The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-11-24
WHAT CHANCE.
HAS a MAnR

IT1a9L&RTI9T

! gray necktie, as he sank into a chair
at the club with a relieved sigh. I've
Just been seeing her on on the train.
She came here two months ago to
visit her aunt, and the only reason
this minute that I'm not an engaged
! man and done for is that Providence
watches over the unweary.
81 should have taken warning when
her aunt mentioned casually one eve
ming that Dora was coming to stay a
while with her. She said that among
all her nieces Dora shone a bright
particular star, because Of her lovely
disposition and sweet ways. She said
when Dora came she felt. she could
really take a rest. because the child
was SO clever about managing a
house and overseeing servants.
well, Dora was pretty, terribly
pretty, and attractive. was so IN
terested in those facts that ! didn't
even take warning when on my
second call she contided to me that
she never intended to marry.
81 e~xpostulated with Dora. No girl
had a right 10 say that. told her
gravely. She had no right to snatch
from some despairing mar his only
hope OF happiness and thus make his
life a bowling desert:
81 devoted that whole evening to
trying to convince her how wrong
she was. | could not bear to go away
thinking | had left. her still cherlshing
such reprehensible notions. had
plenty of opportunity to argue the
matter with her afterward, for was
invited to dine SO many times. and OF
course that meant dinner calls and
theatres to square myself.
Presently Dora's aunt took q hand.
She sal it was pity Dora was SO par
ticular, because she missed so many
good times through that fault. She
absolutely would not waste time talk
ing to a man or accepting his invita-
tions to theatres or parties unless he
really interested her and she liked
him.
az had been seeing Dora about four
times a week, so, naturally, felt
gratifed. l observed TREMENDOUSLY that
hoped | had not been boxing her.
Dora's aunt shook her head solemnly.
"'Mr. Glitter she said, 4 assure
YOU | know no one with whom Dora
feels more at home and happier than
with you. l don't know when I've seen
her so interested. 1t has pleased me
so much that she really seemed to
take such an interest in you. That
has been the child's chief fault, her
independence. She always acts as II
she didn't care in the least whether
anyone liked her or not. 1t is queer.
for she has such a tender heart
ANY man would have been aatter-
ed to find that Dora liked him. was
so pleased about 1t that 1t was a
shock, the next time | called, to find
her engrossed in the conversation Of
| Billings, who Is an awful frost. | was
very much surprised. Dora seemed to
hang on his words. She paid scarcely
any attention 10 me. When | left she
smiled sweetly.
ut was next morning, in the middle
Of my second cup Of coffee, that the
great idea dawned on me that maybe
she had been trying to make me
jealous Of Billings.
~ stayed away. Then Dora tele-
phoned me to come over She had on
her prettiest gown and she was going
to cook lobster In the chatting dish the
way | liked It best. Oh. ! was wide
awake enough now! That lobster
Newburg to me was nothing but a
large, deadly pointed fishhook, and
! was assigned the part Of the fish.
IL .ioundered agilely and escaped,
although Dora leaned her head on one
hand and posed beautifully over the
chatting dish aud talked about her in
decision whether to take up settle
ment work or go as a missionary. She
! seemed a little irritated when l adj
vocated the latter purse
, "She announced later that the lob.
ster Newburg was all gone. She did it
In a. tone OF voice that said Id better
go home, so | went.
Then Dora's aunt helped. She
took to mentioning the heaps OF let
tiers Dora got from her home town.
and limited that Dora had come away
to escape three adorers, each Of whom
had vowed to wed her. She asked
Billings to dinner whenever she asked
me, and politely insinuated to me In
private that | had five miles to go and
about two seconds to make 1t in II l
vas going to win in the race.
81 was scared to death by this time.
You see, Dora really was very pretty
and ! was afraid that in some moment
Of alteration | might swallow the
! hook. was in danger up 10 the very
/ minute the train pulled out today.
81 didn't even let myself take a
square look at Dora in her fascinating
travelling suit till the wheels started
to revclve. was afraid I'd ask If l
might write to her. I was bound l
wouldn't do that. I'm perfectly safe
nou, 10 I non sion Uhara nmI"