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Show M (Copyright. 1!I0S. by Pally Story Tub. Co.) M Miss Courtwrlght stood looking H down tho roso-bordored walk toward m tlio whlto road. She liumrocd a llttlo H tuno and tapped her whlto clad foot H In accompaniment. M For tho first tlmo since her mother's H death, throo years ago, sho bad taken H off her plain black dross, and to-dny H sho was all In filmy whlto in honor of B ' Billy's coming. Sho was thinking of fl Billy as sho stood thoro, of bis fresh, H boyish enthusiasm, his Invigorating H personality and his lore for her H which novor scorned to chango, nl- m though sho had told htm ovcry dun- H day for weeks that ho was not tho H kind of a man sho could marry. H And after thin, dash of cold wator, H Billy would look very thoughtful for B fully thirty mlnutos. H They had known each other for al- H most fi'.o years. Billy had met hor H nbroaj when sho hnd been traveling m with her mother, and tho tender, frn- fl gilo llttlo mother had bcon complete- H ly won by BIlly'H smile. H As for Billy, "I novor know what my M mother was like," ho said to her onco, H "but sho must bavo been just llko B Thoy had been so much to each J othor, this mother and daughter, and J nlnco tho mother' death Billy had H never missed spending his Sundays In tho llttlo town whero Mrs. Court- wrlght had died and whero her daugh- B tor lived. Ho realized how lonoly tho girl must be, and although sno would not admit it horsolf, tho lmprcsslvo Btlllnoss of tho big houso was very trytnc at times. B To-day was ono of thosa ported BBV' ' days In Juno and Miss Courtwrlght, as BB sho stood In tho door was glad, In a BB vague sort of way, to bo nllvo. BB "Dear Billy," bIio mused tenderly to BB herself, "I wonder why ho doesn't BB marry somo swoot dimpled llttlo girl BB and loavo mo to enjoy my spinster BB hood in peace." But tho smllo dlod BB out ot her eyes at tho .hougnt It was BB uscloss to deny that Sundny was tho BB brightest day In tho wcok to her, and BB tho last fow Sundays especially had BB becomo very delightful momorlos. BB OC'.tld sho ovor forgot tho tlmo thoy BPv had broken tho Sacbatn uy fishing In J tho big lnko behind tho houso, hor wild u i excitement when sho had first folt a L. t, tug at hor lino; Iiok tuoy had worked I to land tho big- fish, and how dirty nnd BjmJ wet nul happy thoy both had bcenl BB Sho had told him that day, as sho had BB for many weeks past, that sho hnd no BB intention of marrying him and BB ho had rcspondod, ns was customary, BB that ho would not mention tho subject BB BB l'lnally Miss Courtwrlght oponcd tho BB screen door nnd moved with a slow BB craca out on tho porch. A tall young BB man In whlto flnnnoU was coming up BB tho walk. Bfl "Why, nilly, you're late," exclaimed BBs his hostess, gayly. "But bolter lato I an" BH Hummed a little tune. BH than never. Shall wo sit hero or go H down by tho lakoT" BH 'Tho lako for me," answered Billy. HB Then carnostly, "I want to talk to you, BBi IMlth. I bavo something to tell you." BBV Thli was his usual boglnnlng. Miss BB Courtwrlght sighed In mock rcslgna- BB BH; "Again," tho quorlod gently, "I BBf thought you wcro novor to Bpeak of BBf. that subject." BH, Billy's face flushed slightly At her BBlO words. "I am net going to speak of BBJ ' hat subject," ho said, slowly, as they KM' kai down an the rocks by tho wator KBJ "over again." Ho was watching hor BBJ i () face Intnutly aa ho !ce. "I tmve H H" BBBBH mm r " Bbbl- mot a girl at last who will take your placo In my heart and I nm going to lovo her always and try and make her happy. I wanted to be first to tell you this, wo hava always bcon such closo friends, I nccr ImaglmJ I could want any ono clso for my wlfo. But, you