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Show 'ggawgg ., ' - ggSE5B By NORMA. KNIGHT ,hs noM-s-M"!!! Co. V y -r" CHAPTER X il0riv sensible thing Ii,e assured herd's her-d's charming man, l masked nothing mnsport her entire I horae and spend the ;;ife making everybody .,,1S almost upon them. : home for Christmas ;wjy,u llttle son- . Christmas- coated with lee, or .'".ihqIi" the girl thought. J! xonths till spring. ; ,psig his job again hole settling down , r;st of her life. The Oh, me!. I Just can't wing chair though Ben eyed the sofa n little wistfully. "Did you have a busy day In the shop?" he asked. "Very busy. The holiday trnde is getting into full swing. Next week we'll have to keep open nights." She wished he'd hurry and get it over with. The suspense of being be-ing proposed to was, she discovered, most unpleasant. "I've enjoyed my visit to Denver," he remarked. "It's the first holiday I've taken In three years. I'd like to drive across the Divide." "It's interesting," she assented. 'Terhaps I'll come back next spring." Ah, now he was approaching his subject. Cynthia sighed a little. She wished he'd forego the preliminaries prelim-inaries and get to the most important impor-tant part of the Interview. But apparently he decided to at- uTMirra see Tenny and to make arrangements arrange-ments for her care while they were gone. "While they are gone?" It was Ben Sutton's surprised voice. "You mean to say they won't take the child with them?" Cynthia In her turn looked surprised. sur-prised. "To India? Why, It would be the ruin of Tenny's health. Mr. Montague knows better than that" "But" he was genuinely puzzled "does he expect you to make arrangements ar-rangements for her school?" "School? What school?" "If her father doesn't take her with him she'll have to be put In a boarding school, won't she?" At that Tenny gave a cry of anguish an-guish and ran to Cynthia, clutching her madly, shaking from head to foot. Cynthia soothed her with hand and voice. "There, darling, there! Mr. Sutton Sut-ton just doesn't understand, that's By then Tenny'U be older, she can bear the separation from me better" bet-ter" A stubborn look settled about Ma mouth. "The separation Is going to be at once, Cynthia. I'll put off going go-ing back to New York until this Mr. Montague comes, and I'll explain ex-plain to him that you and I are to be married in April and he must make arrangements for his child now " For almost an hour the discussion discus-sion went on. Ben was patient, tolerant, tol-erant, but unyielding. At the end of the hour Cynthia handed him back his ring with the brief announcement an-nouncement that if It came to choosing choos-ing between Tenny's health and happiness for the next two years and marrying him, she chose Tenny. If she had expected this announcement an-nouncement to move Ben from his position she was disappointed. "You're showing me a side of vour all." But Tenny was beyond reasoning with. With a child's unerring Instinct In-stinct she had caught Sutton's real meaning. Cynthia was going to live with him, and he didn't want Tenny to come, too ! Cynthia bent over her distressfully. "Tenny Can't you trust Cynthia? Tenny, darling " It was Geoff who came to the rescue. res-cue. He picked Tenny up bodily and carried her into the parlor. "Now listen, Tenny! You're not going to a boarding school, do you get that? Not under any circumstances circum-stances !" She flung her arms about his neck, bedewing his collar with her tears. "Cynthia promised Cynthia promised," prom-ised," she sobbed. "Tf rivnthin nrnmised. then vou're nature that I haven't seen before," he said. "Cynthia, my dear!" His eyes softened and he took a step toward to-ward her. "I do love you, even If I can't let you have your way In this. It's impossible for us to take the child." "I know." She gave a quick nod. She was a little breathless as though she'd escaped from some unknown un-known danger. "It's all right, Ben. It's much, much better to have found this out than to wait until we were married. Why I'd even planned to send Benjy and. Tenny to dancing school together; to give him the responsibility of being a brother to her." His mouth set again. "But I couldn't allow Benjy " "Of course you couldn't! That's just what I'm saying. Isn't it lucky we found out how we both feel? I . ; own room and ".,' went to the closet, . 'its doors. There was . '(hiifon with the trans-; trans-; (tills at the neck and led sleeves. She had - -I dress up for a song .'iShe had a good time Pwi it to the Leigh-', Leigh-', (or the New York nov-' nov-' -rued out Ben knew him " batted cordially of night 4 Beaux Arts party, and British actress whom Wb met Cynthia had :' with Ben that night 7& the mink collar of a "; , If she married Ben in :jjnext winter she would :ie a sable coat. Sables ice of her dreams. Ex- -i might be a trifle vul- ha r-in rrnrrranne T tack from another angle. "Benjy sent you his love In the letter I got today, Cynthia." "He's a dear little boy," she answered an-swered warmly. And then all at once Ben hurled himself on to his subject. "Benjy needs a mother, Cynthia, and I need a wife. Could you could you give me