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9 OA I mm BHHR'' 18, WHO IN THE CAST. JIMMY BLAIR, out of the war by way of New York and not exactly suited to return and settle down in VAN WESTYN of Park Avenue, beautiful and smart and flapperlike and all that and much idolized by Jimmy. MARY the homey girl in who wore print dresses; and angelic smiles. JOE MOLLIS, who was satisfied with and not blind to Mary's loveliness. MR. PERRY. President of the Bank, who when it came Jimmy's time to make an important decision, made it for him. CONRAD, well he's just Conrad. I HEN Jimmy Blair got out of the ,mm. \Prtn? of 1918, ho spent one memo r a b I o evening I n the city of New York. Then, dutifully nnd somewhat giddily, he board- ed a morning train and started home for Carpen- terville, five hours e. Jimmy wanted to go home; that Is, he had wanted to- go home. Ho wanted to seo his mother and father and Joo Hollls and tho Denlsons and all tho rest. But, gosh, how ho actually wished he could stay-righ- t on in tho big town! Jimmy knew exactly what had hap- - pened to him. He could even have DUt It Into music. la words, he had scon Virginia Van TTestyn again for tho first time In fifteen months, and, Virginia, as he had admitted tho fate to himself, had walloped him cold. She had pasted Mm straight between tho eyes, had sent him to the ropes, had hog-tle- d him. put tho Indian sign on him, sewed him up, knocked him for a goal; Virginia, who lived on tho twelfth floor of a Park Avenue apart- ment where tho rents ran Into five figures to the left of the good old deci mal point. \ Tat, aa Jimmy swung off the train t the- - dingy old station he was con- - B ot a funny lump that had risen T .lf2S could look around, was by a ware of turbulent humanity, and an at onco ha waa being kissed and thumped and slapped upon tho back, while a machine-gu- n fire of qucs- - ftnn. wM rehoundlnir from his ear- - drums. \You old scout, you!' ho heard. And then his mother was looking up Into hi eyes. \Hello ma!\ he said, and hugged lier tight. \Oosh It'a good to bp back I\ \You'ra going to stay back now, aren't you, Jimmy? You won't go- - d a half? Haven't you got a few way again, wilt you, dear ever in big ideas yourself? You've got a car your llfo?\ now. How about \Sams old goose.\ said Jimmy Blair Hollls scrached his \Sounds and kissed his mother again. Then: like an argument,\ he said. \Still. 1 \Why Mary Denlson,\ he called over suppose you're partly right, Jim. But, his mother's shoulder, \I thought you sec, we've actually been doing tho be all grown up. Well, I'll bo work, turning all our cash over darned. look Just about six- - to the Government and carrying teen.' bigger loads than I knew a man could Jimmy's father laughed: \Lot of carry. that so, Mr. Blair?\ changes since you been away, Jim.\ \Well yes,\ raid Jimmy's father. \I But Jimmy wasn't listening. He guess that's so.\ had caught Mary Denlson's hand and jmmy feit annoyed, but he com-pull- her to him. lcar fashion, and preSHea Ma Juws and mana.,ed t0 kissed her. then he wns patting Mmiie her paternally on the, back. 'You look great. Mary,\ he said. Gee, ... ,., . ... . , , , s.b:r.;.r;'x.;r:, . . vno paternal pat and tho casual \every- - body\ had completely neutralized tho klss-a- nd everything else. Mary Denlson didn't know Virginia Van Westyn's name, or whether Vl- t- Blnta was blonde or brunette, or tall or short, or French or English, or what not: but Mary did know, Instantly, (hat there was a Virginia and that she waa a person to bo huted. for tho ...... was still Jn uniform. Jlmnjy was puzzled by the feeling that he had never t'cn awny from Carpenter- ville at nil. Tho place was exactly as ho had expected It to be: that was the trouble. He Mt let down. He wondered, pointedly, what Vir-- Klnia would think of It tho some what shoddy streets of brown and yel low frnmo houses; the d i business district; the golf courso Itself, only nlnw holes nnd very seedy: tho . , W.tll.ll...