Missouri Valley times., 1920-06-17


thought only of the long, lazy rest she
could enjoy, and had come prepared
only for that sort of time. Just re-
Gently she had begun to realize that
her lifes happiness was at stake. Da-
vid could argue brilliantly. but Anne
was fully conscious that despite his
latest argument he paid much more at
tention to certain fluffy-cla feminine
creatures at the hotel than he did to
her own plain drab self.
Suddenly she jumped to her feet,
little smile Of determination about her
lips. Ocean Beach would see plain
Anne Brown no more-a new Annette
Browne would grace the pleasure re-
sort.
David scarcely noted the two days
absence Of his little chum, but when
she did reappear he was somewhat
perplexed and very much aware Of her
presence. He did not voice the ad-
miration in his eyes, but Anne's intui-
tion told her that he had faken stock
of her trim green linen suit which
went so we'll with her dark hair, now
displayed to advantage under the soft
green outing hat. That evening she
wore the new frilly pink organdie, and
this time David paid her the first COM
pliment since their acquaintance. With
arms akimbo he viewed her from shiny
hair to white satin slipper. MY, how
fine We look, he said boyishly. Anne,
/ never knew before just how becom-
ing pink is to you"
mo WONDER" Anne told herself
Grossly. ST never wore it before"
The long summer days drifted by,
and before many days had gone be-
yond recall Anne realized that her
dream was coming true. She was no
longer just Dawes pal, but very near
to being something infinitely sweeter.
But somehow Anne was unhappy. A
little gnawing worm of suspicion en-
tered her heart. Dave had never real
~ cared before she had donned all her
new finery, arranged her hair becom-
ingly and affected certain little airs of
he was merely in Siove with her new
adornments.
A miserable time followed this over.
powering discovery, and soon her ap-
! parent disillusionment began. She re-
fused his invitations, ignored him
carelessly, and finally cut him from
her list of friends. One week remained
Of her vacation, and these last days
she spent mostly by herself, reading
or musing on the perversity Of man-
kind. She longed to be back In the
cool sanctuary of the Office in white
waist and neat dark skirt. The sham
of life smote her tragically.
The last day was rainy and cold.
Defantly Anne donned her very old
est clothes and went for walk out
over the breakwater rocks. Rounding
huge rock suddenly, she came face
to face with very woebegone-lo looking
David. Surprise and CONSERVATION
halted her q moment, but regaining
her self -composure, she turned to re-
trace her steps. David was at her
side in moment "Anne this seems
to be the opportune moment for All ex-
! planation What on earth have l done
to merit such displeasure on your
| part?"
Anne's mouth curled sarcastically.
'I'd much rather not discuss it,"
David planted himself between the
two rocks where she would have to
pass. "Well, I prefer to discuss it right
now. 1t isn't many decades since you
and were the best of chums and now
II don't know what happened, but we
are as far away as the two poles"
He looked very boyish and eager az
he stood there in the rain, and Anne's
hard little heart finally unlocked and
she told him the whole tale. $50 you
see, David" she said in conclusion, II
| disproved your argument to my own
| triumph and disgust. II leave to-
morrow"
"You do! How very near you came
to shipwrecking our lives, Anne. Your
little dress-up farce hasn't disproven
anything. Why, I've cared for you
| right from the beginning. Didn't you
know that, dear?"
Anne shook her. heal, stubbornly
unconvinced. but her fingers clung to
his when they met. and she did not re-
sist the arm that c, spt about her.
However, that evening in the privacy
Of her own room Anne stopped her
| packing long enough to slip into one of
the old blouses, and, pulling back her
hair in the skinny little old-time pug,
she viewed herself in the mirror.
"Well, Dave can say what he likes"
she told her plain reflection emphati-
cally, "but know that you could never
!! have brought it about"
copyright, 1913. Mcclure Newspaper syn.
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