The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-01-26
A Question
of Rivalry
By A. w. PEACH.

| unrnvel or unriddle or something else
You know l love you; you let me &,
just SO far until l think you have
some feeling for me, and then--ther
the cold water" he added gloomlly
She studied him graveiy. II dc
think a great deal OF you. like to be
with you. You are handsome, and as
n rule good company. You do many
things the right way, but" She
paused. her baffllng eyes studying
him.
But" he urged.
But" she continued, there are OBJ.
stacles."
He stared ut her sharply. "Obsta.
cles or obstacle? All, I see; there is
some one else. thought so--a rival
back In the old home town. Won't
you tell me about him?"
She mused as she paused before an
swering. "Why, yes. | might-a lit
tie. / like him because--well. he is
spendidly unselfish, thoughtful of
others and always even-tempered
"He must be getting ready to die
with such a record" Stanley said a
bit bitterly.
"And always good-natured," she
added quietly. II never heard him
say an unkind thing except In defense
Of kind things"
Ruth. | beg your pardon. swear
am sorry, but can't bear the
thought of some one else having YOU"
he said earnestly. TELL me, isn't
there much Of chance for met" i.
She laughed softly. "Why do you
desire me SO muchf Yes, Stanley,
there is a chance, OF course. l do
like you, but-well. guess you under
stand"
He did not understand, however. He
simply knew that there was rival
who must be beaten, who must be pre-
vented from winning the brown-eyed.
brown-haired girl whose slight but
graceful form had walked into MUIR
docks heart the first time he saw her.
Beyond a grim determination to win
her from her old home lover he did
not go on in his thinking.
The next day a dim ray of light
struck him. An error by a subordinate
in the office aroused his ire. and a
quarrel followed that led to his being
summoned into the managers office.
STANLEY. that confounded temper
of. yours makes more trouble In this
Office than any other thing. Now
you are worth too much to us to fire
you. and you know 1t; but for heavens
sake take brace. Treat people bit
more decently, and they'll think more
of your the manager said earnestly.
The phrase that stuck was "thInk
more OF you" 'That was what Ruth
was driving at. Thunderi l didn't
realize / was such nut as that p he
said to himself as he debated the mat
ter. "That home town chap has some
thing on me therel"
From that hour he braced decidedly.
and he was astonished at the changed
attitude Of the Office toward him, but
he was more happy over the change
IN Ruth.
They were returning from an after |
noon together at their favorite beach. |
She slipped a small hand through his.
Stan. do you know that this is a |
'ecord dayf You haven't quarreled |
With anybody today-not even the |
who 'sassec' you on the T.
How ashamed of you / have been
7"
"You never will be In the future be-
.ause OF these hot-headed stunts of |
nine. Brown Eyes. am going to gain
IN that home town chap"
She laughed In her merry way and
walked a bit closer to him.
Out of a clear sky, destiny or what
ver II Is that breaks into a mans way
4 life and shoves him into the right
'ath, another incident came to open
is eyes.
Adjoining the apartment house
There he had his rooms was a fine
ourt, cool and comfortable on the
Tarm days. Returning from work one
fternoon he found the two children
one Of the apartment dwellers play
lg in his chosen corner. He drove
hem out with some degree Of anger.
He was rewarded with the sound
a heated girlish voice saying: 'You
ig brute! You are the most selfish
ian In the housew
He stared at the flushed face OF the
oung mother. "Selfish!" He heard
mother voice. girlish like this one, say
his rival--splendidly unseifish."
He rose, called the children back.
Il down. and taking the scattered
ocks began TO erect a fascinating
'wer. The children slowly drew close
} him. and In few moments they
ere deeply interested. The mother.
arder TO win. softened until she
niled.
When the playtime was UP the
,ungsters were his friends and the ,
other apologize. but Stanley was
her. ,
81 am mighty grateful TO you for /
hat you said. Really. ! did not real
E l was such chump. but now ! ,