Part 14 (1/2)
”I don't knohether it will see slowly toward her ”But what I have to tell you is just about thein life to me”
The tone as well as the words sobered Betty, and she turned to hilad to hear it then,” she said siin,” he stahtened up and faced her frankly
”The truth is, I can't help knowing that you wondered when you first saw ht to wonder these days when they see a fellow like me in civilian clothes--”
Betty started and the color rushed to her face
”No, I haven't--” she began, then stopped confused, re only a few ht--”
”Yes, it's easy to guess what you thought,” he interrupted,her sentence while the bitter look crept once uess what everybody thinks But,” he straightened his shoulders and threw back his head, ”I don't think anybody will have a right to think that very ain and speakingof the war, but they toldhere,” he touched his chest, ”with ave an involuntary excla,” he went on slowly, ”and he said--he was a good old scout, that doctor--that if I got out of the city where I could get fresh air, eggs, and ht succeed in curingin my share of helmets after all”
”Oh, so that's why you and youran impulsive little hand on his ”And you are well, aren't you? Why, you ulped a little, looked at the friendly little hand on his, tried to speak once or twice and failed, then--
”I feel just fine,” he said, striving to h any ot the appetite of a wolf--you sa I ate to-night--” a faint s one in Betty's ”Yet, I've been holding off forisn't all right You see, they'verefused twice”
”Oh, but you won't be!” cried Betty, with honest conviction in her voice ”I'h I've met so many of them at Camp Liberty and heard theht at least to qualify as an assistant,” she paused to s so pretty in his life, ”and I would say that whatever your trouble has been, it is cured now I'm sure of it”
”Hold on, hold on,” he entreated a little huskily ”If I could only believe that--”
”Say, you two over there,” Mollie's voice broke in upon the hard to be polite and not interrupt, but the clock has just struck twelve and we have a long ride before us to-ly, but before she could rejoin the others, Joe had whispered another question
”You really meant what you said?” he asked
”With all my heart,” she answered earnestly
CHAPTER XII
NEARLY AN ACCIDENT
”Look at the sun! Look at the sun!” cried Betty, sitting up in bed and gazing joyfully out at the sun-drenched landscape ”Girls, for goodness sake, wake up How can you sleep, Grace?”
Grace groaned and opened one eye
”House afire?” she asked sleepily
”Of course not, Silly But the world is”
Betty was evidently in high spirits, thought Grace, as she rolled over and regarded her critically