"Last night," Kitty repeated again, glaring intently at Nolan.
He nodded.
"Then you knew I was lying all the time."
"Well, since Eveley and I had luncheon with Winifred and Burton to-day to announce our engagement,--yes, I may say that I was fairly well a.s.sured you were lying. They seemed on their usual tender terms at noon."
"What are you two talking about?" wondered Eveley.
Kitty drew her small hat over her ears with a vicious tug.
"But we shall be glad to motor to Yosemite with you and Arnold this summer," Nolan went on pacifically, "we think it will be great sport. We asked Marie and Jimmy Ames to go along. They are going to be married to-morrow. They are in Marie"s room now, so go in and congratulate them if you like. But do not bring them out here, because we are a crowd already."
"I am going home, anyhow, if you mean me," she said pettishly. She looked at Eveley. "I suppose you think it is very clever for you to be engaged to Nolan twenty-four hours without notifying me, after all the trouble I have taken in the last five years to bring it about. And as for you, Nolan, I think you have a lot of courage to marry a woman who openly and notoriously refuses to do her duty in any shape, size or form. I call it a pretty big risk, myself." She clambered crossly through the window.
"Congratulations," she called back snappily. And again, from half-way down the stairs: "And we shall hold you to the Yosemite bargain, too."
Then Nolan took Eveley in his arms again and kissed her. "It may be pretty risky," he said tenderly. "A wife who steels her heart against her duty--"
Eveley smiled into his eyes. "Don"t worry. The One Exception will save you. I still claim that duty isn"t the biggest thing in the world. And hasn"t my theory held good? Patriotic duty could not Americanize Angelo nor Marie, nor anybody else. And filial duty could not make the Severs live happily with the Father-in-law. And domestic duty could not bring Miriam and Lem Landis into harmony. But there was something else big enough to work all the miracles, and it was the Big Exception."
"Yes, tell me, Eveley--the Big Exception that is Everybody"s Duty--what is it?"
"Well," she said, snuggling a little closer into his arms, "I believe it is everybody"s duty to love somebody else with all his heart and mind and soul and body. And that is what has worked all the transformations for our friends. And it will protect you, Nolan--for I do."
Nolan kissed her again. "Then it is no risk at all," he whispered, laughing tenderly. "Don"t try to do your duty by me--just go on loving me like this."
THE END
FLORENCE L. BARCLAY"S NOVELS May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap"s list.
THE WHITE LADIES OF WORCESTER
A novel of the 12th Century. The heroine, believing she had lost her lover, enters a convent. He returns, and interesting developments follow.
THE UPAS TREE
A love story of rare charm. It deals with a successful author and his wife.
THROUGH THE POSTERN GATE
The story of a seven day courtship, in which the discrepancy in ages vanished into insignificance before the convincing demonstration of abiding love.
THE ROSARY
The story of a young artist who is reputed to love beauty above all else in the world, but who, when blinded through an accident, gains life"s greatest happiness. A rare story of the great pa.s.sion of two real people superbly capable of love, its sacrifices and its exceeding reward.
THE MISTRESS OF SHENSTONE
The lovely young Lady Ingleby, recently widowed by the death of a husband who never understood her, meets a fine, clean young chap who is ignorant of her t.i.tle and they fall deeply in love with each other. When he learns her real ident.i.ty a situation of singular power is developed.
THE BROKEN HALO
The story of a young man whose religious belief was shattered in childhood and restored to him by the little white lady, many years older than himself, to whom he is pa.s.sionately devoted.
THE FOLLOWING OF THE STAR
The story of a young missionary, who, about to start for Africa, marries wealthy Diana Rivers, in order to help her fulfill the conditions of her uncle"s will, and how they finally come to love each other and are reunited after experiences that soften and purify.
Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York
ETHEL M. DELL"S NOVELS May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap"s list.
THE LAMP IN THE DESERT
The scene of this splendid story is laid in India and tells of the lamp of love that continues to shine through all sorts of tribulations to final happiness.
GREATHEART
The story of a cripple whose deformed body conceals a n.o.ble soul.
THE HUNDREDTH CHANCE
A hero who worked to win even when there was only "a hundredth chance."
THE SWINDLER
The story of a "bad man"s" soul revealed by a woman"s faith.
THE TIDAL WAVE
Tales of love and of women who learned to know the true from the false.
THE SAFETY CURTAIN
A very vivid love story of India. The volume also contains four other long stories of equal interest.
Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York
ELEANOR H. PORTER"S NOVELS May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap"s list.