Smyrna times., 1917-01-03

"POSitiVeY
"POs-i-tive."
A long moment elapsed.
"And I'm always going to be-" he
added. Always and always"
The music died away, signifying the
end of the dance, and footsteps sound |
ed on the stone porch. The two peO-
pie in the shadows became more dis
tinctly two people. A moment ago |
they had resembled one indetermin-
ale bulk.
"Have you the next dance with any |
one?" the boy asked.
"No."
"Then we can keep on sitting out
here?"
Eyes" She paused a moment. Il
want to tell you something"
"What?''
"rn let you know in just three min
utes."
The music started again and the peO-
pie sitting near by passed through the
doorway. The two were alone again,
so nobody but the girl heard what the
boy had to say.
81 love you," he whispered.
A pair of round arms encircled his
neck; COOL white arms which he had
dreamed about for ages.
The girl was silent for a moment be-
fore she spoke.
81 hate to spoil this wonderful, Won
derful evening"" she said, "but I must
do it. l simply must tell you some
thing"
"What is it?"
TITS about Arthur ThOrp," she exc
| planned. Her voice wavered a little.
"He and have-have known each 9TH
er all our lives. We've been very,
very good friends, and it's been gem
orally understood that we would be
married some day."
you haven't promised him, have
you?"
"NO. We never said much about it;
but all the time you were away at
college we went together steadily, and
and he's been saving up"
"But if you aren't engaged to him
it's all right" The boy moved for
ward impulsively. 81 love yOu," he
said.
81 know, dear" She placed her
hand on his arm. "But don't you see
that 1 must tell Arthur first? It's only
fair to him; and if he-and if he
should take it in the wrong way,
suppose that-that 1 shouldn't become
engaged to you"
The boy looked wistfully in the dis
tance.
"I guess it's the only thing to do"
he said. "When are you going to tell
him?'
During the next dance. 1 have II
with him."
"And how shall 1 know?"
you'll know by watching us. As
soon as the music starts, 1 shall tel
him that IL care for someone else. Il
he holds me to my half-promise, We
will go home. If he doesn't and every
thing is all right, Arthur and I will
dance the encore together"
The music ceased, and she arose.
ST am going nOw::'
Through the window the boy saw
her meet the other man and smile int
his eyes. After what seemed an eter
nifty of waiting, the music started TO
the next dance. AS the moments spe'
on. 1t seemed to the one waiting ol
the porch that the suspense was JUS
a little more than he could bear. Ant
as he waited, the two upon whom hi
thoughts were centered sat togethe
in another room.
"Arthur." the girl said slowly, ''
know now that I can never care 70
YOU the way you want me to. There
someone else-yOu know who he is
and 1 love him because he says wor
derful things, and because-well, jus
because
For a moment the "other fellow
dropped his head In his hands. The
he squared his shoulders.
81 understand" he said.
After brief silence he led her int
the main room and danced the yer
best he knew how.
The boy on the porch watched thei
for a minute or two. Then he wer
TO the swinging couch, where he lii
tened with eyes closed to the rhythmi
notes. And although he wasn't dam
ing. It was the most wonderful dane
he had ever known.
When the music died away, the gi
u came to where he was waiting Ia th
shadows.
fcopyright. 1915. by the Mcclure Nswsp
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