your answer tonight?" After that things blurred for her. She must have told Ben what he wanted to hear because he sprang from his seat and took her In his arms. She remembered that his lips felt very queer on her own, that she turned her head when he tried to kiss her again. "Not now," she stammered. "L-let me get a little used to you, Ben !" They stayed In the library for hours, planning. At least Ben told must go to Tenny now. She wont be fit to go to school today after all that crying." She opened the door and slipped out, nor turned to give him a backward glance as she went In search of Tenny. She found the child asleep In Geoff's arms, completely exhausted with her recent emotion. Cynthia's heart beat a little faster as she stood there looking at the two. Tenny's arms were still clasped about Geoff's neck, his lips touched her hair. Her relaxed little body rested against htm trustfully. Once she sighed and murmured: "You promised, Geoff!" and he said clearly: clear-ly: "I promised, Tenny!" and she sank back into tired slumber. CHAPTER XI Christmas. THE Christmas rush was on In earnest. The extra clerk Cyn- all right," he assured her. "She's never broken a promise yet, has she? And here's mine to add to hers. You'll go to a boardipg school only over my dead body ! You see," he went on conversationally, "I've been In 'em myself and I know what they're like. All right for children chil-dren that haven't any. fathers or Cynthias or Geoffs, but utterly out of the question for you." Her thin arms held him In a strangling embrace. "Ifif Cynthia goes to live with with Mr. Sutton you you'll keep me with you?" He took her face between his hands and looked straight Into her eyes. "I give you my word of honor I will, Tenny!" Meanwhile Ben had touched Cynthia's Cyn-thia's arm and motioned with his head toward the library. "Shall we go in there and talk 'at all selfishness," she :,- conscience. "It's partly ;'niia and the Captain li, a great deal for Ben . 3e needs me. Benjy needs t :jM for a little boy to jjhont any mother. He I:; would make the nicest I !or each other regular d sister. And If" But ae she could not finish own thoughts. She :ine Ben Sutton as an band, as a devoted son aa and the Captain, as 0 Benjy and Tenny. She (J, farther. , .make np her mind. Ben !Ctl e day after next and she jjjl -. he meant to ask her to . matter, one way or an-IDw an-IDw --re he went She even g! j he meant to ask her. her what he had planned and she agreed. It turned out that it was April tenth and not May first that was to be her wedding day. Also It seemed that Ben had taken a chance on her accepting him ; taken it even before he left New York. He took a little velvet box from his pocket and with a tender smile opened It and showed her the enormous enor-mous diamond within. "But what If I'd refused you, j Ben?" she asked. "I'd have flung it out of the train window going home," he said. That pleased her, but her approval was short lived for he added thoughtfully thought-fully : "I might have . saved it and given it to Benjy for his wife!" Everything was decided when they left the library. The gift shop was to be sold at once. Cary and Flossie were to come East directly after Christmas. "I've exactly the - auuiueny luiuu. tus ue- j ;a everything beforehand - stick to the last detail of 'E was the only un- prj. 'ii8 about him, Cynthia 51' y known It, this trait an-Tit an-Tit -iia. She had a child's -unexpected. The neces- of the shop had ac-i ac-i : Instead of destroying this &i '-'eral times she and her 'ad clashed politely - engagement she wished 5 ;md to which he adhered j 5 Punctuality. i M not admit that she con-i con-i 'is characteristic of Ben's Y Jigay: "Let's throw over ;'tj ' tos we've made for to- :i something else! How -"" ':h to Colorado Springs r! dinner there? I feel like right opening for the boy. Everything was settled, so Cynthia Cyn-thia raised her face dutifully for a good-night kiss and went soberly to Ded- , . . Geoff came In just as she reached the top of the stairs. The light from the npper hall caught the diamond on her hand and threw it back In a hundred rays of red and green, i Cynthia carried Geoffs haggard face into her room and it haunted her dreams. The next day would Cynthia ever live long enough to forget the next day? She thought not. It began with the sight of her ring at breakfast. Tenny asked her where she got It. Miss Nona took her daughter into a tearful embrace, em-brace, kissed Ben warmly. The Cap.-iu, Cap.