Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-01-06
PURSUING POLLY
BY ,zoLA FORESTER.

:. By lZOlA FORESTER. ::
=
Peter sat up. ran his fingers through
his towsled hair and beamed at Pol.
ly like benevolent imp. Il don't
see what you want to rush off to New
York for. You won't make good, Pol.
ly. You girls think after you've sung
in the choir in q dinky little town like
Waneota all you have to do is get up
on a stage and be prima donna
quicker'n scat. Buell. says"
II don't care to hear It, Peter"
what on earth have you got against
Buell. Abbott? Rising young lawyer,
and, by Jimmy, he will rise sure
enough. He's going up in an aero
plane"
For PHYS sake!" exclaimed Mrs.
Wadleigh. Polly looked at Peter with
doubt and suspicion in her eyes and
the time table in her hand.
HE is. heard him talking to
some fellows at the post. Office. and
he said he'd just as soon go as not"
Polly went out Of the room with
her most tilted at rather a scornfu
angle. It was quite like Buell. to say
such a thing in Pete's hearing to be
sure it reached her ears and would
make her worry about him.
Polly decided that nothing could
ever make her worry or trouble her
self again about Mr.. Abbott. She
was not interested in his goings or
comings, or ascensions for that mat
ter Safe in her own room, she stood
before the oval mahogany-framed
mirror, and looked at the face that
stared so haughtily, so uncompromis-
ingly, back at her. The eyes were
very blue, startlingly blue. with dark
lashes and eyebrows, and her hair.
too, was dark. Polly liked to take it
and pile it high on her head, with a
few loose curls at her temple and
ears, like picture of the Empress
Josephine she had cut from a maya
zine and pinned on the wall. 1t was
q pity someone had not planned an
opera around Josephine, she thought.
She would have loved singing arias
of defiance at some stocky Napoleon.
Buell. was rather stocky. Tall, but
broad shouldered, and rather inclined
to take things too easy. Yes, that
was exactly the whole trouble, Polly
decided for the hundredth time. He
didn't have Q thrill of romance or
temperamental excitement in his
whole makeup.
It had always seemed natural for
Buell. to be her sweetheart, natural
for him to ask her quite casually one
evening . few months ago. (Which
side OF the railroad track do you
want to live on, Polly, after we're
married"
That was the way Buell. proposed.
spoke Of the divine fire of love in his
heart. And 1t was Buell. all over.
Polly had rebelled from that min
ute. She did not select her favorite
side Of the track either. She told Mr..
Abbott that she thought of running
down to New York and studying for
grand opera. And Buell. had stared
at her for minute in utter amaze
ment before he had actually laughed
at her and chuckled.
you're not, really, Polly?"
"Oh, but am" insisted Polly. I'm
going next week."
All during her preparation for the
trip she thought Of him until by the
time she took the train for New York
she almost relented and called him up
to say good-by. Somehow he seemed
rather noncommittal and not half SO
anxious as she had expected.
1t was around Poughkeepsie, half
way down the Hudson, that Polly no
ticed the other passengers watching
something from the windows, some.
thing very exciting. When she looked
out she saw lowering over the river
q flying ship like great bird.
Straight down it came toward the
racing train. AS it passed them, the
engine emitted q shrek of salute, and
the people called from the windows
and platforms, waving caps and hand
kerchiefs; but Polly drew back into
her own seat, with wide, almost fright
ened eyes. Over the telephone Buell.
had told her last of all:
Remember our favorite song,
Loeb Lomond,' Polly? Well. listen to
this, and it's promise
You take the high road and I'll take
the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland before you
Now she knew what he meant. Slow,
easy going, unromantic Buell. had
chosen the most sensational route to
follow and overtake his sweetheart on
her journey after fame and fortune.
Outdistancing the train, the aeroplane
alighted at Tarrytown, and when tie
express pulled in Buell. stood smiling
on the platform. his hat off. bowling in
response to the greeting cheers.
AS socn as he had found Polly he
shook hands laughingly and settled
down into the seat beside her.
i've told the other chap, Chaplin,
he can go back without me-" he said
calmly. MADE pretty good time.
didn't we?"
Polly looked at him with a new
AxnreggIon rf admiration In her wide