The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-09-28
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
His Dollars and Cents.
~ FLORA A. MONTY.


Newspaper Syndicate.)
&C. A TRUMP Of a schoolteacher!
n No use! Ill not be extra nice
\ to her, fretted thin, high.
pitched male voice.
Beth shrunk into an alcove OF the
garden wall and deliberately listen.
ed.
Oh. come, Benson! She's not q
trump. AS to her being teacher, she
doesn't spread 1t on. and she's abso-
lutely human, and alive to q good
time. The voice raised in protest, was
deep and earnest. Beth smiled thank.
fully. Ned Gretton's tones as we'll as
his words dulled the rasp Of the 9th.
er.
So much the worse. She'll be alive
10 my memory. and l won't be safe
from her a minute. That's the trou.
BILE OF a fellow who Is born to wealth.
He sighed in complacent sympathy
for himself.
Well, l understand that there'll be
one woman Of your class here-Miss
Mary LANCE, who Is struggling
through life trying to spend the mil.
lions her father left her. Ned laugh.
ed as eager interest forced off the
bored expression on James Benson's
face.
Beth left her hiding place. unobser.
we'd, and Indignantly made heF-way to
her room. 1t was too bad-that habit
Mrs. Edmond. her hostess, had OF as.
signing beforehand to her men guests
the girls she expected them to be nice
to Beth vowed that she would veil her.
self in an icy courtesy toward this
wealthy Benson who imagined himself
target for all unmarried women.
She chose her loveliest gown for her
appearance at dinner that evening. Be
it confessed that Beth's gowns were
few, so they were chosen with that Sc.
rious consideration that arises from
necessity, and they very delicately
defined her charms. A soft wistaria.
colored taffeta cnveloped her with re.
gal grace and her golden hair made
shining aureole to crown It all.
To Ned Greton's mind, she made q
most satisfactory contrast TO Miss
Mary LANCE. as the dinner guests as.
sembled in the drawing room for the
first introductions. Miss LANCE went
in for social settlements, political
equality, and advanced philanthropy,
and she looked the part. Added to
this. she attempted to wear smart
clothes. and affected coy manner
with the men. Both efforts were un.
convincing. but. owing to the defen.
sive armor Of her millions. she was
protected from the effect Of her fail.
ures and was received with a defer
ence that fattered her soul.
Now, the few ideas that were born
in James Benson's mind passed
through such moneyed atmosphere
that he simply could not grasp the
fact that wealth and beauty were not
synonymous. So when Beth and Mary
simultaneously were introduced he lis.
tened not for names, but delivered
himself Of a reverential bow to the
wistaria.gowned teacher and an icy
nod TO Mary. He was so volubly af-
fable throughout dinner, regardless of
Beth's reserve, that she was bewild-
cred until in the course OF the CONVEX
sation he addressed her as My dear
Miss LANCE. Then, without cnlighten.
ing him. she smiled an appreciation #
the situation at Ned Greton, who had
overheard the remark.
Later In the evening. when the men
Joined the ladies', James Benson di.
rected at Beth fatuous look and lis.
ped. Miss Lange, do let me show you
the garden by moonlight! Beth met
his look with disinterested stare, and
then turned away, while his right arm
was seized with an insistent clutch,
and, with a gratified shipper, the real
Mfsu I !, "a
His thoughts took sudden mental
turn and readjusted themselves to
the truth with difficulty as they pass.
ed from the room. Mr.. Benson did not
enjoy that stroll In the moonlight.
In the days that followed the young
millionaire admitted to himself with
what he considered as liberal condo.
scension the fact that Beth was not
a trump and that she was really en-.
tertaining. And, finally. he became
aware Of the fact that Ned Greton who
had nothing but his good looks and
small salary-though he came of a
fine old family-was carefully includ-
ing Beth in all that he planned and
did, and that he, James Benson, re.
scented Ned's attentions to her as an
intrusion on his own superior rights.
Beth proved to be an elusive little
individual. Her high spirits commune.
Gated themselves to her associates
and the hours we're filled with gay.
ETY..
On the day Of the picnic, she was to
60 In the launch with Benson. but she
developed a violent headache as the
boat was about to leave and remain.
ed at the house. Shortly after tho
young people assembled on the is.
land, Ned took the canoe in which he
had made the trip alone and started
back to the house-a proceeding which
reused a deep disquietude in what Ben.
son was pleased to regard as his heart.
Very deliberately, the latter re.enter.
ed the launch, and put about across the
bay, arriving at the Edmond wharf
some time before Ned reached it.
AS he expected, Beth was wandering
about IN the garden, gaily singing, her
face showing no vestige of illness.
Er-Miss Ainsley, he ventured.
Beth whirled about at the sound Of
his voice.
Er-Is your headache better?
Perfectly we'll, thank you. She dis.
played no pleasure at his presence.
I'm so glad! Really, am. I'm
quite interested in all that concerns