- - It.. 1...nl. WIIC mini; .'it uuiiiillih, unnn, at the corner of Park and Main; the two movie houfen that smell of pea- nuts; tho black toot of the freight yards hanging over everything like a pall. Jimmy pressed bin lips together and shook his head. He would have to break It to his mother that he was going back to New York going back jtfkjust as .oon as he decently could 'After supper that evening, ho rs- - fleeted, would be the time Yet 'during the meul Itself Jimmy felt himself weakening; His mother i .i UI..T wi r,i mill j muinvw. m v Erapcfrult, and the tomato bisque that Jimmy loved so well; and there wus d Juicy steak, with baked potntoea and peas and cauliflower; and a sala4 -'- and then lemon mrilngue pie. Mrs. Hlalr was going through the cere- mony of cutting this delight when Ihcro. came a Knock at tho door, nnd Joe Hollls stormed In. with little Wary Denlson on his arm, all Wrapped in a soft brown clfln cloak that matched her hair und eyes. \Cnn't Iravo you alone, you see,\ Joo proclaimed. \Mary said wo ought to lay off yon. but I drugged her Jong Just the Hume.\ The glil laughed. \That's how wo Jtvomen fool you, Joe. As long as mmy wouldn t come to seo me. wny, had to com to see him, that a all. 'rri t THE EVENING WORLD, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER T922. IS EVE JSTIN G WORLD'S COMPLETE NOVELETTE inF vnTT wren A urns? k WHO'S Carpenterville. .VIRGINIA DLNISON, Carpenterville, Carpenterville Carpenterville ln.tarLy Ev That's the way girls are nowadays, that?\ head. you'd 3pare You Isn't And si 80 thy tell us very forward.\ She lot her brown eye rest for an 1m- - nnrnenlthti MAnnnA nn .llmmv'i foe Bt Jimmy Blair was laughing with- - out concern, and his eyea ware not on hern. \Don't be a goose, Mary,\ he said. \Since when havo we pot bo formal, and everything?\ \You two nit down,\ Mrs. Blair was Insisting, \and try a bite of this pie. It's the first I've made In a long tlmo your favorite, Jim.\ the last crumb of pie had AFTER and they were eet- - tllng themselves comfortably hi the living-roo- m rockers, Jimmy's father, lighting his cigar, nsked what Jimmy, specifically, was going to uo. \Why yes,\ and Jimmy shot a glance at his mother. \You see, dad, my major, a dandy chap named Hct- - hall he's a partner In a big brokT- - age house doyvn on the Street, and he sort of thought \ \Strebt?\ asked Mrs. Blair. What street?\ \Ho means Wall Street, mother,\ the boy's father explained. \Oh Jimmy! Down in New York?\ i'm afraid go, ma. But you seo the chances down there aro wonder- ful particularly with tho eoclal con- nections I had the luck to establish overseas. It's the chance of a life- time, Mally.\ \But you were doing so well here, Tl ,. do a compared to what I can make do therc; B\n ' hundred a year Is a mighty comfortable lneom.\ his mother pro- - teste(1- - \wht with this homp and everything.\ Sho turned Impatiently 10 young uoius. \twi you ao any- thing with him, Joe7\ Joe Hollls laughed. \It's a disease,\ he stated. I \They've all got It.' Jimmy Blair levelled hlB gazo at the other. \Haven't your own earnings gono up considerably In the last year His mother was studying him i bj b VI. tUllll I , V U U , HI1U U U ??. .... y j mmu \ P f0r New v..i. ,.. . ..... , ;?;,,;,, ' \ uy un, t0' hn you could ha.e,.r?.'' ?P \ 1\\,lo,r1da-- f tral- - WJwt \ name. Jim?\ Mr. Blair Ua'- - \Wond or brunette?