The Taney County republican., 1919-10-23
THEIR BELIEF
BY JACK WALTON.
~, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ed. He recognized her us one of the
guests Of the Lakeside hotel. She had
been seated at table in the dining
room when he arrived the night be-
fore. Someone mumbled an intrOduc-
ton In passing; he had been unable TO
catch the girls name, but he remem-
bcred the unusual blue Of her eyes.
Glanclng up now from her book, she
settled his indecision with an impulslye
welcoming smile, then as though an
aoyed by her own graclousness, she
bent agNin over the book. Also fol-
lowing some impulse, Richard Graves
spoke:
You have chosen n delightful spot
for your reading" he said, $50 sequest-
cred that thought myself alone on the
beach. The view from here is beau.
tiful."
Yes" the girl said, again for mo-
ment her transforming smile appeared.
"My home," the man began, "is over
there in the city, l." But she put
'orth a protesting hand. LET us waive
personal history" said the girl, "what
does 1t all matter? We come from
some place, we go on presently, some
where. This hour alone Is ours. It's
a glorious day--the lake is blue, the
sun shines--it is good to be alive"
The man smiled back into the pl-
quaint, glowing face. 1t was q lovely
face, he thought, us full of changing
surprises us the girls own pretty
moods. Reaching out he touched the
book with tentative finger.
"What do you read?'
She frowned. Nonsense" she an.
swered curtly.
"And ideals" added the man, 1--WE
all have our ideals. They should be
carefully formed early in life for our
future plan of companlonshlp."
The girl leaned forward eagerly.
"Just what l have always thought.
Now, In my own case" She paused
abruptly, q flush sufused her face,
my subject carries me away" she ex'
cused herself to Graves.
"The subject interests me-" he re-
piled, "your views SO coincide with
mine. Please go on. In your own
caseT
'gThe man I intend one day to mar.
ry,' she said, answers in every way my
Ideal, both as TO physical appearance,
and mental endowment. Robert Is
talr-the broad-3houldered man who
was not tall, .podded- "and he is pa
tlent under all my perversitles. 1t has
taken some time to arrive thOughtfully
at my decision that our marriage will
be wise and enduring relationship,
Imaginew the blue eyes danced,
injecting Robert aud loving him at first
sIghtw
Graves Sh.'led absently. "The wOm-
an who has for some time been my close
friend md Conhdant," he said, "ls stop
ping at the hotel with her mother. She
is my ideal of all those qualities neces-
sary for q mans true helpmate. What
could / learn Of Elizabeth In first
meetlng?"
The girl opened her book. sand
thereafter" she read mOcliingly, moth.
ing in the world mattered to these two,
save each other"
Across the waters of the lake came
q low trilllng call, the man arose slow
ly "It's Elizabeth" he said, "she has
the boat out and wants me to Join her.
That's our signal"
The girl glanced at her wrist watch.
"Flye o'clock" she exclaimed, "and l
promised to meet Robert at four"
Comfortably she settled back In the
nook. "Too late now." she sald,
Graves fingered, as the trill still ran
down the lake. Il may not have anOth-
er chance to talk to you like this"
His tone was regretful.
Fainter and far away sounded the
call. With O sigh he sank back into
his corner on the sands, Later, when
, he pissed the table where the girl sat
10 the hotel dining room, their eyes met
/ with sense Of pleasant understanding
I At Richard Graves side was the
I woman of his ideal. The girl studied
I. this wOman Of noble qualities with O
certain wlstfulness; she was tall, hel
! eyes and hair were black. The girl
. was very small, now, beneath the shad
y ed light, her hair cleaned almost
golden.
|. When Graves came back to speak Il
;. her, she turned coldly from him, ant
Q his attitude, unlike that Of the chOser
Z Robert, proved him to be far from pa
|, tient with perverseness."
o That night when oil were sleeping II
i. their quiet rooms, winding like a ser
/, pent up the flimsy walls Of the hotel
e stole O tongue Of flame, which burs
, triumphantly ablaze at last.
e The girl wakenlng in her high room
n desperately moved through the chOb
Ing smoke to the one narrow window
= only to find 1t hopeless means of exit
% Desperately she caugbs her kimon
. about her shoulders an1 moved agal
d to the window, then the door burs
t, open. In the glarlng light che saw TO
10 a moment the stranger Of the beacl
n Years ago 1t seemed since their prof
ID less talk of love and marriage. Swif