The Press., 1903-04-16
!, ONE PLUS ONE
, EQUAL !?
BY FRANK cHlswick
Copyright, 1902. b. the

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Girls, what do you think? Profess
or Storm proposed to me last night
So silly! Why. l 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 Burrows
went out.
"Silly! She is the silly one! The
most conceited girl l ever knew ex-
claimed Nellie Waters, swapping rub
| Der band about her notebook.
Alice Burrows stopped for an imag-
mary raveling in her skirt binding. and
her friend did not see her quivering
they were Joined by other teachers
| and passed down the corridor.
The first hour was given over to
lecture on chalk work in geography.
but Alice was deaf to pedagogic sug-
gestions, blind to the vivid drawings
Of the faddist who held forth before
| the teachers of Tucson county, assem-
bled for the annual institute. Above
the voice of the speaker rang insistent-
| ly the words of Hattie Lingard-"Pro-
fessor Storm proposed to me last
night"
Well, why shouldn't he? thought
Alice despairSngly. Miss Lingard was
noted beyond the confines of the coun-
ty as beauty and coquette, just the
sort of young woman who would at
tract a studious, earnest man like MIR.
Storm. Yes, why shouldn't he? What
did he owe quiet, gentle Alice Bur-
rows? He had spoken no word of love
to her, and yet Her cheeks flushed
crimson, and she bent her face closer
to the notebook. whose pages were still
unwritten. 1t had all been a mistake
She had misinterpreted the actions Of
this grave young professor who for
two years had conducted the classes in
mathematics at the institute. Perhaps
it had even been unmaidenly for her
to read the clear depths of his hazel
eyes.
The morning dragged YEARLY. At
noon her appetite failed. By the open
ing of the afternoon session madden
ing headache possessed her. During
the last period of the day her section
must report to Professor Storm. She
would have excused herself and gone
home only that every one knew. she
must only sit in the depot during the
hot August afternoon. Mervale. her
home. was but a thirty 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 teach
ers, humorous lecture. several recep-
lions and the concert.
Professor Storm had asked her to at
tend the concert with him. but she had
been forced to decline. Now she
thought. with increasing bitterness,
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
go over it again."
What problem? Alice pressed her
hand to her forehead and glanced hur-
riedly at her notebook. Blindly she
clutched at her pencil. Half dozen
teachers remained, and Professor
Storm was stepping down from the
platform. He reached her side.
what is the trouble? Are you 2"
He glanced curiously from the clean
page of her book to her flushed face.
For a few seconds speech was denied
her. Then she replied calmly. almost
coldly:
81 fear my mind wandered. missed
the explanation entirely"
Storm looked at the clock.
"You have forty 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 culver as
she rose.
'SThank you. 1t is quite simple now
as simple as one plus one equaling
two"
She told the fib unflinchingly, but
her eyes did not meet his. The other
teachers had gathered in a remote cor
ner 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
a cool, shapely hand over her feverish
one.
81 WISH" he said softly. 'that you
would let me teach you that one plus
one equals-just one. May I-AliceY
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 hand.
Really, Professor Storm, If you ad-
vance such propositions as that /
shall lose faith in your knowledge of
mathematics"
And with metallic laugh she hur
ried toward the cloakroom. Storm
looked after her with eyes first puz-
zled, then hurt. He had never pic
tured her as willful firt. And she
had led him on. Yes, she had! He re-
peated the words again and again as
If to smooth his ruffied feelings.
The next morning Miss Waters was
waiting on the depot platform for her
friend.
"Oh, Alice. you ought to have been
at the reception last night" she COM
mented as they walked toward the
high school. where the institute was
held. "Such larks! That little brag.
CART, Hattie Lingard, was the laugh.
ing stock. 1t seems she wants to mar.
~ Fred Baker, whose father owns
nearly all the stock in the Tucson
bank. She hoped to rouse his jealousy
by flirting with Professor Storm. That
is why she started the story that he
had proposed to her, and they say she
even asked him to take her to the con-
cert Well she did succeed admirably
In rousing Fred's jealousy, and he
positively refused to take her to the
reception last night, and she had such
a dream of a dress too. She had to go
with couple of girls. Imagine Hattie
Lingard doomed to the society of girls