\ everybody roared, for there had , tensions. So nobody but Joe HolllH noUcnl that little Mary Dcnl- - son, straightened up ever so slightly, and ,hrn a,tcr a \cond. laughed loudest of all. For 6n,y ytattrAay Mary verj. pnkt had told Joe. as nicely as she could, that !) Ukcd him a lot. but that she could nover, never think of marryiny him; and Joe thought he knew the reason why, and tbo reason worried him. But now, seeing Mary laugh nnd watching that togs of her bobbed brown curls, Joo Hollls fvjlt much bet- ter Indeed. Joo was only a man. verj; day Jimmy Blair reached THE 'ork he called up Virginia Van Westyn, only to find that sho was all tied up with engagement. . . . . , \ul l\V. - -- ..i , 11UUIO Ul ilI t.lllL i'UV uur l iv taxl and took her to the Blltmoro for tea: and they danced. Jimmy danced. He danced then: he danced through the spring. Whon Virginia went out to Old Westbury lie followed her there every week-en- d Bho would let him which was about one In three. He followed her to Southampton In August. He followed her to Great Barrlngton In the fall. A\(' danced. .'. '\-\- \\ Blair was not unattractive In his own right. There were only two things he lacked. One was Hoclal position und tho other waa money. Both of theie were very Important. When Virginia reached this point in her estimate she would screw up her pretty white forehead In a petulant scowl and wonder. She liked Jimmy, all right. Well, ho might come through, at that. He waa working hard In a mighty good office und maybe he might make a killing. And socially lots of people were taking him up: though naturally she herself had helpol thorp. Anyway, and hero Virginia would yawn prettily, there was heaps and heaps or tlmo and thero ulways were heaps and heaps of other men. There were too. They, bothered Jimmy Blair. For things wcro not going exactly as ho had hoped they, would. For one thing, there was tho Job. It was a perfectly good Job, and everybody told lilm ho ought to Ixs tickled to death with It; but somehow It oecmrd n. little bit flat. Helling stocks and bonds! Selling a pair of shoes, now that would bo easy. You'd have some- thing In your hands, and you could ay: \These are good shoes. Ileal leather! Lookl\ And the other per- son would look, as If ho wanted a pair of good Bhoos well, It would bo a cinch. But this other thing was not USTR.ATED Itfctf \OOT A LITTLE a cinch. How could you know tho shOJ'H were good if you'd never seen them? Yet you gave your word on It, just as If you personally knew. Funny business! Then thero wns the cost of living. That was another thing to think nlKMit. They paid you what tlioy called n drawing account of sixty dollars n week down there lit tho olllce, and that was really your salary. You got sixty dollais n week: may- be a little bit mou. Cull It threo hundred a month. Well, your room coit you fifty dollars, und your meals rust you nt last Hnvenly-flvo--ju- st your own meals, thnt wns nnd you had to have two good suits for tho office, nnd evening clothes and n din- ner jacket nnd u tilk hnt nnd nil sorts of shon nnd shirts and thlngH. Because In addition to all this there wns Virginia. Virginia: Jimmy Blair wiped his forehead. If you took Virginia to ten it cost dollars. That was you a couple of easy. But If you took her to dinner, which you wnnted to do onoo in a wliile, it cost you fifteen dollars re you got through with the tuxis nnd the tips. If you took her tu din- ner and tho theatre and of course you had to get decent seats It would knock a good thirty dollar holo in your wnllct. Thirty dollais in one evening. Zip! Just like thnt! And by thu same token. If you took her to dinner nnd the theatre 'and out to dime, nftcrwaid nnd you Just hod to do thnt occasionally you worn mighty lucky If you got out of it for forty-fiv- e cool iron men. Jimmy knew. He knew until it hint. tho same, New York was JUST it. Nobody could tell Jimmy And Virginia wns worth it you bet she was! Thoro wns something about the whole thing that wus wortli it. Just walking up Fifth Avenue, for Instance, at '5 o'clock of a spring afternoon. Take for Instance. Jimmy Blair hadn't sold a slnglo stock; but he had left the olllce ut four-thirt- y that was one nice thing about Wall Street and now ho wus striding