French Broad hustler and Western Carolina Democrat. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1915-1916, 1916-08-03
JUST FOR TONIGHT
BY EARL REED SILVERS.

: BY EARL REED slLVERs.
The strains of "Just for Tonight"
died away. Phil Kendall. looked into
the eyes of Mildred Arnold and smiled.
'Is it going to be just for tonight with
us?" he whispered.
81 guess so, Phil" She spoke kindly
but there was a hint of determination
in her voice. There's Arthur, you
know"
Phil frowned darkly.
"Are you engaged to him?'
almost" Mildred's voice quivered
slightly. ct isn't announced yet, but
two years age, when he was a sOphO-
more in college, I promised him."
"And now, when you know that he
isn't all you thought he was, are you
going to keep your promiseT"
Eyes" They had walked to the porch
Of the big gymnasium and were stand
ing in the shadows. sits the only
thing for me to do"
"But your whole future is at stake"
81 know, but that doesn't make q
promise less binding. Arthur hasn't
done anything wrong SO far as I know.
He's just. weak, but lots and lots OF
men are weak, and girls have married
them Just the same"
Hes a coward" Phil spoke holly.
"You-you really haven't any right
to say that" The girl laid a/restrain-
ing hand OF his arm. +,
He was silent for a minute or two,
but suddenly he turned to her impul-
sively. 81 know I shouldn't say these
things" he said, but it hurts me SO
to know that you are going to give
yourself to someone who isn't worthy
of you. Not that I am" he added
hastily, "but at least I'm more of q
man than Arthur Martin is"
'I know you are" She spoke softly.
The music for the next dance drifted
out of the open doorway, and Arthur
Martin appeared to claim his partner.
Phil watched them until they were lost.
| in the shifting crowd of dancers. =
eff only something would happen to,
show her what q cad Be :" ne
tered. - As4aSsssAasa4 |
FnI saw them at the baseball game
the next afternoon, and in the evening,
when he stood on the porch of Ferrold
hall, where the final dance of junior
week was being held, he watched as
they whirled off together to the strains
of mighty like a Rose" the first waltz
of the night. :.
Phil managed to engage the sixth
and seventh dances with Mildred, and
instead of staying in the crowded hail
they walked over the shadowy paths Of
the steps of the old Kings building,
where they fingered. They were half
hidden in the shadows, and the two
persons who stood beneath the arc
light, not ten feet away, did not notice
them. Phil started as he noted that
one of the figures was Arthur Martin
and the other Nellie Burt, whom he
knew by sight as a factory hand for
the Thompson company downtown.
They could hear Martin speaking an
grily.
81 tell you, I'm through" he said.
"But you promised to marry mew
There was a hint of tears in the girls
voice.
81 can't marry you; Tm engaged to
someone else"
"Yeu must" She spoke tensely, and
seized the arm of his coat. "YOu can't
turn me down like this"
I'm not turning you down. I didn't
promise to marry you-just suggested
that we might possibly be married some
day"
"You asked me that night on the
river"
81 didn't"
"You did-you know you did"
The two in the shadows could not
help hearing what was said. Phil re-
covered from his amazement first, and
took Mildred's arm.
"Come on" he suggested. Lets go
back to the hall"
"No." Mildred spoke firmly. "Im
going to find out the truth about this
affair."
Before he could stop her she had con-
fronted Martin and the other girl.
Arthur she asked, lis this girl
speaking the truth?"
Martin gasped as he saw her.
Nellie Burt stepped forward.
care you the girl he's engaged tor
she asked.
eyes"
"Well, he promised to marry me. I
gave up all the other boys for him, and
now he's going to turn me down."
Don't believe her." Martin strove
desperately to make his voice sound
convincing.
81 heard you tell her that you had
suggested marriage" Mildred spoke
firmly. "Ive heard rumors of this kind
of things before, Arthur, but I didn't
hoIinun thon Nou I Lnnm hat thew