He walked over to the empty fireplace and looked up at the sweet face of the portrait a long time.

Then he leaned his arm on the mantel and bowed his head on it.

"Oh, Amanthis," he groaned, "tell me what to do." Lloyd's own words came back to him.

"She'd go right straight an' put her arms around my mothah an' kiss away all the sorry feelin's." It was a long time he stood there.

The battle between his love and pride was a hard one.