde bounced her fountain pen down on the deak desk and jumped up eyes snap into the studio she walked hall was heading for the dark room she he stopped hint with a tragic I 1 wh t ayou think 1 he answered she wanta wants to think it over tool she dida t accept you really t flodie gasped I 1 no too tool 1 it as a joke liked it though what the purple deuce am I 1 going to dot he lie looked at hie his watch hero it ie to nearly eleven al at ready and nothing decided yett why I 1 barent even bay bar a ringi at the word flodde fave lave a sudden gasp and her ber hand fler fleir to her heart oh I 1 with wish I 1 could help youl ehe she sighed II 11 j smiled patronizingly and nodded yea I 1 wish you he ile started for the door of the dark room and paused you can cant t recommend any one else can you alodio it I 1 could only find someone who bov would id say may yea and have it over cover I 1 could go richt ahead bho gave him euch such a looka bit it the hopelessness of it hept her dumb down went her oye eyes to shut the tears cut ow 1 flodde turned away pretending that it waa was absolutely necessary that the spanish chair be moved two inches to the right say sar to you think up come some way to beat thia this game will you with that hall hut shut himself into the dark room into the chair flodde sank bearing at deep in thought her tier finger fingers forked together nervously ner roudy her brow was puckered how ilow collad men deaf and dumb and blind and half balt alt it she could not offer herself she he 1 him too well ob oh never until today did she realize how much hall meant to her herl now to lose him himoe oh if he were really in love ahe she might ber bear it but to have him to go like this took at everyone and ond not tee see her it was insulting she felt numb at the cheap cheapness nese the degradation of it no ahe she waa was helpless help leee the greater the opportunity the tho lees legs could ahe she aval avail herself of it dirt aunt there here any ny way of bowing showing him he wondered ehe she wake him feel feet hert her surely su ehe she could let amount to much after all if it she had 0 o little magnet lem but she ih felt drugged and helpless her tier wit wits were going TO BB ur CONTINUED |