Ellsworth American., 1919-12-31
between LINES
BY ELIZABETH A. DE BAER.
q. ls1g. b. Mcclure Newspaper synaloate' J


and George was a Junior in college.
They met at college house party and,
well-l
Olga was short with very large eyes
and a very small mouth. She wore
her hair, black and shining, parted in
the middle, pulled quantity down over
her forehead, puifed over the ears and
high in back. When George came to
call, she wore her grandmothers
comb, which was very lovely-then
hurried 1t back among tissue paper
when he left. OIgas dresses were
ruff1y-most impractical, but she was
practical because she made them her.
self. She could play guitar softly
and roll her eyes at the proper mo-
ment, and, best of all, she was a good
listener. But when it came to talking
Olga was failure. She couldn't
say anything funny and her words
seemed to jump out in a short, snap
py way.A Olga couldn't talk we'll and,
fortunately, she knew it-so she didn't
talk much
AS. for George-he was big and awk-
ward, but loads of fun. He could
make his thumbs go out of joint and
Olga would cover her big eyes with
her little hands and beg him not to be
so naughty" and said she wouldn't
look, but he knew she was peeking
through her fingers. He liked to have
her sit curled up beside him, and play
soft, slow music on her guitar while
they both looked into space. Yes. they
were deeply in love!
Then the house party ended and
Olga came back to school, fell into the
arms of her waiting roommate, was
dragged upstairs and, lights turned
low. confessed the whole story to
wide-eyed Jane
"And just think, dear" she ended
with a resigned sigh. eth be two
months before I'll see him."
"Poor little thing" Jane eyed with
envy the diamond set fraternity pin
that clung desperately to Olga's waist.
at must be wonderful to be in love-"
The next day a special came for
Olga-it was letter from George and
such letter! Olga showed it to Jane
and cried and laughed alternately as
she read it for the fifth time. 1t was
indeed a masterpiece, clever, we'll
written letter, and Olga was wise-she
knew her answer was expected to be
equally as clever-it just had to be!
Moreover, she knew she couldn't write
a good letter any more than she could
tell q good Story-and she knew Jane
could. And Jane did. True love
should not deceive, but Olga. in her de-
sire to keep Georges affection while
away from him, was desperate. She
realized her shortcomings and she
did her best to outwit them. So Jane,
| under Olga's careful censorship, car
| ried on the latter's correspondence
with her fance.
All went well and everyone was ap-
parently happy until one day Jane.
red-eyed, told Olga she wanted to talk
with her. She flopped down on the
cot among the pillows and looked up
into Olga's questioning eyes.
Ndu 81 oh Win IL, isooihst HiS
said in hollow voice, 81 can't go on
deceiving him, and myself.
"Yes, I've tried to make myself be-
lieve don't love him, but l do-his
letters are so wonderful. L"
stop" Olga cried; "do you mean
you have fallen in love with my
George?"
Jane nodded miserably and the tears
bounced off her cheek.
"Yes," she answered simply.
Then desperately she went on:
"And I've read between the lines.
it's me he loves, it's my letters, it's
the girl I've put into my letters-me-
me''
"Oh, Jane how can you!" and Olga
sank down. She wanted to cry but
she didn't, so she whistled bravely.
That night the maid came patterng
up the stairs with wo cards for Olga.
One was George Potter" the other,
STANLEY Mills" She couldn't think;
she went mechanically down the stairs
and into the reception room. George
caught her hands awkwardly and, ut
terly ignoring the tall, dark man be-
side him, said:
"Olga. tell me the truth-do you love
me?"
"Oh, George, what's the use if"
81 won't believe i, Olga know you
love me and I've come to explain every
thing. was so crazy about you that
when l went away | was afraid my
letters wouldn't bold your interest so
got Stan to write 'em for me. And
now. Olga, he's fallen in love with you
and he says he's read between the
lines and knows you're his by rights.
| He told me so this morning"
But Olga shot out of the room, fling
ing a ''be right back" to the surprised
man who stared after her. In mo-
ment she returned dragging a bewil-
dered Jane across the room.
George, dear" she explained. sit