The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-04-22
IE DAILY
SHORT STORY
You'd Be Surprised.
! ~ q. LOUIS RAYaoLp.

% tne death OF him yet. Forever It
onzzed In his ears, and twice he'd
nearlyi written 1t down in the manu-.
script Of his play.
How the dickens was man, al.
ready wildly running his fingers
through his hair in the throes Of ex.
uacting from his vocabulary the exact
word for the big moment in the great
love scene at the end Of the third act,
70 coin the vital expression when his
ears were being assaulted by murder
ga English and meaningless slang
Just listen to her at this moment!
Chafley blew me TO coupla seats
at the show last night.
You'd be surprised"
Sure, and he's going to take me
70 the dance Tuesday"
You'd be surprised"
With feelings similar to those of the
historic camel at the. placing OF the
last straw, Ainsworth strobe to the
door and flung II open.
Miss Carter" he enunciated. will
you kindly go, downstairs and II there
Is any girl down there whose tongue
u not hung in the middle send her
mp. II YOU please. Thank you"
That evening Betty, Buffers sister,
listened amusedly to Buffers TRADE
on the benius female "oh Butler"
she said. you shouldn't generalize.
You know 1 always maintain tina,
every girl even the primmest, proper.
est one, has a little bit of deviltry in
her. Well, quite likely all the slangy,
shallow ones have their specks of So
briefly and earnestness-she didn't
Just show You that side"
Oddly enough 1t was not the last
part Of Betty's sentence which stuck
IN Buffers mind, but the first. And
twas that he recalled the next morn.
ING as he watched the girl who had
been sent up to replace Susie.
Was 1t possible that girl Of this
type, With such deep gray eyes under
level brows, such serene mouth,
such q steady poise, possessed any
sltghtest spark Of deviltry? Butler
found II. positive pleasure to watch
her supple, well cared for, accurate
fingers and ponder what hidden sur
prises q man who knew her we'll might
discover.
Every morning she worked for him.
untn at last the finished play was
ready to place before the manager.
Butler had planned, on its completion,
long rest on sunny southern shores.
Suddenly it occurred to him that that
would mean Foregoing the sight Of
Miss Lane.
Il say, Miss Lane" he begged boy
ishly. Just to help me celebrate,
wont you go out to lunch with me?"
The girl, who had been slipping on
her gloves, paused, raised her iuscruta-
BILE eyestto his, seemed to be consider
ing his proposal, then replied in even
tones. .'No, thank you.'
A mad desire seized Butler to break
down this barrier of reserve. Her eyes
he told himself, were the windows OF
soul well worth the knowing, or he
was not as adept a, judge OF women. as
The autics. Of three successful plays
should be.
sJust this once he pleaded, Any.
where you say, and won't do it again.
am SO glad TO get that thing off my
up my hat and-do snake dance, but
you can't do that sort Of thing all
by yourself. I"
Perhaps the shadow of very genuine
disappointment clouding his face, as
she still hesitatede finally influenced
the girl .tAll right, l WILL" she told
That night, Butler, sitting cozily op-
posite his sister on the other side Of
the table in the tiny dining room Of
the apartment Betty kept for her
brother, told OF taking his stenograp-
her out to lunch. "She's quiteA girl
has depths" he added.
Whats her narne? asked Betty
absent.mindedly, thinking that next
time she would either put more gela.
Hne or less water in the dessert Of
iellied fruit.
.She's Miss Lane replied Butler.
Betty looked UP quickly. mot Peggy
Eane?n she asked.
Can't say" said the man, wonder.
Ing why on earth he didn't know he,
fret name. "This girl Is rather tall
very quiet and reserved"
Couldn't be Peg" declared his sis
ter with emphasis. Peg is in some
downtown office, but she's the oppo.
lite OF that description-or was when
used to see her-a regular live
wire,''as
That isn't at all like my Mister
= mean, this Miss Lane" said Butler
IN some confusion. She's quite the op-
posite"
The sunny southern shores waited
lin vain for Butler Ainsworth. That in.
dustrious young man was at work on
new play which required long hours
o. diStatton to his ssepoEra1her.
And presently he broke his word and
asked her to go out to lunch again, and
she broke hers and accepted. And he
asked her to the theatre and she went.
And he asked Betty. to come down and
be introduced. And the words Of the
introduction were hever uttered.
Peggy Lane!"
Betty Ainsworth!" =
TITS been ages since say you"
Simply ages, my dear"
S. Tableau with Butler for audience,
trying TO. solve the riddle-was this
the Peggy Lane Betty knew or the Mar,
garet Lane he thought he knew?
4 Three weeks later Butler sat on an
old mahogany settee that had been
PNggy's grandfathers. Near him sat
Peggy.
.srell me. Peggy he began sudden.
". why were you SO different in the
office. from-well, the way you have
been since Betty came down?