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 FLAMING

YOUTH

309

“Why should there be? Whatever I’ve got to say to you I can say direct, now that the secret is out. It was really to you that I was writing all the time, so it appears.” “It wasn’t. It was to her. How do you know she doesn’t know; doesn’t read them—and

love them?

You

must keep them up, Bobs.” He shook his head. But his veiled glance roved to the mahogany desk in the corner. Instantly Pat interpreted it: “There’s one there. An unfinished one. Let me read it.” “As you like. It’s only just begun. About your engage ment. It doesn’t matter anyway now. A lost illusion.” From a locked secret drawer he took the letter, only ‘a single sheet. An inspiration came to Pat. “I’m going to adda P.S. May I?” SNe

Seating herself she ran through the few brief words, then wrote busily. Having finished she leaned back in her chair to consider her companion. “Bobs,” she announced with deliberation: “I think Pll

let you read what I’ve written. Shall I?” He held out his hand. She put the missive into it. He read: “Dearest: Bobs thinks he is still in love with you. He means to be faithful, poor old boy. But he really loves Dee. She knows it, way inside her; the way women know. And she is coming to care for him, too. That is why she is so shy and stand-oflish with him; not a bit like Con and me. But he hasn’t the sense to see it. It’s time he knew

it; that both

of them

knew

it.

Poor, brave

old

Jimmie-jams is going to pass out one of these days, and