Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1922-01-24
The Story Of Ninette

iush 70 nee
II was with a great effort that she
reused herself TO speak again,
= am afraid sou will think ! am
very dull, she apologized, with
trembling lips. n ought not 70 have
spoken about Josh, Il always makes
me unhappy. OhW she burst OUT
yehemenlls. Il think memoFy Is the
saddest thing IN lie, i only Nc could
be allowed 20 ioFget,
lie smiled sadly, sitting i sigh.
suppose We an ieei like that
some things" he said, and then, with
a change ot voice, so YOU are not IN
love with Peter Aolhard, IN spite OF
al you sag you owe him.
Hts deep eyes were upon her lace
aud she ieli herself colofing,
I'm love with him. OF course not.
What made you think anything so
silly"
lie shooA his head
In a story book !, would be the
whole solution 10 the question as 20
what Is 10 become Of you.' he said
whlmsieaily, " But A. Il is--well.
what Is your own solntlon:'
Il don't know. must work. !
suppose, or get married, Margaret
Is very sure that ! shall get mar.
ried, She spoke unthinkingly. then
blushed IN confusion. remembering
what Margaret had limited with re-
gard to this man.
And you have no people OF your
own. None IN the worldf" he asked.
mo; | don't even kno, what my
proper name IS she said. with
hall sigh. Josh gave me his-he
called me Ninette Wheeler. bu, It's
not ms name. really"
"But your mother" he began
deprecatingly.
"She died when | was born-l told
you, And nobody knew who she
really was-not even her name. Josh
used 10 tell me about her often: he
said she was so pretty-he used
sometimes TO speak 10 her-ihey
both had rooms in the same lodging
house, YOU see. He said how shy
she was; she would never make
friends and nobody ever came 10 see
her. And when she was dead all they
ever found was book OF poems with
the name Ninette written on the fly
leaf. That's why they called me Nj
nctte."
She looked up at him with uncon-
scious pride.
Josh had said that my mother was
a lady" she added.
Cavanagh did not answer; lie was
twisting the stem OF his wine glass
with nervous fingers. and presently
he said irrclevantly, il seemed:
And SO you want TO earn your
own living?'
Eyes"
How ..
She hesitatcd ...-
~ used TO think should like to
go on the stage she SAID at last.
But perhaps | SHOULDN'T be any
good
"All women think they arc cut out
Tor the stage he answered rather
shortly. And i is not the sort OF
life for you. | knew woman once
who might have had every happiness
life has to give. and threw them all
over for what she chose to call her
stage!'
"She wasn't good them
"She was pretty. But it seems TO
me that nowadays people ask more
than just pretty face" EIc smiled
into her earnest eyes. mo, we must
find you something better. Ninette."
There was little silence.
you know Peter Notllard, don't /
your" Ninette asked suddenly.
"Yes-slightly. should say, / |
rather fancy" he smiled with sort .
Of amusement; Il rather fancy he
dislikes me-"
"Hc does Ninette answered I'M
ale said" then she
broke off in crimson confusion, re-
how Peter Nothard had
told her that Cavanagh was an old
blackguard.
He was looking at her now and
smiling still.
well, what did he say:%xe asked.
indulgently, but Ninette would not
tell him.
1T doesn't matter at all. she de-
clared. Anyway, | am not likely
to believe anything he says; any
thing like that. at least
He leaned little nearer to her
across the table.
That sounds kind" he said,
softened note in his voice "Does it
mean, perhaps, that you like me, just
4 little?"
=, Ninctte's heart beats quickened;
she looked into his thin, sallow face
and deep sunk eyes, and a vague
feeling of disquietude touched her
heart.
Il like you; like you very much"
she said slowly; she felt as if the
words were being drawn from her
against her will.
A touch of dull color burned in
his face, and he laid his hand over
hers for moment
you have made me happier by
saying that-than had ever hoped
% be again." he said quietly.
He avoided the personal note aft
,rward and kept the conversation to
general subjects, but before they
,arted he had asked her to have
Inner and go to theater with him
one night when he returned from
Paris, and she had promised.
III Margaret doesn't mind-that
s." she added quickly, and Caya-