The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-03-10
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Detecting Doris.
Copyright, 1916, by McClue .Newspa'
per Syndicate.l
BY JANE OSBORN,

Sometimes, do you know, you
watch me as IL you were detective,
said Doris Jones, as she was crossing
the campus college with her class.
mate, Lawrence Smith. Doris was I'm.
usually young to be senior, and Law.
renee, who had entered Dudley on ad.
yanced standing only at the beginning
OF the last year, was unusually old.
That is, he was at least twenty-six
years OF age; and In his care-laned
face, his occasional nervous gesteures,
no less than in the way he wore his
business-like clothes, he looked more
like a successful young lawyer or bro
ker than a college student.
Honestly, you do look at me In the
funniest way, sometimes" Doris per
sisted, although apparently Lawrence
did not care to discuss the matter.
"And have seen you look at other
people that very same way. You must
be Interested in human nature?"
Eyes, probably it is that" Lawrence
seemed annoyed or at'least, a little dis.
tifrbed. Later, after they had walked
almost to the girls dormitory where
he left Doris, he said. Sometimes
shall tell why am SO interested in
human nature" as you call 1t. You
will be surprised, am sure" And
then, lowering his voice-"In the mean.
time, little girl, don't even for fun say
anything to any one about that
strange expression OF NINE" I'll
There were several things about
Lawrence Jones that seemed to make
him stand out from the other men OF
his class at college in spite OF his OBJ.
vious effort 20 mingle with the men.
In the first place, even the professors
wondered why Lawrence was doing I'M
dergradute work at all-tnere Is no
postgraduate department at Dudley
For in almost all his cl.Lssc6 he seemed,
with no apparent effo.: whatever, to
surpass the other men IN his class rot
81 much through actual studionsncEs.
but because OF his greater maturity.
Another thing that puzzled his class.
mates was this: Apparently, from his
manner and habits, Lawrence Smith
was never without money, still, from
his first day in college, he accepted
work that only the poorest students
usually would have considered worth
while. For instance, he acted as cash
Ter during the later afternoon tea hour
at the "CoZy Corner" tearoom where
the girls of the college, and occasional
ly the men, dropped in for refresh
ments. He got merely a ptttance for
this work. ss.. 5@..
But these peculiarities were no stun.
bling block in the way of Smiths pop.
ularity. In fact, he was one OF the
most active officeho1ders Of his class.
He had been elected treasurer at the
first class meeting Of the year and
treasurer. OF the athletic association
though he had been put up for vice.
president Of that organization. That
was strange, too, that he should have
asked for the lesser honor when he
had actually been elected to fill the
vice presidents chair. His excuse was
that he liked to keep books and. that
he didn't know the first thing about
presiding. Well, anyway, he made
good accountant and never had the
books OF any college class or any other
years athletic association been better
kept.
It was the evening OF one Of the first
class dances of the season and Doris
Jones and Lawrence Smith were "sit.
ting out" one of the several dances
that Lawrence had been permitted to
mark on Doris order. Doris sighed
deeply.
II do wish you would tell me now
all about yourself" she said. "ot
course 7 like you--yes, you know I
love you-but 1t Is hard not knowing
all, about you. Do you know, some,
times feel as II ! didn't know your
name" She stopped suddenly and
turned away from him.
Suppose we finish out this dance"
He tried to be at east, but clearly he
was not.
wait a minute, putting out a small
hand which she closed around his
wrist. Lawrence, In that book of
stevenson's that you lent me Il found
the initials y. T. really do some.
times wonder whet Their your name is
lawrence Smith, ~,
Cant you trust me---enough to
know that 5it Is all right-anyway!3,.
Yes, yes can. Promise that you
willstruHtf me. toe, y Doris had no spe-
oIalf motive IA adj ding this, but Law.
renee had reason soon to tain special
sisnia cance 70 the words.