Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-10

ishly making a schedule of engagements that il
possible would cover every working hour OF Miss
Mary Smiths visit to New York. She was to be
here three days-three entire, glorious days.
or course he would take her to dinner and
the play tonight. Could he call in the morning
and take her to breakfast on the pretext of
showing her the flower market and some un-
usually interesting restaurant? Probably not
but he'd try it, They would have luncheon to-
gether of course, and In the afternoon he would
hire an automobile and take her for long
drive. They would dine together somewhere up
the river and get back late-very late. The fol-
lowing daytime -m-m for the following day he
had half a dozen important business CONFER
ences, which arranged themselves in an impress
sye row before him; but he would get out OF
them ALL of course. Time enough for that sor'
of thing when she had left town.
Fully 10 minutes passed before he took in
what really had happened to him, and he dis
covered it now because he suddenly realized that
he could not take his eyes off that elevator door.
She might be back at any minute, but the min
utes were dragging intolerably. He had never
felt that way about a girl before He had heard or
fellows being bowled over after one glance. He
had read about it. too. He had fallen in love.
at last, and he had done it with suddenness
and thoroughness which he would not have be-
lieved possible.
He had never believed in love at first sight
lie had thought that love-. If it ever came at
all, would be thing of slow growth based on
knowledge and mental knship and understand
ing. Yet, here he was. At o'clock tired
young business man, slightly irritable because
somewhat bored and only half alive. Now at
10 minutes past S. a lover shaken by his first
passion, dazed yet thrilled, humble yet trium-
phant, wretched because she was not here, &c
static because she was coming, and more in
tensely alive than he had ever been or dreamed
of being.
The wonder and splendor of the experience
overwhelmed him. He almost 80, and he
had never been in love before. He had about
given up hope of ever loving or being loved. Hc
had begun to cherish wish that Kittie might
not marry either. and that they two might make
a home for each other. That aspiration now
seemed thousand years behind him. The life
he had lived seemed to have been passed on an
other planet. He had come into his heritage as
man.
The elevator door on which his straining
eyes were fastened swung back and the girl
came forth. There seemed to be others in the
carat least there were vague shadows that
probably fancied themselves men and women.
AS he rose and went to meet her John set his
young jaws and resolutely steadied his nerves.
What had happened to him was miracle, but
the girl knew nothing about it. To her he was
a stranger whose sole claim to consideration
was that he was the brother Of her friend. He
was her host in strange city and she was for
the time dependent upon his courtesy and COM
mon sense.
No suspicion of what he felt must reach her.
His role was that of Kitties brother, an agree
able young man pleasantly interested in his sis
ter's friend and normally anxious to make her
visit pleasant. To carry out that role would be
difficult, but--he knew-to carry it out was his
only chance of winning the girl. One false move
or act too-impulsive word, and he would lose
her forever. The knowledge restored his pose
This is wonderful" he TESTED as they met
Its exactly 1 s minutes"
"And you expected to wait at least half an
hour?" -
II have a sister, you know. At a guess,
should say that I've spent about eight years or
my life waiting around for Kittie. Where shall
we go?" he asked as he helped her into taxi
cab. "Have you any choice?"
She shook her head.
mo I didn't even know we were going out.
But it's very nice" she added with her young
gracousness.
1.-THE Plaza" he told the driver, and then, as
he sat down, turned to stare at her.
"You didn't know"
"No l thought you were merely to call. It's
very nice Of you to take me out after that dusty
journey"
The taxicab had turned into the park, the
driver evidently preferring it's quiet roads to
the traffic congestion of upper Fifth avenue
Mary Smith looked out of the window and drew
a deep breath.
.I4ow heavenly the park is she sighed.
"And how love New York in the spring.!
II love it the year round"
John gazed out at the park with proudly
proprietary air He felt as if New York were
his and he were giving it to her. Certainly
he would give her much of it as three days
permitted I'm sorry the journey was bad,
he added sympathetcally.
He longed to be saying all sorts OF things
brilliant things personal things. But the safe
course was to be strictly bromide until she
knew him better. They talked of trains then
of travel Insensib1y the talk became more per-
sonal When the taxicab stopped at the en-
trance of the Plaza he had learned that she mad
been in Paris throughout the previous summer
and she knew that he had served ms country IN
the aviation corps. 81.
These experiences engrossed them through
out the tea hour. To an accompaniment OF soft
music cheerful voices, toasted mullins and jam
they exchanged experiences and sage viewpoints.
For this hour they were citizens Of the allied
lands rather than of one. He took her with him
into the deep blue of French and German skies;
and it was while he felt higher among the
clouds than he had ever been in reality that
John Smith received the shot which brought
him down to earth.
II wish I could stay in New York longer y
the girl said wstfuly. There's so much 10
talk about-and to see," she. added.
The words went to her companions head
but he held himself steady.
II wish you could, too," he said with an
emphasis that made her glance at him in sur
prise But we'll make the most of your three
days.
Three days?" 1t was her turn to look at
him in amazement why, I'm sailing for Cuba
tomorrow afternoon Didn't Uncle James tell
YOU that when he wrote?"
John shook his head. The jolt was so stag
gering that he could not utter word, but II
left his mental processes unimpaired. Even be-
fore she had ceased speaking the whole situa-
ton was clear in his mind-clear with an alb
horrent clearness. This Mary Smith was not
Kittie's Mary Smith--therefore, oh, black re-
Election, she was not his Mary Smith. In a big
&hnro ,,iolaf ho half O