The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-04-03
Daily Short Story
MERELY ACTORS.

MERELY ACTORS.
By THOMAS GRAY FEssENoEN
The third morning Belden smith
walked past that white farm house
ooNn the gen road and saw the girl
IeedinE beneath the bic apple tree. be
did something which Was surprise
70 nm Tor many days after. for Bslden
smith Was = very self-contained and
conventional young man. The first
ming hat surprised him was that he
walked straiEht into that farm house
gate. crossed bit OF lawn - the
apple tree. removed his cap and said.
Pardon me. but unless / am greatly
mis- aiken. YOU are the Young slady /
last summer"
And as he spoke he felt thr hot
blood sur sing up his neck and into his
face, and inwardly he was calling hfu-
self all kinds OF a cad and covertly
wishing the earth would open and
swallow him up. for Belden smith had
never seen this girl before
Nhat vas bis surprise then when
she looked M quickly with those Won
dertul dark eyes Of hers. smiled pret.
tiiy. hushed. gave n plea .ed little cry.
and tocS his hand In hers
Wei, this Is a surprise" she said.
... u seA.tu lelt the earth tOtering
beneath his feet in hi, surprise ge
ST down In a nearby chair. which the
gifl was inviting him 20 occupy.
lhat Was a mighty narrow squeak
20. me, SAID she. Il should not have
gone out so far"
Belden Smith stared To think that
some one had pulled this girl from tn
water Al Long Beach. and he had
Stumbled upon that very place TO men
ION. ana she had mistaken him for
IL wasn't at all sure you'd re-
member me. he said
Remember you2 How could I ever
toIset YOU? You seemed to wear a
nalo that morning when you came up
70 me IN the water just as | was ali
IN pushing against that tide. What a
Indeed you didn't, Most peopIe
grab you round the neck when YOU
go 10 their escue In the water. You
didn't do that"
You were so perfectly splendid
about il. and so modest when thev
tied 10 make hero Of you"
1T was you who were really splen.
did, putting up that losing tight as YOU
were when got 10 you " said he hon.
ing he was right IL seemed a safe
enough thing to say.
Evidently 1t was perfectly safe. 70.
she sighed reminiscently.
Belden Smith looked at her closely
She was even prettieT than she had
seemed from the road. Her hair was
dark and wayy and her cheeks smooth
and rounded, and she had the incest
voice, he thought at that moment. he
bad ever heard.
They were talking soon like old
friends. II was lunch time before ne
realized IL. She was visiting her aunt
at the farm and the house was filled
with people, else she would insist up
on his staying. but she would be here
for three weeks and wouldn't he run
over TO Sc her often? No. there were
no other young people staying at the
farm. He mustn't forget.
Belden Smith did not forget He
went 70 the farm down the glen road
the next day and every following day.
They walked the hilly roads. they
went canoeing on the river. they mo-
tored through the surrounding coun-
try. Belden Smith found her the
mostengagtng companion. and alto
gether the most wonderful girl he
had ever met. Now and then he had
little twinges OF conscience. But he
put them firmly from him. OF course
he had had no right to sneak TO her
that first day. and perhaps he was in
Wiling disaster in posing as her res
cuer. IT such times he would make
up his mind to tell her the truth the
next time he saw her and risk the
consequences. But somehow the next
day i would look easier 10 do yet
one day further reno, ed. So three
weeks went past. and her visit at the
farm was drawing TO close
The last day came and still he had
not made his confession. That last
afternoon they were to motor together
over the Black mountain road
Today he made up his mind 10 tell
her as soon as he saw her. but she
looked so very lovely and so very hap
py that instead he helped her into the
car and they went spinning down the
road.
II was a cloudless afternoon. A re-
cent rain had laid the dust OF the
mountain road. Up and up they climb
ed until they were far up the noun
tain side. looking down at the roads
and trees and villages and fields
stretching out below them.
Then near the summit Smith halted
the car His lips were set. He had
made up his mind that here and now
he would tell the whole truth. He be
gan by coughing weakly. His own
voice. when he began. he scarcely rec /
ognized, so faint and unsteady was IT, T
There's something ! want 10 say
10 you-something I've simply got TO
say 10 you he stammered.
The girl suddenly turned her eyes
from the vista below them. She looked .
at him keenly Something in his man
nfI NloNEul utI QUICKLY dleTI--N0Illt-
thing In his manner and other things
that had very evidently been leading
up 10 u the last few days. She held
cut a hand 10 check him
Wait. please. watt she urged .
Before-before you say anything. I
have something 10 something 20
confess. on. I'm so ashamed ~"
Her voice failed her she looked
down the mountain Had she found
out about him then before he could
confess Belden Smith felt his throat
tighten and an the stihening 90 out
Of his spine.a
II. the girl was speaking with
great difficulty. you see, I'm horribly
ashamed 10 own M 70 g. buf I was
never a. Long Beach Boo my life. and
hate the water. ] can't swim Z never
so In That day YOU came into the
yard ! was horribly lonesome. and -'
Belden Smith lot out a great whoop. .
Then he began 10 laugh lie roared
and twisted with merriment The girl