-iu, o i-toinir sun ana this over?" She followed him, almost as excited ex-cited and frightened as Tenny. It had never entered her mind that Ben might consider he was acquiring acquir-ing a family quite large enough without adding this child. But to let Tenny go! Cynthia said, and honestly believed, that she could think no more of the child If she were her own. Somehow those months of battling with the disease which threatened the frail body had seemed to make her Cynthia's Cyn-thia's She saw now how false was the security in which she had rested rest-ed Anything might threaten it: Mr Montague's remarriage, her own prospective one, a return of the lung condition which had so frightened fright-ened them when Tenny first came "Ben, you wouldn't wouldn t let her stay with us?" thia had engaged to help while Ben Sutton was In Denver stayed on. Cynthia, busy with a querulous woman heard a familiar voice behind be-hind her. "Certainly, madam! This is genuine gen-uine Sandwich glass, priced this low for today only. Two plates? I doubt if we can break the set, but I'll inquire. Rather a pity not to take the six, don't you think? So few people own six Sandwich glass plates. Ah! I think you're very wise, madam! Thank you I" She deserted the querulous woman wom-an and came quickly to him. "Geoff Ensloe, what are you doing do-ing here?" "Selling Christmas goods," he said serenely. "Please go home, Geoff. You re not needed here." "You never were more mistaken 1 'wed these impromptu ; offered just the re-J re-J kind of foolishness she "'her week's grind in the -" Sutton was horrified at 18 things. "Sorry, but 2 I have other plans," he evening after dinner. .I Cynthia very formally A J- tt"g, " she misht see nlm ; IT. l ibrary. She assented, M: "We Inwardly. It sa-,7 sa-,7 of a rite, this pre-, pre-, ."Wview. why couldn't ber last night in the home from the dance? :lt be have slipped an 3 a 7 and sai3, offhanded- 1 .,' t0 give me my answer, tain Deameu imc --pumped --pumped the easterner's hand. Cary looked more startled than pleased and Flossie said nothing at all. Geoff ' To Cynthia's stupefaction Geoff was quite cheerful this morning. It was true that he looked as if he had not slept, that he avoided her eyes when he spoke to her; but his congratulations to Ben were apparently ap-parently sincere; he wished the gUl every happiness In a voice that did not tremble. Had he thought the matter over and decided to make the best of it? Cynthia caught herself up the implication of that thought reached her. What reason had she to believe that her engagement to Ben Sutton or any other man mattered mat-tered to Geoff save as a subject of "Cynthia, dear-think i xeun, nothing to me-cannot be very much tt)ol though I know you're fond of he child! We're-I don't mean to remind you unduly sweet, but still It must be considered-were planning a pretty big household as " know !" she said proudly. "Cvnthia, don't speak like that! rm glad to have them all-ladder than I can say. But there's Benjy I must consider Ben y." She looked at him piteously. I Js hinldngwhata n.ee Playmate! rrTeV7shS BeD!y t0, enable Look at that :sri s, She" . ,l!ld was fran- ln your lire i uu - . Cynthia I'm busy. Got to sell that fat woman a couple of paper knives and a calendar." Dinner time came and went and no one dared to leave for the meal. Last minute customers dashed in and out in breathless haste. One frantic man had a long list and confessed that he had forgotten all about his shopping until this mln- Ut"Anything-give me anything I" ne begged Cynthia. "Here's a list of their names-sister, nieces, neph-ews-the whole lot. Just wrap up anything you think might be suit- ab"How much had you thought of wending?" Cynthia inquired. He took a billfold from his pocket and handed her two twenty-dollar 1 m c "Make 'em go as far as you can, will vou?" Then he drifted away To he armchairs by the book table, relieved at the shifting of responsibility respon-sibility to other shoulders. Geoff, hat have we that a boy of fourteen would like?" Cynthia asked presently. "This animal b0He?"eave a hasty glance at the nrtWs whimsical portrayal of a rinffe "Not that! Wrap spotted girant-. ra UP that kodak over there. Its decent one for the money." ft My," 1 May flrst for UtXS?? twngs that hel(J the library fit . l ;t her pass in self- him' knowing lh;8 Sulsitive gaze fol- VJ?wlng that Geotr Stairs ln frantic :Wil,Wils smiling signlfl- 'U lM Miss Nona-oh, rstI Miss Nona 5 Wfl ghter in the hall , a something that Cyn-; Cyn-; cofused to under- ' Utrary d00r care- J PW,' He might Just as m Uhe tittance" ' thought. No one f It until 0,s answer- a decorously ln the friendly interest r It's your abominable vanity that's disappointed," fe'SS herself, "He's probably delighted at the idea of your leaving Denver. Well, that was that. Everybody in the house knew of her engage ment now, and everything was set tied. Along about two o'clock last night she had entertained some foolish idea of saying something sweet and comforting to Geoff, d it seemed that condolences erenl ln order. . min. The door-bell rang and two mm utes after she was rfadin-night rfadin-night letter Tenny er Mr. Montague bad arned denly, it frra;..(GMea0rt observed), to be in the air, Geoir u be and was leaving for new gone two years. He ana Mrs. Montague would stop h-Thonghr-h. was going to -.S'C? - to be If you'll forgive my ought to be 1 y needs digci. saying so, dear. pline-" h thine! She's -She needs no suet , h ing had altogether too much of her short life now. She nee and care and a home. She- ;'WnS"nhe "d 'her gently, this, Cynthia, e ad. ..T don't consider the visable companion for Benjj not related to y u ou reu obligation vhateer her-" o miestion of obli- ';B,lt ieXn of Tenny! gation. Its a q her new She needs me. I m r years. I mother won t be Dac . |