con- fidently up r'ifth Avenue Somo day he'd be riding up this street In u shiny limousine, nodding casually to the Unfile officers. Well, It was u great town, full of hustling, rlenn-i-u- t men, nnd just packed uith t'ie most wcndenul-lonk.n- g :irln m Mlnw tvir s.uv. Couldn't touch YUrIvu f\i a minute, but good to I \)1 at lust the snirf. They all were, ilefk. Glossy fuis and sleeker Mlk stockings and all kinds of smiles that w.ih Now York. It was a darned shamu to have to turn off J off iife2 GERALD Fifth Avenuo for anything, ovon to get to your room. Borne day There wns a yellow cnvolopo for Jimmy stuck corncrwlso In tho mir- ror of the dark cntrnnco hall. Ho seized It gingerly, toro It open. Tele- grams always mado your heart stop a little. ci 'ough you pretended they didn't. This was from Jimmy's mothor: \Your father facing operation. Not serious, but want you home soon a poulble.\ Jimmy stood there, Irresolute. Ho knew about his father's operation : tho old man had told him six months ago. Just a couple of days in tho hospital OF HIP, nnd then out again. But still! Jimmy scowled. Darn It. he'd been invited to Virginia's for dinnur thut evening' And afterward thoy were nil going to tho Itltz. Yes, and that Conrnd bird would be there, nnd Jimmy didn't trust him a bit. Now what difference would one evening make? Jimmy looked nt tlv telegram ngnln. Then ho shook his bend mournfully, went to the telephone that hung on the wall, dropped n nickel Into Its slot nnd called Virginia's number. Virginia was out likely enough with that Conrnd bird! \Please tell Miss Van Westyn,\ sni I Jimmy evenly, \that 1 hnvo been called home by n Midden Illness In my family. Tell her I'm dreadfully sorry, but I cnn't. help It. Yes, this Is Mr. Blair.\ before he wns to be wheeled JUST to the operating room, Jim- my's father nsked to sco tho boy alone. \Son.\ he said, with a smile, \tho doctor has told mo about this thing of mine. Your mother doesn't know-- not exactly. I've got u good chnnce, they say, but if nnything should hap- pen If anything should happen, Jim. I'm depending on you.\ Tho older man hesitated. \Things nren't in good shape financially us I'd like to have them. But I've got you. That's n a big relief. That's nil. Cnll 'cm In. Jim. So old mnn. Wish mo luck.\ Ho grinned again and held out his hand. After what seemed like hours nnd hours, n nurse, nil in white, enmo fcqftly Into tho room. Mr. Illnlr wus out of the ether, sho said, nnil rest-lu- g comfortably. \Tlinnk God!\ Mid Jimmy's mother, nnd stood up. \lie's going to live!\ sho aiHrtued, her eyes gleam- ing moist, nnd clutched for Jimmy's hand. The nurse smlled'and nodded. But the nune was wrong. was not until tho day after the IT funeral that Jimmy wns able to set bis thoughts In any kind of order. ho hnd managed to wlte his ofllee to tell them he could not be back for unother week nt lead. For the itst, ho had arranged the funeral and seen about thn tvmetery lot and gone jhroiiKh two long Ull with his father's Ijfter nnd rid w (irm tight ulxiut hi-- , mother'? '' ders, hour uftcr bnu' nil ,n n \ i of daze. i tut now at lust le w.i ( n ' They wore not pleasant I'.o i . First, there was Ins f..(l s For four yearn past It bad teen ..f ,iu money. Jimmy couldn't t.r.i until he hud gon ocr tho books se ral times and then talked with th BY R. 0;B E WXa t of of tho bank. His father had boon and easy-goin- g nnd ho had been In competition with thre chain stores, each ono of them i nn by u local mnn. They could underbuy lihn and undersoil him, nnd they lind. Duly Mr. Blair's popularity and his naino for squn.ro dealing had kept him In business at all. Tho President of the bank explained that It was Ms best Judgment that Jimmy hud hotter take steps to sell the stork on hand and dispose of the lease on tho storo building. This would give him a few thousand dol- lars In hand nnd thereby place him In a position, financially, to meet most If not nil of his fnther'H debts. \Debts?