soc, it's all so useless my oxpectlng you to lovo me, nnd I think my luturo wlfo cares for mo moro than I am worthy of. Sho Is ono of God's best works, a sweet, straightforward girl," and Billy bared his young head reverently. rever-ently. Miss Courtwrlght absent gazo wbb fixed on tho sparkling wntor, sho (117 m Mmm wm gM y "I know I shall love her dearly." scorned intensoly Interested In study-lug study-lug its bluo dopths. Aftor a fow mlnutos sho tumod her clear gray eyes on Billy and smiled her slow, understanding smllo. "I'm glad, Billy," sho said, simply, "and I know you will be hnppy." If thoro was it nolo of sadness In hor volco Billy did not seem to notlco it. "Toll mo nil about her," sho continued, con-tinued, "for I want to know somo-thing somo-thing ot tho girl who Is to bo your wlfo." Thus encouraged, Billy began an enthusiastic description, and Miss Courtwrlght listened, still with a far-off far-off look In bur eyes. "Sho Is beautiful." he said, vaguely, "and dark haired and altogothor ador-nblo." ador-nblo." "Tall," asked Miss Courtwrlght, whoso glorious hair was tho color ot ripo wheat. "No, short and plump and dimpled," replied tho enraptured Billy. "I hnto dimples." Quickly decided Miss Courtwrlght to herself. But aloud, "I know I chall lovo hor dearly." Suddonly ho pullod out his watch, and startod to his ocl. "I must hurry hur-ry off," ho announced. "It's too bad, but I have an Important engagement In town and cannot stay to tea." Ho shook hands hurriodly and wont swiftly up tho path nnd was lost to Miss Courtwrlght's watching oyoc. About nn hour later Miss Courtwrlght Court-wrlght made her way to tho houso and up tho stairs to her room; sho wont strulght to hor full longth mirror mir-ror and examined herself with unflinching un-flinching gray eyes. Did It show in hor face, sho wondered, all ot hor that had lived and dlod within tho last hour. "You fool," sho said to tho girl In th6 glass, "you uttor, uttor fool." jwly Bho unfastenod the whlto gc n and lot It slip to tho floor, and from hor wardrobe sho took a slmplo black dimity. Thoro was a cynical llttlo smllo on hor lips. "Ho didn't ovon nionhon my whlto dross," ah s murmured. "I guoss that girl wears bright blues and glaring pinks. Oh, how I hnto her, I do hato hor. How could Billy do ItT But it makes no dlfforonco to mo." And Miss Courtwrlght powdorod hor nose, brushed u; a fow stray tendrils ot hair and went down to partako ot hor cozy llttlo tea on tho porch, telling horsolf, vory emphatically, that sho was nullo happy. Sho repeated tho apparently obvious assertion mora than once during tbu courso ot hor solitary meal. And then alt at onco whllo tho twilight twi-light foil Miss Courtwrlght found horsolf hor-solf sobbing quietly. "Billy," sho said, brokenly, longingly, longing-ly, "I lovo ypu, didn't you know, dear, t low bu, now that It Is too late." And forgetting how happy sho was, iMibH i,ouriwngu(. hid hir..faco iu n convenient sofa pillow and cried In a hearty unaffected way, much in hor own disgust. For tho second tlmo In her young Hfo Miss Courtwrlght was genuinely, supremely miserable, Sho did not see tho conscience-stricken conscience-stricken Billy as ho emerged from out of tho shadows in tho garden. Sho did not know of tho rndlanco In his face, but suddenly sho felt his arms about her. "Dnr llttlo girl," ho told hor, whllo ho kissed her tear-stained fnco, "it Isn't too late, it's never too late to mend." About thirty mlnutos later Edith lifted her head from Billy's whlto flannel flan-nel shoulder and looked up anxiously Into his eyes. "Tho othor girl, tho ono who had taketi my plncoT" sho asked, weakly. "Doesn't exist," said Billy, promptly. "Sho was only a bluff," and ho klssco her on the mouth. |
