The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-08-05
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Reserved.
az lzola Forrester. I

r.
rcseryed. twotor Bob Seward and him
Ieli.
.Tourths time in two wesks. Don"
wsrned bis aunt. "Are You really
sure this, timer"
Aud Don standing on her hearth
rug SIX foot one. athlete, stubborn
anil altogether her favorste, smiled
down at her teasingly.
Isn't she all .right?" he demanded.
Now. hUnor bright, Auat kitty, isn't
she a4tSc:oughbredY
aDearfad, how should know?"
leuehtd Mrs. Galloway. "She's pre-
" md charming and great favor:.e
With everybody, but would s52 wear
well? The trouble, Don, with most of
: our tcbD.es' the past few years, they
are like racers trained for the big
race Of matrimony or to look we'll
at the show but when II comes to liv-
Sag life. Just everyday life L don't
Don frowned. He knew what ;ay
under her words. There was the big
old house down home in Maryland, ard
hts chances with the new aeroplano
company he had sunk every dollar In
A,t6r that all he had to Offer Il .:irl
was himself and his inheritance SOME
day Of his aunt's property. Ana she
had brought him up ever since the
death OF his own mother, and had
idvlshei so much love upon him that
he ftlt she had indeed q right TO
voice an opinion. And he :alt he was
deAply in love with Bah. She was 20
gay and vivid, go full of enthusiasm
and epir.t, and he knew she hal &c
fused any number of men far better
Off than he was.
Mamie will be there tonight" add
ed Mrs. alloway, changing the subject
tactfully, and his brow cleared in
stantly. 1t was seldom, since her
marriage that he had chance Of
seeing his sister.
Seven fifteen" he said. give Nan
my best and tell her to let me come
UP to the hotel for breakfast with
her. I'm bound for Bab's now"
The telephone bell rang as he passed
down the broad stone stops, and
Nannie,s own voice called impera-
lively.
ooh. but I'll have to bring her dear
OF course. Don will understand. She's
little. She won't take W much room.
can squeeze her in anywhere.
went to school with her, and her
fathers been missionary in China
or Armenia, or some place where they
fairly chewed them alive, you know,
and Tess is adorable. She's Just back
home and ] must bring her with me.
You'll love her, Aunt Kitty.
Don was late. Bah kept him wait
ing, and came down the curving stair
case with most provoking leisure. She
was In black, with a red fan of heavy
ostrich plumes, and the Seward ruhies
IN her dark hair. He frowned. Mrs.
Galloway had said it was not good
taste for Bah to wear her mothers
Jewels while she was still debu-
tante. Old Seward would have given
her his own head II she had asked
for IT.
81 hate summer shows" she said
YEARLY. Were going on short
cruise, Dad and about eight of his
friends. Sorry can't ask you, Don.
Sorry couldn't go If you did, he
swung back pleasantly. "Nannie's in
town. I'm bound out to Fairfield with
her and Grant. You know her, don't
your"
Bah laughed.
I'VE used to scrap all the time at
Miss Baring's School I'm sure she
doesn't like me yet"
Tho interior of the box was in
shadow when they arrived, but Don
could see there was only one chair
vacant and this next to his aunt.
Bah sank into 1t ungraciously while
he sent the usher after another, and
Nannie's hand pinched his arm in the
dark.
Room down here" she whispered.
aAll my fault. Don, you poor old dar-
ling. Forgive me, won't you? Tess.
this is my big brother"
And suddenly Don found himself
looking into the most surprising pair
o. eyes, eyes so large and dark, 80
Filled with tender, velvety softness
In expression that they knocked away
al thought Of Bab's perversity from
his mind. ana lett him willing VIC
3iTn. Squeezed, intentionally between
Mamie and the side railing, he found
he could whisper across to her to this
girl from the distant East, with her
Persian mothers eyes and manner
and Frank Warren's smile, the faith
pr who had given his life In the big
itruggle.
You're due to breakfast with us.
Don remember" Mamie said when
they parted. Nine sharp"
Don nodded, caught one last glance
from Tess'sl eyes, andlistened for the
cal snrmhersofthts,ca absently. Babss
voice recalled him abruptly once they
were ons the way uptown.
isn't EitNodd that Nan should nave
kept Fthatyacquatntance?i she was
suchG . queer little thing at school,
butS NEn7w always rather broad
minaed, wagndtG she2 Her fischer. i
mean Or. ; Warren. rwas: kind Of a
nrfssionary.s
.t1e waBee4 martyr, sand a splendid
chaps" aponEtoid her, briefly '0Tess
wilsstay Sweth Mamie flor some time,
imagine. MY brother-tn-iaw is her
guardian
HOW very dnteresting!" :rnurnn,reo
Bab.f And 4tfllst the adden4 sting missed
hin and he; smiled as ;ha Leaned bach
IA khe!caE The auftest,1 darkest ewes
heshaa eINrc seem ana taaToice;so. ffiled
mlsthAgympathy San6 Tenderness he
could 6ee1 the thriI1SofAtt Eat. 4e
heard ~ B1bssEytnE somethinnsabort
theIIhd6a5 gofngso on theyyacht Ches-
tnNJly .aaHy.-an ,NTss YS-,,s E,sIFSI. . - !.