The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1919-07-31
The Agreeable
Storm
By MILDRED WHITE

December sky added the last straw to
her desOlatiOn.
Life was a strange thing, she reflect
ed as she walked the busy street-one's
sorrows and ones joys seemed forever
quivering IN the brink of chance. For
surely it had been mere chance with
out reason, which had separated her
from Billy, and ended in an evening
their long planned future happiness.
Billy should have known that she
loved him to distraction, and that no
other mar could possibly win her IA
vOr. And she should have known that
Billy's jealousy alone was responsible
for his angry speech upon that occa-
sion.
They had been attending a concert,
and had started out blissful in each
others companionship. Then chance
had led Barris, the g~ood-looking tenor,
to a seat behind Virgtnia's own. And
when, several times, her fur wrap had
slipped from her shoulders, Barris, In
his caressing way had replaced it, be-
ing rewarded by Virginia's bewitching
smile.
Wasn't it a delightful concerto" vir-
ginia innocently questioned.
Delightful to you and Barris, per-
haps," Billy had CURLY replied. "But
if you think it is the proper thing to
entertain one man exclusively while in
the company of another, you're mis-
taken"
"Billy!" gasped the girl. "What a
horrid thing to say. Surely you are
not so unreasonable that I cannot be
pleasant to another man."
eff you We're my wife and acted as
you did this evening"" Billy began hot
ly, II would
Virginia interrupted, her tone was
sweetly calm.
"Don't bother about what you'd do"
she said, because that possibility is
now out of the question:"
"You are not going to marry me?"
Billy had blankly repeated, and vir-
ginia suddenly realizing to what length
angry chance was leading her, still nod
ded lrer pretty head.
81 am not going to marry you,' she
answered decidedly.
Their parting had been even more
stormy. Billy was quite wild in his
remuneration.
"It is Barris, of course" he told her,
"who has changed your heart. But
why did you not tell me how things
vnra hotwoon vo,, two lopr orno o vo,,
a be sure that / will never put my
self in your way again-never%
And so faithfully had Billy kept his
vow, that Virginia hoping through dis
couragement, was forced at length to
believe that Billy had only wished fG.
this trick of chance and was taking
advantage of it. She had not thought,
when making her reckless assertion
that it would be possible for Billy to
remain away.
Several times she had passed him
upon the street, and to the girls long
ing eyes, her lover seemed to grow each
time more desirable. Poor Barris.
making several attempts to call, had
been as peremptorily refused.
If Virginia declared herself unwill.
ing to MARRY Billy, she was firmly de-
termined not to marry any other man.
So her face grew white. her blue eyes
more wistful, and the leaden skies of
November stretched on into the month
that should be merry, while she
trudged on sorrowfully to visit a
friend.
The visit beneath r]ose-cofored lights
Of the pleasant room ended abruptly.
"They say,' the friend confided,
that Billy has a new sweetheart. He
is seen with her often"
The fury of a sudden snowstorm
seemed an outlet to Virginia's pent-up
feelings. She was aware as she plunged
/. through the biting wind toward a car,
that people jOstled her unseeingly.
Her heart was so sore about Billy.
that it really didn't seem to matter.
While pride, a great impossible wall,
held her from the man she loved, this
new girl with whom he had been seen
would take him away from her for
ever. Then a mighty gust. before
which Virginia's desperate fight was
hopeless, whirled the girl out to the
pavement directly in the path of an on
coming car. Her frantic warning ges-
lures were lost in the swirl of snow,
then, all at once, she saw a lark fig
ure rush toward her; his arms enfold-
ing her, q man snatched her back from
the track. And as the car came to a
s%tandstill. Virginia realized that the
man had loosened his Goa to shield
her face.
Her breath came pantingly, as he
helped her into the shelter of the car.
"The worst of the storm will no
doubt be over" he suggested politely,
before you leave the car"
With n quick cry Virginia reached
her hands out in the dimness to clutch
her rescucr. ''Billy!" she said, "Oh!
Billy, to think that it should be YOU"
Virginia! the man murmured un.
b%elievingly, and followed into the car.
tkNf rS~t IL 1s.-