The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1919-03-06
THEIR BELIEF :
BY JACK WALTON.
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been seated at table in the dinlni
room when he arrived the night be
fore. Someone mumbled an introduc
ton in passing; he had been unable t.
catch the girls name, but he remem
bered the unusual blue of her eyes.
CHANGING up now from her book, She
settled his indecision with an impuIsivs
welcoming smile, then as though an
noyed by her own graciousness, she
bent again over the book. Also fol
lowing some impulse. RICHARD Grave:
Fpoke:
You have chosen a 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 a mo-
ment her transforming smile appeared
my home" the man began, sis over
there in the city, /" But she put
.orth protesting hand. LET us waive
personal history" said the girl, "what
Toes 1t all matter? We come from
some place, we go on presently, some
where. This hour alone is ours. It's
4 glorious day-the lake is blue, the
sun shines-it is good to be alive"
The man smiled back into the pi-
giant, glowing face. 1t was lovely
face, he thought, as full of changing
surprises as the girls own pretty
moods. Reaching out he touched the
naol- with fapfotfua Gpooy.
"What do you read?"
She frowned. Nonsense" she an
swered CURLY. -'sss'-7 !,
"And Ideals" added the man, 1--WE
all have our ideals. They should be
carefully formed early in life for our
IutuDe plan of companionship."
The girl leaned forward eagerly.
Just what l have always thought.
Now, in my own case" She paused
abruptly, a flush suffused her face.
My subject carries me away" she ex-
FUSED herself to Graves.
'"Thc subject interests me-" he re-
Piled, 'your views so coincide with
nine. Please so on. In your own
.aser
THE man intend one day to mar
"" she said, answers in every way my
deal, both as to physical appearance,
md mental endowment. Robert is
tall"-the broad-shouldered man who
Vas not tall, nodded land he is pa
tent under all my perversities. 1t has
taken some time to arrive thoughtfully
at my decision that our marriage will
De wise and enduring relationship.
imagined" the blue eyes danced,
meeting Robert and loving him at first
,ight!"
Graves sniled absently. 1.-THE wom-
IN who has for some time been my close
friend and confidant," he said, sis stop
ping at the hotel with her mother. She
IS mY ideal of all those qualities neces-
'ary for a mans true helpmate. What
could learn of Elizabeth In. q first
neeting"
The girl opened her book. "And
thereafter" she read mockingly, moth
ing In the world mattered to these two,
ave each other"
Across the waters of the lake came
1 low trilling call, the man arose slow
y. Its 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.
Five O'clock" she exclaimed, ''and ]
promised to meet Robert at four"
Comfortably she settled back In the
nook. TOO late now" she said.
Graves fingered, as the trill still ran
1own the lake. II may not have anoth-
er chance to talk to you like this"
dis tone was regretful.
Fainter and far away sounded the
all With sigh he sank back into
1iS corner on the sands. Later, when
be passed the table where the girl sat
IN the hotel dining room, their eyes met
with sense of pleasant understanding.
At Richard Graves side was the
woman of his ideal The girl studied
his woman of noble qualities with q
certain usefulness; she was tall, hel
eyes and hair were black. The girl
VAS very small, now, beneath the shad-
I'd light, her hair cleaned almost
| golden.
When Graves came back to speak tt
her, she turned coldly from him, and
his attitude, unlike that of the chosen
Robert, proved him TO be far from '.pa'
lent with perverseness."
That night when all were sleeping In
heir quiet rooms, winding like a ser
pent up the fimsy walls of the hotel
stole a tongue of flame, which burst
.riumphantly ablaze at last.
The girl Weakening in her high room
desperately moved through the chok
ing smoke to the one narrow window
only to find 1t hopeless means of exit
| Desperately she caught her kimonf
about her shoulders and moved agair
to the window, then the door burs
open. In the glaring light she saw fol
q moment the stranger of the beach
Years ago it seemed since their profit
less talk of love and marriage. Swift
ly from her terrified senses fell al
fear.
"He" was here, she" the one wht
would save her life, or give his own II
saving and the mans eyes looked bacl
TO hers, shining with Joy.
81 love you" he gasped." was afrail
I might be too late. Oh. my dearest
rome quickly"
AS naturally as child seeks its moth
sr, the girl ran into his arms "Yos
sill come brayely." Graves admonisheti