The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-12-12
An Impossible
Story
By BEss PLAIN

Copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure News.
paper syndieate.)
And the foggy wind blew the
spray of the waves about these two
as they stood together on the rocky
shore. Suddenly she turned to him
and grasped his hand In hers, small,
cold and damp with the breath of the
sea.
do you remember" she said, at
was here. years ago. when we were,
oh. so young, you--you once said you
loved mer'
Eyes," he answered with quiet ten
derness. II remember"
"Tell me-" she said quickly. "tell
mel Do you still7 ! want you to-
oh, how want you to"
Dearest, dearest Of all. you know
do"
"Then kiss me-" she whispered.
He bent his head to hers. and their
souls seemed to meet, trembling, upon
their lips ~
The waves beat their rhythmic thun-
der upon the rugged Shore spraying
high over the rocks. as though attempt
ing to liberate themselves from the
eternal bondage of the sea. and dash
into the mists. free as the air that
swirled about the two indistinct fig
ures.
The End
AS the sound of his voice ceased
he closed the book softly. and there
was moment of silence. She stood
up languidly and gazed wistfully out
over the black sea.
"Not bad story, I'll say" he ven
tured. I'm fact, | rather liked 1t. Es-
pecially good for weekend SWIM
ming party. when it's too cold to swim
and everybody sticks indoors"
"Everybody?" she questioned aych-
ly. "Thanksr'
swell everybody except girl
you've known so long that she'd be in
suited If you tried any romance"
$50 you take her out on the -veranda
In the fog and read an impossible
story to herr"
Impossible story! I think it's
mighty good one; true to life. and
real"
''That's where you're wrong. It
isn't true to life or natural at ALL"
flashing look Of literary superiority
at him. "Of course like the way
you read and all that; but do hate
these bookey-books, with the things
that never happen except In some
starving authors brain. Imagine a
woman asking man II he still cared
for her." she continued. scOrnfully.
I'D never ask man that-net II I
was dying to know. And then, on top
of that, without waiting for an an
swer, she not only admits she wants
him to. but practically begs him to.
Pooh! It's too ridiculousw she fin
ished with unexpected heat, and, step
ping from the veranda. started to walk
toward the leaping breakers.
A look of mild surprise came over
his face. But as he watched her slen-
der figure retreating through the gray
fog deep tenderness filed his eyes.
unhidden now that she was not there
to see. He thought for a moment rem
iniscently. and then grim determine
ton. like an habitual mask. lined his
features as he made slight, uncon-
ecious gesture, as though casting away
something futile.
Coming to himself, he tossed the
book to the wicker tabaret, and strobe
after. In few steps he was up to
her. and linked his arm In hers In a
familiar way. She made no sign, but
continued slowly along the shore.
The mist, billowing in from the re-
mote mystery Of the ocean. soon hid
the house they had just left and iso-
lafed them from the conventionalizing |
touch of its presence. the touch that
builds up walls and barriers and keeps
people from one another. The trees,
farther in from the shore, rose In dark
outline. and moved in the wind like
vaguely gesticulating phantoms. arous-
ing sensation Of strangeness and
distance from the present. like blurred
figures surging out Of the past.
II don't suppose they'll worry about
our being unchaperoned." he TESTED.
mo one ever worries about chap
eroning u.s." she answered. with per-
haps the faintest hint Of irritation.
'sThey all know I'm platonic and
harmless"
'sDo they7 That's why Mrs. Hostess
appeared on the veranda last night
with some totally superfuous refresh
ment when you were sitting out
dance with that new girl"
"Oh, you mean the wonderful bru-
nefte. with the lovely"
SYou needn't describe her." she cut
in quickly. T'remember how she looks.
No one could help noticing how you
singled her out The refreshment was
probably to prevent premature pro- /
posal--or something Of the sort. You
danced six dances with her."