Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1921-12-15
BENEATH MASKS
BY CLARA kUck.

"Well / shall be able to write
book on The Sunny Side Of Prison
Life If l stay herel" 1t was Miss
Brown who spoke. AS she did so, she
tossed a note upon the desk of her
employer.
He had come into the office an hour
earlier. That he was out of sorts and
much depressed, was evident. His
stenographer had greeted him with her
usual, good-natured smile, but he had
ignored her, plunging at once into the
letters and kilograms.
He looked up when she spoke and
reached for the paper mechanically.
He had quite forgotten her existence.
1t was as though chair had spoken,
or the clock. She meant no more to
him than the clock. or the files or any
necessary part Of the office equipment.
But her words had caught his ear.
What met his eye, however, was not
q dissertation upon Sunshine In Pris-
on, which he had been led to expect,
but three prosaic sentences: Il can't
stand the gloom. l am going for a
walk. Please, please smile when
come back"
She had gone. He read these words
duly, as he heard the click and hum
of the elevator going down.
Meanwhile, it was good to be alone.
The situation might as well be faced
now and here. He began to pace the
floor He had not been sleeping for
several nights; when he had managed
to close his eyes, his dreams were most
disturbing, tantalizing ones, that
wakened him again and renewed his
mental agonies. Now as he walked
back and forth, his mind reverted to a
line of argument that had occupied his
thoughts of late.
For the one-hundredth time he con-
WINGED himself that none had ever been
as ruthlessly treated by fate as he.
He felt the utmost pity for John Ran
hope zone of our rising attorneys"
as the Times identified him on the
society page. And judging from the fire.
quency with which his name was men
toned on this same society page, a
casual reader would conclude that
John was not suffering from the
slightest form of social eclipse. His
career seemed gay enough; but that
proved nothing. The attentions of his
numerous hostesses and their charming
daughters had never reused more than
passing interest.
Ever since his arrival in the city,
and that was two years ago, he had
secretly cherished a dream-a dream
Of a day when he should go back
to the girl of his heart in the old home
town, and tell her why he had worked
so relentlessly for the two years just
past; that he wanted to work for her
happiness all the rest of his life.
What undaunted, simple faith he
had had! They were meant for each
other; of this there could be no doubt.
She must have realized something of
the subtle bond between them.
What a hero he had counted him.
self, when the hour of parting had
come He had been strong enough
and square enough to leave her with
out confessing his love; he had asked
for no assuring sign from her, no
pledge Of loyalty. His trust was too
big for words or promises.
At last, by means of fortunate In
vestments and through the successful
handling Of several important legal
cases, his financial footing was secure,
He was preparing to go to his dream
girl and lay his most compelling argu
ments before her, when suddenly, in
the form of a home newspaper, came
an icy blast that froze all his dearest
ambitions! Her engagement to Windon
was announced!
He was too late
He had been a fool Endless re-
grets chased one another through the
gray, cold numbness of his brain. Nc
girl was faithful, or guessed at the
meaning of the word. There was not
one in the world who was true!
But each assertion fell fiat, as he
uttered it. He knew that in his heart
he would stake his very soul upon the
fineness of Ruth. She could not be
false.
Windon was wealthy, distinguished
and good Why should she not choose
him? The world looked upon Windon
as a great man, man of influence.
He was older than Ruth, much older,
but that was no fault of his. Ranhope
recalled the fact that she had fire.
quently just come in from a drive or a
sail with Windon, on days when he
had telephoned for permission to call
Well, Windon had evidently stood the
test of love. He had won.
This was the end 1t was over. He
swallowed hard. His hopes We're
palsied What was there to work fol
now? 1t must be work for works
sake.
He heard the door open gently
Someone entered. There was a light
step, the rustic of a woman's gown
She drew near. For an instant, a wild
instant whenfhe blood surged through
his veins. and his heart stopped beat
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