Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1922-02-02
The Test Of True
Love

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~rll walk home with you, Dick. said
Frank Fqyles to his friend Richard
Talbot. and started away with him
from Miss lands door, At the cor
ner Of the block he stopped and wrung
his friends hand violehtly.
Il congratulate you, old man, he
said warmly. Il think your flancee Is
me Of the finest girls I've ever met
and just suited to you, too. and / bet
your married life win be one long
dream OF paradise"
Talbot did not reply, end his friend.
mortified by his coldness, accom-
anied him In silence Talbot was
thinking bitterly Of his folly--his abb
snlute folly. 1t was too late to with
sraw with honor now. The wedding
as only one month away. And dur
i.sg the past two weeks he had come to
ralize that he had made the mistake
OF his life.
He had thought Elsie Lands all that
could be desired in any woman until
until he had met Edith Spinner.
| Honor forbade him to speak but the
pressure Of their hands when they met
must have betrayed them to each 9TH
e.. They had met three times only
aid he was head over heels in love
with Edith.
He thought over his future that
| night. He could not withdraw.
He rose up after a sleepIess night,
resolved to give Elsie the chance to
reconsider. 1t was not until eight
O'clock that evening that he found him
self In Elsie's presence.
Their greeting was commonplace
enough: The handshake, the kiss. ans
even that seemed perfunctory. Talbot
sat down.
Richard" said his fiancee, looking
at him curiously, "do you know you
have been acting in 9 very odd man
.ner lately?"
III How Is that?v he stammered.
You haven't seemed to love me as
much as you used to-" she stammered.
n have been thinking-O, Richard,
don't you care for me?'
A moment later and she was on her
knees at his side, her arms around
him. weeping. M
'Eisier' exclaimed Richard. mlser
ably, IL love, you"
you won't love me when ! have
told y0H something" she sobbed.i
Tell me and see," said he. He
could think OF nothing better to say.
II have been untrue. to you" she
sobbed. Il DONE mean that I've
kissed anybody else No, but--O
Richard, YOU are SO simple and noble,
/ you would never understand. Well, L.
i had been wondering whether our
marriage was going to be happy. II
had begun to seem so ordlnarys our
love. And then met a nan--just two
weeks ago. He fascinated me and---
and ! loved him more than you, dear
i est
Richard sat up very straight. This
was turning Of the tables with q
vengeance.
I'VE never told each other" she
went ON. weeping bitterly. II felt that
we ought not to be married until you
knew-and didn't dare to tell you
until today,
why today?" inquired Richard
il kindly.
/ Because he is married now
sobbed Elsie. sHe got married yester.
day. And he had been engaged to her
Il for a whole ar--just think Of that
He had just been tlirting with ME and
4 I-foollng me. Aai then sudden re-
vulsion came over me and / knew that
1t was you ! had loved all the time.
Richard. can you ever forgive me 81
shall give YOU back your ring?v
"Nho was the man?n inquired Rich
ard, conscious of an odd sense Of help.
less jealousy.
/ Nobody you know, Richard,' she
answered. $50 1t wouldn't do you any
good to tell you his name. But mi
tell you whom he married. believe
| you met her once. 1t was Miss Spin,
her.''
Edith Spinner.r he shouted
Yes Richard. She Is said to be d
dreadful tiirt why. what is the mat;
ter?''
Come here, Elsie,' said Richard
do you know / have been fancyine
myself in love with Edith,
"You, Richard2 Since we were en-
gagedI Why how dared your
Elbow dared you?'' he retorted.
Il didr e she cried. ut was purely
Imagination. just feared that We
nightn't be- quite suited to each other
and--''
THAT'S what did"
| you never kissed her. Dickfs
'Neverl'' he said. looking her In the
eyes, and then suddenly be drew hel
Il upon his knee and kissed her.
4 elsie. darling, shall We start ovel
i againg"