\ Jimmy demanded. Well, yes, there were somo debts. Mr. Itlalr hnd miiilii n number of in- vestments, on margin. In tho hope of if covering some of his recent losses, ami tlio iincHlments had turned out pretty much iih cver.Nbody except Mr. I'.liur predicted they would. Tho banker coughed ileprccatlngly. \That wns about your father's only fault, Jim. 11c never could Micm to understand tho value of money.\ Jimmy stnred moodily ut his finger tips. \I guess I don't cither,\ lie confessed. \Good time to learn,\ snld the older mnn, not unkindly. \By tho wny, your fnther curried u little intnininre. That's Intact, as fur ns 1 know. I've been figuring things up for you, Jim. in a rough sort of wny. If you ran get rid of tho stock on hand down there nt the store for n fnlr prlco nnd net rlil of the lease, there'll be sonio-wher- o between J1.D00 nml JZ.000 left over after you've called In nil the pu-fi- your father had out. Your mother will have that nnd the house. That's free and clear, you know, except for a 13,000 first mortgage.\ Jimmy continued to store nt his fin- ger tips. \Of course.\ he snld pres- ently, \o can sell the house and I enn tnko mother down to New York with me. I'd thought of thn n llttld.\ His voice trailed off uncertainly. Tho banker laid n lnue putemal hand upon Jimmy's kno. \I'd think about that a long time,\ he fa Id. \What do you mean?\ nsked the toy. \From what I know of your mother. Jim, I don't think she'd want much to go to New Yoik. Curpcntervllle's been her homo for u good many yenis It's well. It's ubout all she has left now. You're not old enough to under- stand that, maybe. But It's my opinion that taking your mother to New York -- uprooting her right at this time would Juit nbottt end her.\ \That's what Aunt Hat says,\ Jlm-in- v muttered. \Well I'd listen to your Aunt Hat. Jim.\ Jimmy Blnlr raised his eyes to those f I ne man opposite him. \That meuns I'll have to stay here,\ lie stated dully. \It does.\ The, banker nodded s'owiy. J'n.my shook his head iloggrdlv. \Tl.e-e'- H not a salaried Job m tint ', in, Mr. I'erry nono Hint I could . mi.u:- - Hint imys more Hicn r , ,e',..\ '! e I .01.01 Ldniltted tl,.s i o that,\ sn.d il' iiy ioiifh. \I'm linen carnlni? putty i.e.i.- $4,ii')0.\ \Yes.\ put in the man, \and spend-lo- f moil of It to keep up a treat.\ THE OLD STUFF ON THE TOO,\ CONRAD VOLUNTEERED Instrument long, Somehow President MYCATT R. T E . JOHNSTON the Hometown and His Heart f \Most of It.\ Jimmy agreed weakly. Tho banker paused. \I tell you, son,\ ho finally began, \t Imagine I know about how you feel. You've gono and got youmott New York eyes. But mnylip CurpcntervWo's a bigger piece on tho map and on your map, Jim than you'd think for offhand. Besides, I've got nn Idea for you.\ \You have?\ Jim was being po- lite. Ho really didn't much caro. In-sl- of him he felt nil torn apart, Why did problems like this liavo to be put up to a fellow? He couldn't leave his mother now; he knew that. But how, how on earth, was he going to bo able to give up Virginia? \My Idea's this,\ the banker wai PLEASANTLY. explaining. \You know old Jed Fisher? Well, Jed has worked him- self up qulto n rotall creamery busi- ness covering this whole section of tho country. Ho uses n horso anil wugon, but my Idea would b for you to uso a fllvvor truck. Cover four times the territory. Well, Jed's 'get- ting pretty well ulong In yours, Jim, nnd those forty-qua- rt enns are some- thing of a chore to handle\ \Whut's he do?\ asked Jimmy Im- patiently. \Doesn't bo peddle tho stuff from hniiso to house? I think I remember him. I don't want to do that. Mr. Perry.\ \Thero'n a wholn lot of things In life wo don't want to do, Jim, par- ticularly when wo're responsible for somebody outsldn of ouisclvrs.