The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1920-10-21

DDS was significant. Carlotta, finger
ing I'm her coat pocket one of Gustave's
well-fiiled envelopes, compared il with
the thin epistles she had received from
Mark, away on brief vacation.
II simply can't express my thoughts
on paper" he had apologized. I've
got EN-, but they aren't trained to go
through fountain PEN
Yet after that subway meeting with
Mark, she sometimes wondered if it
were possible to be in love with two
men at once. Certainly she had felt
very great thrill OF pleasure when
she saw Mark, a thrill as genuine as
II was unexpected. An eQuaSy poig-
nant had been the pang when he calm
~ told her he was too busy to call. On
the other hand. wasn't she a little in
trigued with this strange correspond
ent. who 50 ably interpreted his-and
her-soul in terms of art?
On the very day that Carlotta, with
mingled expectancy and misgivings,
had decided TO yield to Gustaves plea
that she meet him i'm q little-used room
of the art museum. Carlotta met a
friend who worked in the same build
ing where Mark had his office as claim
agent for the Interstate Trolley And
across the white tiled table of the
dairy lunch, CarOtta learned that
Mark. investigating some upstate claim
for damages, had fallen On an icy side
walk and broken a collar bone or some
thing. The friend was annoyingly in
exact as to the extent of his injuries.
Consequently Carlotta, seeking the
selected place Of rendezvous, was
thinking rather more of Mark than of
GuStave. Then motionleSs figure in
the far corner of the room caused her
heart 10 skip a skip or so, Slowly he
turned as She approached and she no.
ticed first, that his arm was i'm n sling
and second, that-that it wasn't Gus
tave-it was Mark
Mark - she cried, and her voice was
glad. Your arn-how is it? And
how odd YOU should happen herew
But Mark didn't smile. I'm ashamed
of myself, dear" he began. 81 wanted
to show YOU that ! could develop the
artistic temperament, too. And also,
since you seemed to want Il second
love, l thought I'd better be it! But
now that it's over, wish 1 had never
started itw
Carlotta, at first bewildercd, was be-
ginning to see Il light. Yet she couldn't
really believe yet And if it was true
why wasn't she furiously angry?
Those letters" she said. shaking her
head. you couldn't have written
thoSeH
But / did" he confessed. "Remem-
Der my telling you how busy l was?
Well, I'd been sitting up nights at the
library till they shut the doors, crib
bling art stuff from the encyclopedias
Then I'd 20 home and write it up. And
| apologize for any aspersions | cast
upon art. Gee, whiz! Anybody who
knows the least thing about it has my
profoundest respect-and then some
There's volumes on itw
Carlotta was trying to adjust her
self to having the two men ste fancied
she loved melt into one. After ALL per-
haps it was the most satisfactory So
luton. "YOu must have disguised your
handwriting" she said presently, won
dering how soon she could properly ex-
tend forgiveness.
I'll say sol" and Mark shook his
head sadly, as one who recalls bitter
moments. "Of course, when l broke
my arm it was all off, and | decided
I'd better call meeting and get it
over Win. | don't blame you for think
ing 1t a lOw-down trick"
Mark" said Carlotta gently. al did
you an intveSioe when I gave you cred
it for no creative genius, and please
ignore what I SAID about your lack of
temperament. AZ for whether you
really love me, why, when think of
how you hate letter-writing and then
recall those letters-why, my dear. AS
proof of love, swimming the Helles-
pOnt isn't in itw
"Carlotta cried Mark DO you
can may II"
Carlotta cast n quick glance around
for any stray attendants or art pa
irons. "M-hm," she murmured.
And Mark. sweeping her into the
Semi-circle Of his good left arm. placed
a kiss squarely where it belonged