The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-02-02
The Girl
He Forgot

whom she had never met, as her par
ttcular escort st the theater party
which Henshav was planning 10 give
tho following veek.
TN be delighted" said Elizabeth.
But what's the joke?"
Jim Wharton's the joke" replied
Henshaw. Il don't suppose hs ever
took q girl anywhere in his life. He
boards where ae."
The night Of the party Jim's cos
tune was certainly irreproachable,
and but for . certain shyness, which
troubled him more than 1t did any one
else, his manners were irreproachable.
Elizabeth was the most tactful OF
her sex, 70. when she found that her
attempts at conversation seemed
merely to startle and embarrass her
escort, she aIked most of the time to
Henshaw and Pauline Curtis, who
were her neighbors on the other side.
Being thus left to himself, Jim was
free to enjoy the play.
1t was several minutes after the
curtain had fallen on the final act be-
fore Elizabeth. who had been busily
collecting her possessions, looked
around in search Of Jim and discov-
cred that there was no such person
anywhere to be seen. She gave a lit
tie gurgle Of mingled surprise and
amusement. Henshaw turned toward
her at the sound, and when he saw
the vacant chair he. too, laughed
"You followed instructions too we'll,
Elizabeth" he said. "I didn't mean
for you to obliterate yourself SO en-.
tirely that he could go beating it of
alone like that"
Not until Jim. still chuckling to him.
self in retrospective enjoyment of the
play, took out his watch and began to
wind 1T, which was his first step in the
process OF going to bed. was he as
sailed by an unpleasant and all too
familiar sensation. He recognized it.
'I've lost something" he said to
himself beginning to feel about in his
pockets. He knit his brows and tried
to think. 1t couldn't have been his
ticket to the play. for he had been
there and come home again. "Great
play" he soliloquized. 81 don't know
when I've enjoyed anything so much.
I wonder II Tom"
Here he struck clew. "Why,
where is Tom?" he asked, thoughtfui-
iy. 1--WE certainly went toeethess
Then. like a Hash. 1t all came back
IN one horrible. overwhelming Hood.
When Tom returned and stopped in
Jim's room on his way TO his own. he
found q pale. disheveled, detected
creature sitting on the side Of the bed.
one large shoe in his hand. gazing
wildly into space. Jim turned hag-
gard face toward the intruder.
Mice man you are!" said Tom, dis.
gustedly. "Any time undertake to
mako q social butterfly out of you
againi"
!. wharton groaned. "Say." he asked.
'"what does 4 fellow do when things
like this happen?"
Tom started for the door. smother
ing yen Of delight. "They don't hap
pen," he said. chokingly, ~ he disap-
peared. ~
About o'clock the next morning
Henshaw was awakened by q knock
on his door. When the door was
opened slightly Wharton's detected
countenance appeared in the crack.
"Tom," he said. I've hardly slept
q wink. I've just got to do some
thing"
Tom reached for pillow and threw
It at the long. sad face. Go and do
II then" he shouted. "But II you
bother me again. 11l-''
The door closed on the uncomplet-
ed sentence.
If Wharton could have seen Eliza
beth's mirthful countenance that eve-
ming when she read his name on the
card which the maid handed her he
would have been tempted to dive
headlong out Of the window. When
she entered the room in which he was
waiting for her, however, she was un-
smiling enough.
"Good evening. Mr.. Wharton" she
said. with cold politeness. won't
you have a chair"
"a chair? repeated Jim, looking
about wildly. 1--don't believe I
need one, thank you. That is. I can't
stay but a minute. Miss Blake. I
wanted Tom to come with me to tell
you what fool am. He knew I'd
do something awful. He hadn't any
bus!a ess to make me go last night.
Miss Blake, don't know what to
say" he went on. cheerlessly. "If
there's anything I can do to square
myself. I'd be glad to do it. know
there isn't any excuse for bonehead
like me-"
Jim was pallid with misery BY this
time. II know you can't forgive me
and don't ask It. just came to say
that wish you'd get somebody to kick
| me around the block. can't apollo
gize, for there's no apology that can