\ Jimmy snld nothing. \Jed's got a good trade worked up. Jim, and he's willing to sell, I hap- pen to know, for six hundred dollars, asking prlco. He'll take five. Now here's what I'll do, Jim. \I'll A- dvance you thn five hundred nnd I'll advance you tho first payment on a flivver truck -- and thn rest is up to you. But I'll lack you that much \ \Yes said Jimmy wearily, \but I can't soo thnt It's much of nn op- portunity, Mr. Perry.\ \You can't hey? Well, muybo It Isn't, but I'm willing to talt\ a little gamble on It If you are. You'll b living home with your mother, Jim, and keeping her happy. And you'll bo In business for yourself, which Is Just nbout tho gicatest sensation In tho world. Think It over, son und come in to see me ho had done It, and here WEI.I., was at last a buttermilk peddler, rattling up the road toward the Cuylervllle Crcameiy In a dusty truck that hod seen many bet- ter days. Yes, ho had done It nnd that Inst dny In New York ha1 seared Itself Indelibly Into his memory Ilcalgnlng his Job had been nothing. They did not seem surprlaed. They did not seem to care. But saying good by to Virginia had been nnother story. He had told her that he couldn't nfford a parly, so -- and It was mighty decent of her she had met hltft at the Waldorf and they had walked up Fifth Avenue together and. then over to her home Jimmy told her whnbhc wns going to do that is, he almost told her. He wns taking over n big creamery Inisl-nes- i, be explainer), und It would mean working almost twriity-fhr- - hours ix duv \lin't that splendid\' Vuginia roonl. \It must ! ho wo.iileiful to l.c ii mnn nml iiciomplish tU.ngs. I'll never forget you, Jimmy boy.\ she added. Well, nml that wus that. Jimmy laughed harshly as h swung hU rat- - tllng flivver alongside tho loading platform of tho Cuylervllle Creamery, Well and this was this. \Eight cuns this trip,\ ho called out as a tnnn'a hend nppenred In a door-wn- y. ''And I'll bn bnck for another load this afternoon.\ . Ten minutes later Jimmy nnd his flivver were roaring and bouncing down thn road townnl farpvintervHIe ngaln. Casually ho looked at his wrist watch. It was Just a quarter past seven In tho morning. But Jimmy grinned. The sun wns warm nnd tho leaves were green nnd tho birds were singing' by tiro roadside. And the earlier you got htarted the more milk you sold, nnd the moro milk you sold Jimmy's right hand straggled Into the pocket of hit blue ovcrnlls, nnd there sounded a pleasant Jingling of small change. After all, life could be worse. WAS doing a real business. He HE had mads a new contract with the creamery to take Its entire buttermilk output; and oj a sldo line he sold print butter and honey. At half past seven of a week-da- y evening Jimmy would pilot his little' bus Into the back yard of his mother's house and kill the engine. Then, with the shadows long across the cool, sweet grass of tho lawns, Jimmy would unburden hl.i overulU pockets of his day's earnings. His mother would help him then, nnd generally Mary Denlson, nnd they would count, smoothing thn bills out In nat Milok ple, ntarUing blf dollars and quartern nnd nickels and dimes, And Mrs. Blnlr would beam all over as they tallied the flcore, and little Mnry Denl.ton would literally Jump up and down with hnpplncss and excitement. For Jimmy wns making money. Hln profits, with his butter and all. were running over twenty dollars a day. Of course tho car with its up- - keep was coming out of that, but Jimmy wns very well satlrfltd. In fact, ho hod already arranged with his friend, the President of tho bank, to flnnnce a second car and a helper, on commlitilon; for Blair's butter- - mill, wns becoming known, nnd Co- - Iioph nnd Troy Iny to tho south. But so did New York. Jimmy Blnlr felt strangely guilty about New York: ho felt. In fact, as If he were being disloyal. For New York and what Jimmy realty meant was somebody In New York