Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1919-12-25
WAY OF SECRETS
BY NELL ApAlR.

=
fectly good secret, which no one in:
the world suspects, and all at once The
secret will pop out ut you-augliipg,a
so to speak, in your face. 1
l knew, when | confided in Sal.,e
and Polly, the twins, that they wers
absolutely trustworthy. Neither ,f |
these cousins would betray me, If il /;
cost her life. You see, we wert,
brought up together and felt muluHi /
interest in each others welfare. Frola !
pinafOre days, we freely contided oul /
troubles and joys, confessing the bud |
ding attachments too, which seem too
silly to tell ones mother. didn't have
Il mother, though | tried to borrow
theirs until / was old enough to keep
house for Daddy. could feel that
her sympathy in my case, was not the +
same as it was with the twin daugl-
ters. | can't remember just when l
began to care for David. For that was
the secret-lny love for David which
kept buried from sight in the worth
lest" corner of my heart.
David was so good and wise and SUI
perior altogether, that it seemed pre-
sumption for foolish me, to love him
at all. But l did--aEd that was ur-
av"idahlc. Wisg as David was, this
fact never entered his head. He Was
SO much older, you see, and accustolu-
ed TO the society of older and more
important persons than his senior part
ner's daughter.
Daddy and he were lawyers. and
when daddy was left alone in the big
house, and growing up over at Aunt
Molie's, David managed the greater
part of the business while daddy form
ed a habit of wandering about in dis
tant lands in search of fergetfulnesS.
Now, that he was back contented with
his loved wife's daughter, David was
still left the burden of care-having
so long been the business head. And
that may have accounted for the new
worry wrinkles around his eyes, and
the whitening hair at his temples.
which only made him more distinguish
ed and attractive In my eyes.
We had spent many comfy evenings
together before daddy's library fire,
when my dresses We're growing longer.
and my hair learning the process of
'being done up" My! How | loved
David then; he was the hero of every
book that / read and every play that
saw, and he never guessed.
With my housekeeping dignity. came
many lovers to WOO. Yes. niifny. I
| fray st,slsit essuld co.,. ls,tT,
admirers OF my own, rfl;ffi Il ~ \ atSs
Sallie together, and sometimes thuk
TINT it WAS my Indifference which kept
them guessing,
1t was when my cousins accused ne,
of being ii coquette. that contiard
to them my love for David They
We're speechless with astonishment at
first. They couldn't understand it, |
fancy, any more than could David.
And at that broke down and cried.
"If my love for him is so lnbeliev-
able to YOU I said. David will never
know l can't go and tell him about
It, so / shall have to live single all
my days"
Why" said Sallie. "David is sure
that you are in love with Bobby BrAnt.
know this from remarks he has
made"
"And he is glad for YOU" Polly add
| ed, she told me himself Chat Bobby
Brant was an exceptionally tine
young man,
"Glad!" exclaimed.
isn't there some way-some diplo.
matte way, | mean" Sullie suggested,
"that you could show him your fec.
ton? Perhaps he's like these older he
roes in booksloving you to dIstrnc-
| tion and seeing no hope in his case."
One evening when I'd cried my nose
red. and had sent Bobby Brant home
In huff. David came into the garden
as l miseably hoped he would, and
seated himself at my side in the couch
| hammock. He looked so nice. and
| white faced and kind, that | wanted
| to put my aching head right down on
| his shuilder-yes l did. but instead
with the perversity which usually setz-
ed me in his presence, gazed straight
ahead, without welcoming smile.
Met Bobby Brant going out" he
said, and looked at me questioningly.
Carelessly I hummed the line Of
song. He'll be coming back again
to me-"
"Undoubtedly.' David tersely replied
and we We're silent. Presently he
spoke.
Pm going away in the. morning,
Nell, to be gone a very long time. 1
| need change of scene This is good
bye"
| was losing him forever. Positive
ly the realization came to me. In a
few moments he would be gone, and
there was no way that could hold
him.
very STILL Then in startling sudden
ness, Sallie's voice spoke from an in
ner room Directly through tha open
window behind us came her words:
poor Bobby Brant,n she said, ''he
knows now that his goose is cooked.
/ I wonder if he suspects that 1T is. Da-
vid whom Nell really loves y '.Didn't
you guess that she loved David long
before she told us so?' Polly asked.
i sure" came back my other cousins
voice. Everybody knows that fact, ]
guess, but David" (.
| Coldly quaked In my hammock.
Then breathlessly, joyously David
leaned toward me
i IF that is true" he whispered, I'll
such wonderful. beautiful thing car
be tru -Oh! tell me Nell, and end
the hopeless longing Of years.
So that is why don't believe in Sc