The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-04-01

stood by his prosaic and suob-
bish wife,
MABEL, nor by his colleagues in
the firm of Fortune. East and
Sabre. A promised partneksilin
in the business has been denied
him and promised to
TWYNlNG, a Jealous associate.
Suddenly an old sweetheart,
MONA, now the wife OF dash.ng
Lord Tybar. returns after two
years Of travel. Mabel becomes
suspicious when Mona writes
Sabre an informal invitation 10
visit her.
GO ON WITH THE STORY
IAN invitation? whyever didn't
she write meg" "Whyeyer" agalng
MAY see it,"
He took the letter from his
pocket and handed 1t TO her. Its
not exactly an lnvitauon-not for.
NAL"
sue u:u what Ne called lick
ed" the letter out Of its envelope.
He watched her reading 4 and in
his mind he could see as perfectly
as she with her eyes, the odd, neat
script; in his mind he read 1t with
her, word by word.
Dear Marko-We'ra back. We've
been from China TO Peru-almost.
Come up one day and be bOrea
about It. How are you? Nonu.
His thought was, Damn the let
teri"
Mabel handed 1t back, without
returning It to its envelope. She
sad, NO. it's not formal.
She anipped three roses with
astonishing swiftness-snip, snip,
snip!
In half an hour the shallow bas
ket was. beautlfled with fragrant
blooms and Mabel thought she had
enough.
well. that's that sad Sabre
as they re-entered the morning
room.
III
She took up a creamy rose and
shipped off a fragment OF stalk
over the saucer. why does she
call you 'Marko'?"
He was utterly taken aback. II
the question had come from any
one but Mabel. he would have
quite failed to connect It with tho
letter. But here had distinctly
been an incident" over the letter,
though go far closed, as be had
| imagined. that he was completely
surprised.
He said, who? Nona?"
Yes, Mona. 4 you like. Lady
Tybar. !"
know that.
Mabel put the rose into a specI-
men vase with immense care and
touched a s2eck off It's petals With
her fingers. 81 really didn't"
Mabel, you know you do. You
must nave HeaTu HeT.
well, may have. But long ago.
certainly didn't know she used
/ 1t in letters"
He felt he was growing angry.
What on earth.s the differ
ence?"
ut seems to me there's a great
deal Of d ference. didn't know
she wrote you letters.
He was angry. Damn 1t, she
doesn't write me letters. !"
She shrugged her shoulders
you seem to get them anyway"
! Maddening!
And then. he thought, I'm not
going to let 1t be- maddeping. This
is Just what happens" He said.
We'll this is silly. I've known her
we've known one another-for
years, since we were children,
pretty well. She's called me by
my Christian name since | can re-
member. You must have heard her
We don't see much Of her-per-
haps you haven't. l thought you
had. Anyway. dash the thing.
What does 1t matter?"
at doesn't matter"-she launch.
ed a flower into a vase. bit.
only think it's funny, that's ALL.
well, it's just her. way"
Mabel gave little sniff. He
: thought It was over. But 1t wasn't
over = 'If you ask me. l call 1t a
funny letter. You say your Chris
tan name, but II isn't your Christ
Han name-Marko! And then say
ing. How are you? like that"
Like what? She just said it,
didn't she2"
"Yos, I know. And then Mona.
Don't You call that funny
well l always used TO call hel
Mona Shed have thought It
funny, as you cali It, to put any
thing else. I tell you it's Just her
way"
%welI. l think it's a very funny
way and think anybody else
would think SO. don't like her.
never did like her.
He thought, Ny God, this bick.
ering! Why don't get out Of the
Iroom?"
Come back for a day off with
me! It's a funny thing you came
back Just In time TO get that let.
teri Before 1t was deliyeredi
Therel Now you knowt"
He was purely amazed. He
thought, and his amazement was
such that. character:sticaqy. his
anger left him; he thought, well
OF all the
But she otherwise interpreted
his establishment. She thought she
had made an advantage and she
pressed 1t. Perhaps you knew Il
was coming2'
"How On earth could have
known 1t was coming ?'3 z.