The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-30
1.-THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
sparing Bin
By 4. LOUIS

Drained, flfrtatiouS FrancescaI
-wa8 honestto.goodness wor.
Rcd SO worried was she that her.
usually blithe stop Jagged as she
walked homeward through the
tangingty crisp autumn air, and her
fair blow was DuckeTed in three
hettnl wrinkles. How under the
sun was slO going to get rid OF
poor old Bill2
You see, Bill Thorpe was the
very first ono Of Francesca's VIC.
J dms-and there had been many
% Cause her so much as the TIMES.
wftge Of regret. Perhaps this was
hecatise she had known him since
Kindergarten days, or perhaps ~
was because she had, figurattyeIy
speaking, walked over his PROSTATE
body With a more heartless, rough.
shod tread even than usual. pre.
sutling on his infallibIe good na
tme. However that may be, the
sfact remains that francesca was
z experiencing q very real desire to
spare Bill the pain she felt was 20.
ing TO occasion him when he came
70 see her that night
May I run up this evening.
Franz he had telephoned her. Il
thnye something thnt's-well, some.
thing want to tell you" And
even over the coldly impersonal
wire his voice had rung strangely
vibrant. u had come at lasti
Nov. between you and me. deep
down titider her genuine concern
tor BIZ, francesca harbored q mo.
Ave other than altruism in breaking
Ndefiniteiy with Bill. For how
irould she expect, as long as he
hung around her like a faithful
watch dog, alert TO fetch and carry.
that Roger Benedict would propose?
Roger was not the sort OF man 10
interfere with a rival. And mean.
While there was Betty Lane, the
kprettiest girl in the gay smalltown
fcTowd which included francesca
and Bill and Roger. Oh, she must
be very firm with Bin, for his own
tsood-and hers.
Arrived at this decision, Fran
cesca quickened her step a bit and.
Shttlnmed 9 gay little tune beneath
her breath. Bill was faithful and
friendly and ever dependable. but
Roger=-oh. Roger was young Loeb.
Iinyar and Prince Charming rolled
Into one. II only Betty
sBettyi" Rounding a corner
francesca pulled up short as. she
IN but catapulted into the object
~ her not exactly charitable
eshonghts. Betty Lane! Haven't
seen yorl IN q very dogs agei" She
was almost-not quite-jealous OF
this trim little Betty, SO attractive.
~ gotten up in her tailored suit
and smart little neckpiece and
eocky yellow felt turban, but not
Tor worlds would she have betrayed
ta sign of so base an emotion, Run
oyer and see me, dear"
Betty nodded her brown eyes
mysteriously radiant. /" will,
Frankie, and when I do-oh, L can't
tell you yet, bpt1.m-I'ms going to
have glorious news: You'll seer
The words fairly dubbed forth and
then Betty. an unconscious OF the
lsayoc she had wrought, swung gay.
IyEby.
Something to tell me-something
glorious-that means, oh, mol Betty
and Roger iWly-why, / was ;wor-
rying about sparing Bill and now
he's al I've got lefti%S
The Bill that Francesca found
that evening when she came down.
stairs was a Bill who acted precise.
ny assneryous lovers since time i'm.
mortal have been supposed TO act,
Gwalkng jerkily about the room and
examining pictures and books and
yartus objects With unseeing eyes.
With start ne gathered his wits
together at her entrance.
It's-f6s a wonderful night.
Frank. Just wonderful Moon and
ali, you know"
Yesae encouraged Francesca
ever so sweetly, seating herself re:
moteiy ina corner.
4-f-hang Il, Frank, I've got
10 set IL over WITH" Bill helped
thimseif 10 a chair opposite and,
looking quite miserable. paused in
what he was saying. Then he
braced himself and plunged. "We've
known each other for years and
Fears and years and" :
Years. completed Francesca.
Yes Bill" After all, with Roger
gone Il might be the sensible thing
10 hang on to Bill for a while.
Wei, I've always thought,
Frank Il would be you and /, but
ven II isn't! I've gone and gotten