The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-03-05
,1vouIdn.t think you were a day over

wouldn't think you were = Gay o'SE
thirty!
own age, Petsr Barnes. BE paid scant
attention TO Ann. except to establish
her eourteously In comfortable
rocker on the "sideIines" where she
could watch the children dance They
were only children. Of course, ana Ss
Ann watched them she felt suddenly
old. unuterrably old and settled. M5 .
carberry, mother Of a pretty girl IN
red chiffon who was sitting outras-
eously. had come to share AIMS du'
ties OF chaperone, and her talk OF can
ming. sewing and housekeeping, dron-
ed. ON in AIMS ear like the dirSe OF
youth. Alter all she had been foolish
ITO feel as young as the pink gown;
there was nothing left for her but
drab days, silent and apart"
who is that man over there With
NV daughter?' Mrs. Carherry asked
abruptly. %'The tail one with black
hair?"
Ann cast a disinterested look IN the
direction Of May Carbery. The man
beside the red chiffon frock was In
deed very tan, he was looking down
at his diminutive partner With q look
half amused, half bored. He was not
Young Ike the rest OF them, he might
easily have been as old as Ann heT-
self. Ann looked, aud fguTatiyely
speaking rubbed her eyes. Where had
she seen that man beforee And then
it came to her IN a fash Of Joyous
memory. In fact. il opened the locked
door Of the most treasured memory
OF all. Back in her early school days
she had known that man. He had been
a boy then, with shy brown eyes that
| we're filled with alteration for her'
Ann Douglas. They had walked home
from school together, coasted togeth'
er. rowed and picniced together lie
had taken her to her very first dance,
| he had paid the very first compliment
! that brought a blush to her cheeks
| And then, the years had drifted be
| tween, he had gone away to college
| to medical school, letters bad grown
fewer and stopped altogether. Would
| he remember her? And what was he
doing here at this children's party
/ AIMS heart beat quickly with some
| thing more than mere expectancy She
! wanted him to see her. and yet. sne
was afraid. She turned her eyes
| away lest he should see her starting
But it was only a minute later thai
! Nav Carberry's shr1H voice SOUNDED
! quite close, and Ann was conscious
| of a tall presence beside her
! Mother. this is DR.. Gibbons. AnG
| Miss Douglas. one of our chaperones-
/ His brown eyes were not shy ans
J longer, but there was something else
! in them which had survived the years
! between, something which had never
| shown upon Ann from other eyes than
his. He looked at her a minute before
he spoke
! length. How did you come here?
/ didn't know You we're in Edgdale.
! Nor you she resuFned.
"I'm only here for a few days, M!
| voung cousin brought me, to this
party. Do you still dance, Ann?"
Ann turned an anxious eye toward
Mrs. Carberry. DO chaperoneS
, "ob YES" nodded that lady indul
s,antiv THAT is-i-f they can"
F.. II was not until he had whirled hel
away and OUT on the cool veraHda tha'
! fhev had a chance to talk things over
| he had written letters that she never
/ received. he had waited, thinking PEI
| haps to hear. some dag. And pest o.
! All he had kept a place for her IN tns
! heart. her place. 49,.
Gould you marry me now Ann
after so many years? II isn't as II We
we're strangers. want it to be no"
| tomorrow-
oh. wait until next week. Martin:
! she cried with little catch IN hel
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