The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-01-10

Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.j

use trying to talk sense into man
who hadn't any, he thought at last, as
he gave up with one more effort.
81 tell you she is young-just about
twenty-one," he said holly. Because
she is an actress you think she has to
be old. There are some young ac-
tresseS, aren't there?"
Mervin Renton, his companion, was
quite willing to admit that there were
but this one, he claimed, was not. You
can't tell me-" he argued. "This Dora
Fraleigh will never see thirty-five
again. Her hair is false, I'm willing
to wager anything. Did you ever see
curls like hers that were real? Every
thing about her is false"
Arthur knew if he stayed he would
become angry. Mervin was Jealous
that was what was the matter, he felt.
without another word Arthur left
the bath-house where the conversation
had been held and made for the beach.
It was glorious day and the guests OF
the hotel were making the best of the
bathing weather. He caught sight OF
she was searching for something in the
water near the beach.
"What have you lost?" he asked, as
he waded toward her.
ooh, nothing" she answered tri1e
confused. isn't the water fine?'
After completely immersing himself
and swimming aimlessly about for a
few seconds, Arthur agreed that 1t
was. "Let's go out on the raft" he
suggested, but Dora seemed unwilling
to leave the shallow place. This was
surprising, for she had always seemed
anxious to get all the fun possible.
There was something troubling her.
She even seemed unwilling to go on
the beach for sun bath, but finally
agreed.
"There!' Arthur exclaimed, as he
stretched out On the sand. II thought
I never would get away from that
shallow part There were so many
children there I didn't have chance
to talk with you"
"You usually have lots of OppOrtuni-
ties" Dora smiled.
"What's this?' he asked, as he picked
up something his toes had been rub
bling against in the sand. swell, look
what's here! A false curl!" Sure
enough it was.
Dora took it from him eagerly. Il
lost it ~ she exclaimed, as she jumped
to her feet. II was searching for it
out there. Wait until / go and tell
auntie. She'll be delighted"
She was off before Arthur could stop
her. He looked after her with an ex-
clamation of dismay on his lips. To
think that those beautiful curls of hers
were false. No wonder she hadn't
talked much and had been confused.
So Mervin had been right
When Dora joined him again ne was
trying to smile, but found he couldn't.
"What makes you so quiet?" she asked,
after they had sat in silence for near
ly five minutes.
Nothing very much he replied to
her question. 81 was thinking that l
was going home tomorrow"
"Going home!" she echoed. why
you said last week that you would be
here all summer"
"I have changed my mind,' he an
swered, but when he saw the pa1ned
look on Dora's face he wished he had
thought up an excuse.
The next morning Arthur's resolve
to go home had not faltered. He
wasn't going to stay there to be the
laughing stock of the whole hotel when
they found out about Dora's age. He
was only twenty-one and most likely
she was thirty, anyway. Nine years
was too much difference. He felt so
uncomfortable over it he went to the
station half an hour before the train
was due to leave. His going away
would leave the field open for Mervin.
That was too much. He left the train
in hurry and left word with the bag
gage man to have his trunks sent back
to the hotel. He couldn't be happy
without Dora, even If she was eighty.
He found Dora in secluded corner
of the veranda. Her eyes were red ana
there were other traces of tears.
LOU udNCu SOlC yCI SAAS ~AA~~
joyfully, as she caught sight of him.
81 heard that you had gone without
even saying good-by to me-"
81 came pretty nearly doing it, dear"
he said, 'but / couldn't go away and
leave you here. When I go want TO
take you with me. I want to marry
you.'
"If you wanted to marry me, why
did you make me worry about your
leaving so unexpectedly" she asked,
trying not to smile. Last night was
the second night / have lost sleep BY
worrying. The night before it was the
thought of having lost auntie's best
curl that"
"Auntie's curl?" he interrupted.
"Yes, the curl you found yesterday"
"Oh!" Arthur groaned. II thought
that was your curlr'
"Mine!" she laughed. "And ! was