Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-02-24
The Story s End
By GENEVlEVE ULMER
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union )

:, (Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union All the romances in the story books
 end happily-every one of them. I
 wonder if mine is only what the writ
 CTS call an incident, or circum- stance"
 i Thus Leila Thorpe, meditating
 dreamly over an event which had
 quite taken her mentality out of it's
 everyday, humdrum beaten track. She | was simple country girl, with no so-
 cial ambitions outside of the little vil-
 lage where she had always lived. Of
 course the few times she and a few
 of her friends had attended some spe- i cial parties up at the big summer re-
 sort hotel had been pleasant and entic-
 ing. but somehow, come to think it
 over afterwards, there was little worth
 remembering about the superficial
 belles of society and their shallow, in- sincere escorts.
 He was so courteous and handsome" sighed Leila, continuing her fond rev
 erie. Probably won't ever meet him again and don't even know his name, l Dot u u LO IOlSSL llllu.
 For never had Leila been so near to member of the opposite sex, never had pair of such admiring, magnetic eyes fascinated her own. Why, she had been quite in his arms, but that was unavoidable under the circllm- stances, and he had released her the moment he had pulled her and himself to safety.
 For there had been danger. Leila shuddered as she recognized how mar lowly she had escaped serious injury, perhaps death. It had happened all in a moment-a misstep along a familiar path, sway over the edge, a scram- bling hold of frail tree roots, with ter 1 rifying depths yawning far below. She | had screamed once. Then deadly faintness was overcoming her as she was conscious that human form was dangling beside her. A firm arm en- circled her waist
 Don't think of cOnventiOnalities. gentle, but steady voice conjured her. "Put both arms around my neck and hold on for your life.' | He was not near when she recovered consciousness, but a babbling bevy of her girl friends were excitedly dis cussing him.
 Brave as a lion-a true cavalier!" chimed a sentimental voice. "And so superbly cool. I think he Is doctor" joined in second voice. "He looked like tragedian and has the eyes of a poet" asserted third member of the group.
 None of them had ever seen the mys- terious young man. If they had fol- lowed him they would have found that he was q new arrival at the town ho- tel. He was registered simply as El- liot Marvin.
 Now, Elliot Marvin, when he risked his life to rescue pretty Leila Thorpe, had unknowingly dropped a rolled-up bundle of written sheets, which had been blown by the breeze into nest of wild brier bushes. There Leila's little brother, wandering about, found it the next day. He proceeded home with his prize and Leila discovered him stringing the odd dozen sheets to- gether, making a kite. "Why, it's a story!' exclaimed Leila, glancing over the pages, supplied her brother with other material for his kite and became at once interested in a pretty idyl of romance. A keen dis appointment crossed her face as the last page left the story unfinished. One of Leila's friends located the young man. He had gone for day or two to neighboring town, but was to return. The next day Leila reread the story. She was seized with the i'm pulse to complete it herself. She did so and read it to her closest friend, Minnie Lull.
 "Why, Leila p she cried, "you have just made a most famous ending to that sweet, pretty romance-'and so ever afterwards
 Greatly excited, Minnie burst in upon her friend the next day. "Oh, Leila," she futtered, "what do you think? A notice is tackled up in the post office asking the finder of that story to return it to its owner-who do you think?"
 "I can't imagine" said Leila.
 'Mr. Elliot Marvin-at the hotel. And he has returned. Let us take it to him at once, just for lark"
 But Leila only left it. The hotel keeper knew her. He reported her nape to MT. Marvin. The next day the latter quietly asked to be directed to her home.
 Leila fluttered and her mother gave warm welcome to the young man who had saved her daughters life. She invited him to tea. When he and Leila were alone Elliot Marvin said:
 q thank you doubly for your trouble with my poor story, Miss Thorpe" Leila looked unenlightened and inquir- ing. "You brought the poor scrawl back to me and brought 1t back fn- ished."
 Leila gasped.~ For the first moment