The evening Republican., 1902-09-24
ONE PLUS ONE
EQUALS WHAT?
A Short Story by Mr., Frank
ChisWiCk.

night. SO silly! Why, never met
him until the institute opened. We
were coming home from the concert
and he'-
Miss Lingard's laughing accents
reached the door, Of the cloakroom
just as Miss Waters and Miss Bur
rows went out. n
silly! She is the silly one! The
most conceited girl l ever knewn'
exclaimed Nellie Waters, swapping
asrubber band about her note book.
Alice Burrows stopped for an
imaginary raveling on her skirt
binding and her friend did not see
her quivering lips. When she stood
erect once more they were joined
by other teachers and passed down
the corridor.
The first hour was given over to
q lecture on chalk work in geogra-
ply, but Alice was deaf to pedago-
gic suggestions, blind to the vivid
drawings of the faddist who held
forth before the teachers of Tucson
county, assembled for the annual
institute. Above the voice of the
speaker rang insistently the words
ofHattie Lingarl: Professor Storm
proposed to me last night
Well. why shouldn't he? thought
Alice despairingly. Miss Lingard
was noted beyond the confines OF
the country as beauty aEd CO.
quette, ]ust the sort Of young woman
who would attracta studious, ear
nest man like Mr.. Storm. Yes. why
shouldn'the? What did he owe quiet
gentle Alice Burrows? He had spok.
en- no word OF love to her, and vet
Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she
bent her face closer to the notebook,
whose pages were still unwrittcn. 1t
bad all been mistake. She had mis-
interpreted the actions Of this grave
young professor who for two years
had Conducted the classes in m athc.
mates at the institute. Perhaps it
had even been unmaidenly for her to
read the clear depths Of his hazel
eyes.
The morning dragged wearily. At
noon her appetite failed. BY the
opening Of the afternoon session a
maddening head ache possessed her.
During the last period Of the day her
section mast report to Professor
Storm. She would have excused her
self and gone home only that every
one knew she must only sio in the
depot during tbs ho, August after
noon.
MerVale, ner home was but a so
minute ride from the county seat,
and to please her invalid mother
Alice made the trip each day, thus
depriving herself of the small social
functions arranged for the evenings
in honor of the visiting teachers, Il
humorous lecture, several receptions
and the concert
Professor Storm had asked her to
attend the concert with him, but
she had been forced to decline. Now
she thought, with increasing bitter
ness, that he had quickly consoled
himself in her absence. Perhaps if,
like the other teachers, she had
boarded in TOWN.
''If any of you failed to grasp the
method used in that last problem, l
will be glad to remain short time
and 60 over it again.
What problem! Alice pressed her
hand to her forehead and glanced
hulriedly at her notebook. Blindly
she clutched at her pencil. Half a
dozen teachers remained and Pro
fessor Storm was stepping down
from the platform. He reached her
side.
What is the trouble? Are you
illl"
He glanced curiously from the
clean page of her book to her flush
ell face. For few seconds speech
was denied her. Then she replied
calmly, almost coldly:
II fear my mind wandered. I
missed the explanation entirely"
storm looked at the clock.
"You have 40 minutes before train
time Come up to my desk and l
will go over it with YOU"
Mechanically she followed his
work, wondering if the ordeal
would ever end. But her voice did
not quiver as she rose.
"Thank you. 1t is quite simple
now-as simple us one plus one
equaling two"
She told tho iib unfllnchingly, but
her eyes did not meet his. The other
teachers gathered in remote corner
to discuss the absorbing question as
to whether hats should BE- worn at
the reception to be given that night
by the local Woman's club. Storm
laid cool, shapely hand over her fev-
erish one.
ri wish", he said softly. "that
you would let me teach you that
one plus one equals-just one. May
1t had not been her mistake, after
all. He had meant
"Girls, are you ever Coming?'
1t was Miss Lingard's voice, just
outside the door. Then Alice remem-
bered and drew away her pretty
hand.
"Really, Professor Storm. If you
advance such propositions as that l
shall lose faith iu your knowledge of
"
And with metallic laugh she hur.
ried toward the cloak room. Storm
looked after her with eyes first puz-
zled then hurt. He had he yer pict.
ured her as a wilful fiirt. And she
had led him on. Yes, she had! Tle
repeated the words again and again
as IL to smooth his rutiied feelings.
The next morning Miss Waters
was waiting on the depot platform !
for her friend,