The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-06-27

her funny little ambition always upper.
most in her thoughts. It was because
she was afraid that Bennington PEG,
pie would laugh that she had kept her
aspirations secret-and hadn't even
told her old friend and now lancc,
Brad Simpson.
The next day Molly vent to Brad.
ford, the nearest sizeaole town, to be.
gin to buy the things for the trous.
seau, for she was as eager as Brad
to hasten their marriage. Molly would
not have been so eager to buy those
laces and ribbons and lawns with
which to make the fluffy things need.
full for her chest had it not been for
the check. To be sure, the check was
small, for Molly's first story had not
brought q fortune. But 1t made a good
beginning and Molly started put be.
times In tho morning. The morning
of shopping followed and Bradford's
big department store was ransackei
before she had made her small pur.
chases. She had forgotten to have
the check cashed in Bennington be.
fore she started, SO all her little pur.
cHhScS were sent y. y. d.
No wonder Molly Bell was not quite
herself that morning. No wonder she
said good evening to her mother on
going down to breakfast and favored
her coffee with salt instead of sugar,
for Molly had never been engaged be.
fore and that wonderful letter thai
came in tho morning mail was the
fret rnnt frtn lnya lnttar thai oba' H.
ever accepted as such. So what hap.
pened was quite excusable.
When she arrived home after the
shopping trip 1t was two o'clock, AMI
her cheeks were flushed. with excite.
ment and happiness. Later, when the
packages came from Bradford-for site
had requested q special delivery
Molly realized that she had still not
cashed her check, so her mother
would have to foot the bill after all.
Then Molly thought OF the purse
with tho check! Where was 1t? 1t
could not be found, but whore had she
lost It? The purse itself was old and
It contained little Of value but the
check. which Molly had foolishly
enough Endorsed after she had askei
Brad the night before how checks
should tG signed. She had felt her
way earnestly so US not to arouse his
suspicious 70 rhe was to know nothing
Of the sale of the little story. Brad,
she was sure, would know because he
worked in B%ennington's only bank
and knew everything about banking,
Molly was sure.
First she telephoned all the way 10
Bradford, 10 the store she had visit.
ed, but she heard no news OF her purse,
and then che telephoned 10 the offic.
Of the q company and still no good
news and another set of telephone
calls The next day only confirmed her
fear that the check was truly lost. The
man who answered her call OF the do.
partment store listened 20 her tale VI
woe with interest and suggested that
s'nce the check was indorsei she had
bct!L- write at once to the editor who
had scrt 1t and request rim to have
payment stopped. And thls Molly did
wtthoi'. Of course, knowing what the
woriis meant.
Once or twice that evening when
Brad came to call he accused Molly
Of being distracted and surely she
was. 1t would have been so comfort.
ing to her II she could have asked
Brad to explain just why 1t had been
best for her to write this strange re.
quest to the editor Of the magazine,
but this would mean a confession OF
the loss Of the check and a full &C.
count OF her sale OF the story.
It was two evenings later that the
tables were turned. and when Brad
called that evening 1t was he who was
accused by Molly Of being abstract.
ed.
1t isn't that you have actually dis.
pleased me, Brad began quite serious.
ly after Molly had coaxed him to tell
her the cause Of his anxiety, but l am
afraid l don't understand you. That's
all. I would be so happy II | thought
| had your confidence.
Molly blushed a little as she thought
Of her secret ambitions:
You see. Brad continued, and It was
evident from the way he spoke that
his little speech was premeditated,
you see when engaged people don't
have each others confidence, they
can't be as helpful as they would 9th.
erwise. Now-and here he took Mol.
ly's hand, which, with the next state.