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 THE AMATEUR LOVER

But Drew did not smile at her. He just stood there and stared in a puzzled, tortured sort of way.

"What about Aleck Reese?" he began with fierce abruptness.

The girl met the question with unwonted flip pancy. "I've broken my engagement to Aleck Reese," she said coolly. &quot; Broken it all to smash.&quot;

But the latent tremor in her voice did not satisfy the man. "Why did you break it?" he insisted. &quot; Is n t Aleck Reese the man you want? "

Her eyes vavered and fell, and then rallied sud denly to Drew's utmost question.

"Yes, Drew," she answered ingenuously, "Aleck Reese is the man I want, but he s not the kind of man I want!" As the telltale sentence left her lips, every atom of strength wilted out of her, and she sank back into her chair all sick and faint and shud- dery.

The impulsive, bitter laugh died dumb on Drew s lips. Instantly he was at her side, gentle, patient, compassionate, the man whom she knew so well. "Do you mean," he stammered in a startled sort of way, "do you mean that love or no love I, I am the kind of man that you do want?"

Her hand stole shyly into his and she nodded her head. But her eyes were turned away from him.

For the fraction of a second he wondered just what the future would hold for him and her if he