The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-07-29
THE OTHER GIRL
BY EARL REED slLvERs.
Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure Newspa
per Syndicate1

per Syndicate)
Mildred had always been afraid Of
the other girl. Ted spoke Of her very
little now, but only brief three
months. ago he had told Mildred all
about that wonderful week In the
mountains. He had been worn out
with the press of work and had gone
to ColeviIle, where he had found Elsie.
She was the village school teacher,
just out of normal school.
He had not known Mildred very well
then. But the day after his return she
had met him at country club dance,
and she had listened while he told
her about Elsie. And then, two days
before New Years, ne had told her
that he was going to Coleville again
! to see Elsie.
II promised her the last time / was
up there that I'd come again on New
Years" he explained, "and don't like
to break my promise"
Something in the hurt Of Mildred's
eyes brought an answering light In his
| own.
You know, don't you" he asked
softly, shat I'd ratlser be here with
/ your"
But Mildred shook her head II
don't know whether you would or moi"
she answered frankly. you must care
4 good deal for her"
| He nodded Eyes" he said; vi do"
Two days later he had left for Cole
Vile, but not before he and Mildred
had talked II all out. And Mildred
tried to convince herself that he was
doing the right thing.
"She is very much in love with him,
| know she is" she told herself, land
before he offers his love to me he
must find out whether or not Elsie has
lost her appeal to him."
II was hard waiting until he should
come back again. Through seemingly
endless days Mildred tried to fix her
mind on other things, but 1t was use
less. Gradually an idea took posses
sion of her and worked it's way into
her mind until It became almost an
obsession. She began to think how
strange II would be II Ted should bring
Elsie TO New York with him as bride
and 1t ended by believing that that was
exactly what Ted was going to do.
She resolved to 60 to the Grand Cen
| trial station and to wait outside the
| gates for Ted's train to come In.
"I can hide behind some other peo-
pie" she said TO herself, land II he
should come OF the train with another
girl can see him first and come home
without him knowing 1t. Then he
won't have to tell me about It himself"
She was waiting at the station when
the train arrived, and as the people
started TO pour through the gates she
felt a sudden panic.
"Supposing he should come with an
other girl" she thought. Il would
never speak TO him again In the
world
The fact that under those circum-
stances he wouldn't care whether she
spoke to him or not did not occur to
her.
The passengers had almost ali passed
through the gate. and Mildred had be-
gun to think that perhaps Ted had
missed his train, when he appeared
suddenly from the darkened platform.
Mildred's heart stood still as she saw
him, for he was walking beside one Of
the prettiest girls she had ever seen,
with something like a sob, Mildred
drew back into the crowd, watching
with tear-bordered eyes while Ted and
the girl passed almost within six feet
Of her. When they had gone inte the
main station she rushed into the sub
way and somehow made the trip to
her home.
A doorbell rang downstairs, but Mill
dred did not notice. Nothing mat
tered. But a moment later knock
sounded at her door and the maid an
nounced that Mr.. Terrill was waiting.
Mr.. Terrill was Ted. and the announce
ment that he was downstairs Alled Mil
bred with a sort Of dull rage She
wondered vaguely why In the world
he was calling on her; but she re
solved that she would not let him
know what pang his selection Of the
other girl had given her. So she
washed the tears from her eyes and
went down the stairs, just as II the
bottom had not fallen out of the earth.
Ted stepped forward eagerly as soon
as he saw her.
Mildred r he said.