The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1916-08-08

1h~NI
then"
Don't you suppose ] would rather
be an old maid all my days than mar
ry a man | didn't care for?" demanded
Lefty.
Don't you care for anybody, Let
ty? thought you and Harold used to
be-"
The tell-tale blush that crept under
Letty's skin was sufficient answer.
Peggy suddenly leaped out of her
chair and kissed her. Now see here,
Lefty" she said, we mustn't let this
go on. II we are really sure that we
are not su.ted-but we aren't sure, are
WEI"
Not quite" agreed Lefty dolefully.
Then I'll tell you what we must
do. We must all four come together
again and face this thing, and-and
learn from our meeting each other
The plan seemed a difficult one, but
both the girls agreed that it was the
only possible solution. The boys met
rather sulkily at first, and glowered at
each other. But the girls had insisted
upon their shaking hands and forget
ting the past, except for a certain
necessary restraint between John and
Peggy and Harold and Lefty.
The days went by and still nobody
had made a move. If John Ford was
turning toward his former love he
gave no evidence of it. He was al
ways courteous to Peggy, but he
stayed at Letty's side, while Harold
could not be sufficiently attentive to
Peggy. And the four were to be mar
ried within a few weeks.
It's no use, Peggy" said Lefty,
sobbing. I'VE shall have to find out
after marriage which we prefer"
IF only we could ask them!"
sighed Peggy. Listen, dear. / have
a plan. Tomorrow night let us all 60
to the movies together. In the dark
we will change partners, as If by acct.
dent. If that doesn't inspire one or
the other to declare his real feelings
-S
1t did not seem a very happy idea,
but the chief difficulty had lain in the
fact that John had always stuck to
his fiancee's side and Harold to his.
IL only either of the girls could have
been alone with the man she really
loved, feminine subtlety might have
induced him to speak out. But moth
ing had been accomplished, and the
wedding day looming so near, fright
ened each of the girls. Suppose she
chose the wrong man, making the dis
covery after marriage instead of be-
forel Lefty knew that she would do
something desperate unless she could
find out, while Peggy dreamed Of run
ming away.
Neither knew her W mind and
neither dared hint anything to her
sweetheart.
The boys arrived In due course, and
the stroll down town was a dismal
repetition of many such strolls. Peg
gy was desperately unhappy and, to
crown her woe, the boys o~bstinately
refused to join in the game of gen
eral post" which had been devised.
Harold sat down with Peggy and John
with Lefty.
Both girls were crying silently in
the dark theater, not watching the ac-
tivities of the figures upon the screen
at all. 1t was too dreadful. Now the
last chance had gone by.
Suddenly a kissing sound was heard
and then a bright white flame shot up
from the operators box overhead
"Firei" screamed somebody.
Instantly the theater was In panic.
Peggy felt herself knocked from her
seat. A man was trampling on her.
Women were screaming. She tried to
flee, but, damned in the crowd, she
fell to the ground in a half-swoon.
Suddenly she felt herself lifted in
a mans arms. He raised her as light
ly as if she were a child and, holding
her before him, fought his way
through the happily diminishing press
When the girl opened her eyes she
was lying outside and somebody was
bending over her.
1t was John, and Peggy twined her
arms about his neck and chung to him.
His kisses were warm upon her lips.
Dearest! Thank Cod" he was say
ing over and over again.
And she returned his kisses, for h
knew at last, and with only a faint
contempt for Harold's cowardice, she
resigned herself to the sweetness OF
their loves renewal.
But suddenly she saw Lefty before
her. Harold's arm was about her
- e. -.., 81
shyness and TRANSPORTATION of loves
avowal.
The crowd was dispensing and the
four looked at each other in a mixture
of emotions. Then suddenly the girls
laughed and fell on each others necks.
And the mems hands met in a wise
like clasp.
1t was a very happy pair of couples
that strolled homeward in the dark