Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-10-20
THE R0MANCER
BY MOLLlE MATHER

Phoebe flew to the window, and the
Merry Makers club followed in q body.
Don't it beat all, the way the fel-
lows go to see her? And she's not
even good looking, in my opinion"
"What surprises me-" Mrs. Tomkins
remarked, "is the way folks will take
to q stranger. Mrs. Lew Hampton
has her out often in her car, and never
any of us, Mrs. Tomkins' old neigh
bors, asked to ridew
Nettie Wells smiled. 1--WE don't
wear the stylish clothes this stranger
does" she said significantly.
"Where did the girl come from?"
Phoebe wanted to know, land is her
name Jewel Joyce, as they say?
Sounds made up to me-"
Miss Joyce seems real agreeable"
a small woman timidly suggested. The
others laughed. $50 the men folks
Think" they said.
The object Of conversation passed on
her way. Miss Jewel Joyce was al-
ways provokingly happy. Snubs an
moved her not, ill-natured coolness
passed unnoticed From an Office
stairway n young man sprang to walk
at her side.
81 saw you from the Office window"
he said.
81 am on my way to meet the $780,"
Jewel told him, and smiled.
The young mans bright expression
faded. "Say," he asked aggresslvely,
show often is that man coming out
here anyway"
"As often as he can," Jewel replied;
as an afterthought she added: (Which
MANI"
You'd better ask" Nettie Wells
brother sarcastically replied; folks
here are betting on which fellow comes
most"
Jewel joyce stood still and stared
at her informer.
"You mean to tell me-" she indig-
nantly cried, that the people here are
gossiping about me?"
"Gossiplng" Jim Wells laughed,
"the men in the stores are guessing as
to which of those two men from the
city will be the winner, and the wom'
en- say that neither Of them is serious;
and my sister thinks you want me.
Gosh :" added Jim, II wish you did.
Jewel glanced at the boyish face i'm
patiently, then, she laughed. "Oh, Mr..
Wells" she said, please don't be fool
ish. So / have come to town OF ro-
mancers." Her pretty brows drew to-
gether in a frown. "Good-by'; she dis
missed her new admirer, abruptly.
The frown had disappeared when
she returned from the station, tall,
pleasing man at her side. The men
in the store windows gaped, and the
little stranger returned their bows OF
greeting, flushing, remembering Jlms
conversation.
"Queer one, that" shrewd-looking
character remarked; "saw her when
+ was in the city, and she was at
movie theater with a different man
from them two what come out hefe-
q thick-set, prosperous sort of looking
man, and" the speaker leaned close
TO his eager audience-"the man was
holding her hand all through the play.
She passed me going out, and Smiled
as cool rs you please. knew I'd seen
her, too, all the time"
Lyn Wendell spoke up eXcitediy.
young chap, wasn't he? Lightish hair,
actOrish looking?'
The first speaker regarded Lyn with
interest. "What are you talking about!
The man in the theater was middle
aged maybe, dark hair, acted as
though he owned the girl, engaged TO
her you'd think-and them other two,
coming out here all the time, both
paving her steady attention, and
knowing nothing, I'll be bound, about
this bird in the theater."
Lyn Wendell shook his head. "Prob-
ably she's waiting to see which one
Is worth the most money. Our young
Jim here ought to be warned. She
might even marry jim and spoil his
career at the start But what / was
talking about vas fellow / saw this
Jewel woman with in the city. Light
haired. young. She was driving with
him, and they stopped for gas at the
place l did How do you doT she
saws to me. Mr.. Wendell this is Mr..
Bruce'-Bruce was the name. Philip.
I heard her call him, and he said
right out, Yes, dear"
Lyn Wendell, returning some days
later from his farm, passed an auto
mobile driven by the same light-haired
chap he remembered having seen In
the city. The Jewel woman was by
his side.
"How do you do?" she again greet
ed the astonished Lyn; she stopped.
"Tkis is my husband, Mr.. Bruce, Mr.
Wendell. We are driving out to look
over the field of my half-brother's new
work. You have seen Mr.. Johnson, my
halfbrother, here with me often. He
Is a civil engineer. The shorter man,
whom YOU may also remember, Is my
husbands brother and Mr.. Johnson's
business associate"