was not so constantly In his mind ns he thought It ought to be. T.nst Sunday he had written a long letter to Virginia Van Westyn, writ- - ttn her for tho first time In almost( a month; nnd the writing of It had made him feel better. She wns the most wonderful girl In the world, no told himself hotly, and some .la- y- wny, rliiht now ho was on tho tracKl r- -p HEN. out of a clear sky. Vlr- - J glnlu s telegram came. nu Jimmy founu nimseii nuuiwuk IIR ho rend It. She was motoring through she Informed him, on her way to her father's camp in thn Adlrondacks. nnd sho would stun for him nt 2 o'clock nnd pick him up nnd tnko him along for the week- - end. Where should she meet him?\ \U'eett-end!- \ Jimmy laughed. \Pat chnnco I've got with tho Friday nnd Satuiduy deliveries. Still, I can seo hex anyway.\ Ho hurried to the tole-grap- h office and wired Ids reply. Ho would le at tho Cuylervllle Creamery from 1 o'clock on. Jimmy smiled covertly at his choice of tho Cuylcr-vlll- n Creamury ns n meeting place. Might ns well let Virginia think tho place was Bomehow his! Then abruptly ho scowled. Shucks! He'd promised Mnry Denl- son to tako her ulong ou the route Mury enjoyed It so, Just like a kid, ond sho'd been helping him a lot. Already sho hnd lined up about half tho housewives In Carpen- terville as steady customers, und to- - morrow she was planning to stnrt in on Cuylervllle. Well he'd have to make homo excuse nnd put It orr. lie tell her most of the truth, that he was expecting some Now York friends of his to pick him up nlong tho road. Mury looked nt htm quite steadily with those soft brown ryes of hers ond wild; \Of course. Jimmy. Whnt does It matter?\ But It made Jimmy feel like n cheat. Jimmy cut his morning deliveries short next rtay nnd raced back to the house nt noon to change his clothes. \You'll ruin that nice suit.\ his ninth. r renrnvFil him mildly. \And how cnu you handle tho cans with that stiff white collur on, Jim? Won't those New York people notice you In your working otothes?\ \Oh. I fcol better In these things!\ said Jimmy lightly. But he didn't As he drovo back up the Cuylervllle road, with his empty flivver rattling under him. ho felt suddenly foolish, out of place, nfttled. He. Jimmy Blalt. ashamed nf tlis clothes lie worked In! He Ished hotly that he had left his flan- - nel shirt and stained overalls on. \If slin doesn't like \em.\ he In- formed himself, \she can lump 'cm. that's all.\ He reached the creamery at ono. nnd then he began to wait. One of the men there loaded bis tiuck for him: and that again mudo Jimmy feel ashamed II\ bmoked a clgaret and looked at hln watch. He smoked another and nn- other und another He walked uiiiiind. sat dn-v- stood up wnlked around oni\ more He looked nt hs v tiii a;r.i!n. Greit Scoit half past three: Two hours gone by, and those eight cms to be said, quart by quart, before nightfall. Jimmy scowled. At ten minutes past four a alee Dtlft-blu- t, touring ear illd to a halt w by the creamery gate, Jimmy Blair ran out \Hello. Jimmy, old thing.\ ald Virginia. Sho was as generous as ever, her fawn-colorr- d holr fluffing out above a fawn-colore- d motoring coat. \Hello Virginia. Gosh, it's good to seo you! Oh, hello. Conrndl How ero you?\ Jimmy extended his hand. It surprised him that his feeling toward this quondam rival wa for somo rea- son quite cordial. \Hop In.\ the gorgeous girl com- manded. \Where's your bag? Wa're two hours late now. Make It snappy, , Jimmy.\ \I know darned well you'r tw hours Into,\ Jimmy heard hlmaelf saying coolly. \But I can't go along with you, Virginia can't leav the Job. I wired you that.\ \Oh forget It.\ the girl directed petulantly. \You and your stupid old Job I You make me sick. Coma on wo' re going to have a great party. You know the gnng.