Page:Czecho-Slovak Student Life, Volume 18.djvu/16

house and sat on our couch. When I came from work that night, I found her there. Dad said he didn’t know what to do with her. Well, I always did like her, so I went over to her and took her in my arms. Her grey eyes were hard as bayonet-points. But when I kissed her, she kind of choked and began to cry. — — — Four years later I married her.”

Lurline was thrilled with the strange romance. “And Aunt Sue?” she questioned.

“Gertie heard she had moved a few times, and that her son and his wife died of some popular epidemie. I suppose she followed them.”

“Oh.”

After some time Lurline arose to go and accepted Steve’s offer to escort her home.

“Only I wish—Gerald wouldn’t mind her so,” pouted Lurline.

“My dear little girl, there is something good in the worst of us, and Gerald has a way of seeing it, once he knows a person.”

“But there’s nothing good in the Hottentot!”

It was too late to call that back, But Steve’s good humor was unruffled. Perhaps in his heart, he, too, had often called his wife by some similar name.

“Plenty of good—only it’s choked out. If Gertie had a husband that she would have to go after, she’d be all right. It’s me that has always done the going after in our family.”

They turned the last corner.

Presently a snug coupe drew up beside them, and Gerald Benda jumped out.

“For heaven’s sake, where’s Auntie?” he hurled the question at the pedestrians.

“Gertie? I thought she went to Lollie Burlik’s,” said Steve.

“No. . . . we had an awful spat over Lollie, and I said I wouldn’t go there. So she ordered me to drop her off at this corner and call here in half an hour — — — she’d be waiting. Well, she isn’t.”

Lurline’s heart beat faster. Gerald had an awful spat over Lollie, said he wouldn’t go there. And it was known that she was his “girl” when they were seniors.

“Something’s wrong, Steve,” Gerald addressed his uncle, “Auntie’s never piked a date yet. Let’s see at Burlik’s.”

When they stopped in front of Lollie’s house, they saw that the garage was empty. Lollie was out. Of course, the only thing left to do was to take Lurline home across the street. This was done, and as the car stopped, Gerald alighted to go with Lurline to the house. Steve sat in the car, dreaming. . . . . .

“Lurline. . .” began Gerald, as they paused on the walk.

“Yes, Gerald.”

“Then it’s really and truly ‘Yes’?”

“Oh, Gerald!” There was a note of distress in her voice, which Gerald caught.

“Aw, you’ll like Auntie after a while. She’s never had a chance to understand kids like us. She had a hard mother.”

They were at the door. Lurline twisted it open silently and they entered the cozily carpeted hall.