Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1923-10-26
Love and
Alice May
BY JESSIE DOUGLAS


20 by Mcclure Newspaper syndioate)
Alice saw him coming down the plat
form toward her. She would have
known him anywhere, the way he car
ried his dark head, the humorous CLINT
In his brown eyes, the sudden smile
that showed his very white teeth.
She wondered whether she could
avoid him.
"Why, Alice Mayl haven't seen
you for blue moonr he cried, drop
ping his bag and taking her little
gloved hand In his.
"a blue moon four years DID," she
answered.
Then she could have bitten out her
tongue for admitting 1t.
What are you doing hereT Billy
Rogers asked with that engaging way
of his.
II live here now"
"Oh, yes. You're married, Of
courseT'
EYES," she answered. Crimson swept
over her cheeks.
In that moment she had covered
over all the hurt of four years Of re-
membrance with "yes" Somehow
she could not have Billy pity her, have
him think that she still remembered.
"And how Is your wifef" Alice May
asked.
"Oh, very WELL" Billy answered alb
ruptly.
He turned to her with his old eager
way.
II want to hear all about you. I've
got to wait here for two hours for the
next train. You couldn't--you wouldn't
that Is. would you have tea with
me7"
"My-my husband is very broad
minded, but what about your wifeT
Alice asked quickly.
"Oh, my wife's heard all about you.
Shed be glad" he answered.
They walked up the main street to-
gether, Alice hot and cold In turns at
the monstrosity of the lie she had told.
And yet at the moment 1t had seemed
the only way to save her pride, the
only way to be on equal terms with
Billy again.
For she wanted to hear about him,
what he did, what he thought, what
he felt. Surely 1t would be no dlsloy-
atty to the woman Billy loved-his
wlfe-7to spend Just two hours with
him on their old terms of comradeship
and understanding.
lipa IooHp1 nm at him chvlv How
good he was to look at She liked the
seriousness Of those brown eyes the
clean-cut mouth. the brown cheeks.
even the way his hair grew
He smiled down at her suddenly.
where are you taking me. Alice
.Inyr"
Here" she said.
Here" was tea shop with crispy
fresh dotted swiss curtains at the win
dow. and once they had pushed open
the door Billy cried "How jolly!"
II had wide, white fireplace with
shining andirons, oval rag rugs,
spinning wheel and round tables with
n pot of primroses or wild vlolets CEN
terlng each.
They chose table by the window,
and Alice watched Billy shrug out Of
his coat with that old familiar gesture
and fling himself down In the settle
beside her.
81 believe" he said with that CLINT
OF humor in his eyes, that you brought
me here because you knew how becom.
ing II was to you"
II was becoming to Alice. The neu-
tral-colored walls, the pleasant old
time furniture seemed to be her back.
ground. She was not exactly pretty,
but something more than pretty.
"Allce May" Billy said thoughtfully,
when their tea and crumpets and mar
malade had been brought and Alice
poured with that dainty precision Of
hers, 81 want to know all about that
house Of yours and those chubby.
checked childrenw
She blushed again.
Eyes, two Jumps; how did you re-
member2 know you have sunny
rooms and that lowered stuff beside
the wlndOws-and a plano overlooking
with music and flowers everywhere
now, haven't you? And two rosy
youngsters In what-do-you-call-'em |"
an tell you all about that" she said
quickly but first | want to know all
about you How's your work and
and your wifeT'
"Oh, my work." his eyes lighted up.
I'm going down to Mexico shortly.
Think of 1t, Alice May--the adventure
putting new bridge across the
wilderness. A company's sending me
down there, but it's at my own risk.
I'm keen about it" he stopped.
"There. I'm boring you to death"
"And your wife," Alice persisted.
lie stirred his tea absently and for
got to drink It. Alice knew all at once
that he wasn't happy, that this woman
who had married him was not the
woman for him. She hated her in that
moment.
She thought suddenly Of her friend
ship and Bllly's. They had walked
and skated, danced and leased each
other. They had exchanged books and
opinions Alice had made chatting dish
suppers and Billy had brought her rib
bon-looped boxes Of candles. Yet
strangely enough they had never
verged on love making.
Alice knew she could never forget
as long as she llved-the night Billy
had told her he was being sent TO
Alaska.
think Of the adventure Of II, Alice
Mayr
But she had only thought Of the
loneliness Of It.