\ \Got n little of the old stuff on the hip, too,'1 Conmd volunteered pleas- antly. \Herel\ From somewhora be- neath his feet he produced a quart bottle half full. \Mora whero that cumn from,\ ho added. \You tompt me,\ laughed Jimmy, \but I can't. I'm awfully so.ry. I liopo you didn't misunderstand my wire, Virginia. I Just wanted to hello.\ 'Well, If you can't give up abloom- - lng old Job for me I'd like to know what good you are, anyway,\ Vtr- - glnla stated Irritably, \Can't you seo I can't?\ Jimmy pleaded. Then suddenly he knew he was angry. He found himself appraising Virginia almost Indifferently. For the tirst time since ho hnd known her It occurred to him that she was a spoiled, selfish young person. Her nose, he now noticed, was a trifle wind-blow- n. It mndo him want to laugh. What a fatuous boob he'd been! Why, this girl's world was as fnr apart from his as He almost laughed aloud! Hho was pressing her foot on the starter. \I think you're th most selfish thing I ever knew,\ she said as the englno cnught. \Think nway, old dear,\ snld JImmv with n genial wave of his hand. \All we hicks think about Is the almighty dollar, you know. Take a drink for me, Conrnd a couple of 'em.\ \Well you certnlnly are u hick.\ Virginia announced, for she was nn- - noyerl. \I certainly am,\ said Jimmy pleas- - untly. \r certainly am, from the ground up.\ Virginia wns throwing In the gears. \So long, folks,\ Jimmy culled. And they were gone, IMMy ,1LAm ,k d , , ta . I f(j tJjB crcnmerVi ..ijarn fool!.. J h() mimorln)r WeI that. thn wny llfo goes, I guess. Darned good thing.\ He scowled. \And to think of me, old Jimmy Blair, falling for a chicken llko thnt ych, falling nnd scraping my nose on tho pave- - ment. Why. put her up against a cr Mko Murj. nenson wait n second now! , We seated himself on the splintered, boards of the creamery delivery platform, and there, for per- haps ten minutes, he swung his leg ' Hnd alternately frowned and grinned. Then he stood up, shook himself, and stalked Into the office, where stood u telephone. \Sell thnt sour old stuff ho murmured cryptically. \To- day goes to profit nnd loss.\ Then he called u Carpcntervlllo number. \That you, Mnry?\ he asked. \Say Mary, wait for me will you? I'll Jb nt your pluco In half an hour.\ Jimmy lllalr in ado It In twenty-tw- o minutes. On the way he ru- - hearsed, oor nnd over. Just what he Wlut Kolng to say. He was going to lcn jInry ilhot being In the service. uni seeing Tarts and New York, and getting big Ideas, and being all cuckoo and getting all balled up about life and Its ramifications; and he waa going to tell her and Jimmy knew It now thnt he hud been In love with her all the time, which was a fact, and that he hoped gosh, how be hoped! that she'd let him hang around and try to .how hr that he \\, ..u uu.u \\J\\\\ dickens to provo himself worthy to kiss the hem of her dress or something like that, nnyway. But when he pulled up at the Denl- son houso there, was Mary at tho top of the porch steps, sort of holding her hands together ut her throat and staring at him with that funny question- -mark look in her big brown eyea. And hhe was dressed In that brown and white checked thing that he liked so much, and her brown hair, all fuzzing out around her face, made her look Just like a kid, and the sunlight was throwing leaf shadows ncrosa her so that she looked Just like the heroine In n play. Jimmy Blair killed the engine, dead, nnd Jumped out of his flivver and raced up the steps. He heard himself stammering, in a husky voice that didn't sound like his own nt all : \Mary kid look at me no. look at me, right In the eyes! Hay, Mary, do you think you could mnnage to fall In love with a guy who knows he's a blame fool?\ And then now hadn't ha been a fool? llttls Mary Danlson was lean- ing ngtlnat his shoulder and crying and he was patting her on tho back. (CorrrUht All nitht Rnrv4.) rrinttd by arraaitaitnt with MttropaStM Htwttuftr lttvti Hit Terx. I 'k
