The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-11-11
Misunderstanding
BY PERClvAL LANE
t@. 1920, western Newspaper Union,

10. 1920. Western Newspaper Union) sE
They were two ideal couples, Mabel
Dorr and Royce Evans and Alice
Throop and Donald Reed. A play
wright mapping out the essentials OF
a pretty love drama, could not have
selected more appropriate characters
to give youth and beauty an opportu.
nifty to develop real heart romance
On the same day the young ladies had
met the young men for the first time
Later, again, on the same day they
had become engaged. Their friends
looked upon the prospective union of
those four ardent souls as an event
that would signalize rare and perma-
nent harmony and happiness.
They are like two sisters" an en-
tlusiastic admirer Of the grace and
loneliness of the young ladies re-
marked
Yes" answered the village gossip
addressed, welcoming an opportunity
to dilate upon theme that was an
attractive and familiar subject of daily
discussion-"more so than ever since
they became engaged. Mabel is blonde
and Alice just her opposite, but they
are getting so that they dress precisely
alike. They glory over mutual fond
ness that causes Alice 20 wear pink
because Mabel does, and when Alice
changes her style of couture Mabel du-
DlicateS the effect at once"
Il noted, too, that the young men
are wearing the same style Of suits
and hats" g. i"
1.-THE girls Inspired that, of course
why should they, thought"
well, they should not, in any serious
way, but Mabel Dorr under the sur
face is a girl of. high temper and will
full ways. The glamour of love has
softened her down great deal but
ruffle up that sensitive and self-asser-
tive young lady and she would go to
extreme lengths in the way of resent.
ment and to have her own way"
Their enga cement made the girls en-
terrain a sense Of possession as to
their lovers and the fond young fell
lows allowed them to dictate and rule.
Subservient, because loyal, Royce ana
Donald rather cherished the pretty
tyranny and passed most of their spare
time in their company.
One day Mabel was lonely and I'M
easy. She had called up Alice on the
phone to be informed that the latter
had gone to Weston, a small city twen-
ty miles distant, to pass the day with
a relative. That would have been ac-
copied as all right had not Mabel met
Donald on the street. He looked a
trihe discontented and gloomy.
"Alice won't be over this evening""
announced Mabel.
YES, l know" nodded Donald
brusquely. "She has gone to Weston.
l understand-and Royce with her.
Royce with herr exclaimed Mabel.
at once alive with suspicion and re-
sentiment.
Eyes, l heard they left together in
his automobile early this morning."
"And they must have planned to go
Yesterday, and you and saw them
both last evening and they never said
a word about it," spoke Mabel sharp
ly and in f1ustered way.
81 don't like it," confessed Donald
blankly. Il have noticed them jok-
ing and whispering together for sew
eral evenings as if they were sharing
some great secret"
"You are not Jealous, hope?" sug-
gested Mabel with forced smile.
"Oh, nothing of the sort!' declared
Donald with unnecessary vehemence,
only l don't like mysteries"
1t would have been all right if the
following morning both Mabel and
Donald had not learned that Alice and
Royce had not reached home until
nearly midnight. The whole situation
would have cleared entirely had Alice
referred to the incident to Mabel and
Royce to Donald when they again met.
They did nothing Of the sort. There
was suppressed, yet evident tele-
pathic exchange of glances. smiles be-
tween Alice and Donald that intensi
fed the vague. unsettled situation in
the minds of Mabel and Royce.
Then Mabel began to act coldly to-
ward Alice and Royce. and Donald
almost tabooed them. The chain of
cordiality and perfect harmonious I'M
Outstanding was broken. Mutually
aggrieved as Mabel and Donald es-
teemed themselves to be, they became
mutely sympathetic and nursed the
growing sentiment of suspicion as to
Alice and Royce.
These circumstances led to an open
rupture before the week was out.
Strained relations led to less mutual
companionship and on one occasion
Donald came upon Alice and Royce on
the street conversing in very friend
" and mysterious way. He told Mabel
of this and the latter went to spend
few days with cousin in neigh
boring town and Donald devoted a
weeks end to an outing which kept
him out of the way of "the conspira-
4 1. 4 & rs