The Coolidge examiner., 1933-04-28
The Dance
BY JOHN GRAY
q. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
M\lT service

pOrtant Junior ball ut Tilton col
leSe. On the spare room bed in
the DENLY farmhouse lay the pink
chiffon frOck that Bertha had bought
for the big event. Silver slippers and
stockings lay beside il.
The whole house was in an air of
expectancy, and even the cows and
chickens in the barnyard and pas.
ture must have suspected that some
thing was in the air from the happy
preoccupied air of Bill Nenby, gruff
and usually Indifferent as he went
about his daily chores. Bill Denby
was Bertha's brother, her elder by
ten years, who, though be avoided
society himself.
Then George Fulton came with
the news that changed all this air
of pleasurable expectation to one of
gloom and detection.
I've dohe the thing that seems
most honorable" he announced. ut
means that l cant take you to the
ball"
Last summer | met girl who
lives out in Wyoming. We played
tennis together and went swimming
and sailing and-well, before we
/ parted ] asked her TO go to my
junior ball with me. That was be-
fore | met you. Well, we wrote
once or twice and nothing more
was said about the ball, and then
we didn't write any more. had
met you and she didn't seem to care
whether | wrote or not. This morn
ing | had a letter from her. 1t just
says: I'm coming for the ball. VIII
arrive at FIVE Friday. know you
haven't forgotten your invitation
ITS too late to prevent her com
| ing-she is almost here. | didn't
know what to do. OF course, | want
10 take you more than anything else.
made up my mind that the right
thing for fellow to do in the cir
cumstances was to go to the girl he
really cared for. the one who-well,
| the one who trusted him and un-
derstood him-and tell her"
II was not till George had gone
and Bertha had gone to nurse her
grief in sight of the pink frock laid
out so neatly that she permitted
tears to flow. But DENLY, who had
looked in vain for his sister down
stairs, found her there In the spare
room. Bertha explained.
II don't care so much about go
ing with him." she fibbed. "but l
wanted to wear the dress. / never
had such a pretty dress before"
"I'll take you." Bill said firmly.
But they won't let you ln-you're
an outsider.
See here" said Bill, shaking a
defiant finger in her face, you said
this George is the boss of the dance.
! I'll show him I'm no outsider this
time"
In the thirty hours that were to
elapse before the dance Bill found
only few for sleep. There was a
hasty trip by motor to Tilton in
quest Of evening clothes.
He came back with numerous
bundles. Here's everything from
soup to nuts" he announced. "danc-
ing pumps, silk socks and every
thing. Now start In and show me
the steps"
/ The next evening at half-past
eight. when Bertha. dressed in her
pink chiffon. started off with her
brother to Tilton college she was in
clined to think that this smooth
shaven, well-dressed young man
must he some one else other than
her rough brother.
! II was an uncomfortable moment
/ for Bertha at the door when the
student whose duty it was to re-
ceiyed tickets barred the way and
looked skeptical when Bill said he
would see the chairman of the COM
mittee. who would fix things up for
him. George came forward. sensed
the situation In flash, and escort
ed the Denbys past the dismayed
door committee.
What followed made Bertha feel
as if she had suddenly been swept
off her feet. The girl. beautiful,
stately and brunette, but certainly
older than George, took both Bits
hands in hers.
what a wonderful surprise" she
said. Il was going to get in touch
with you tomorrow. but ] didn't ex
pect to meet yon at the dance
Then she and Bill gravitated to
some chairs behind some palms, and
when the music started for the first
dance, and George was expected to
be the first on the floor. he did not
even try to locate Bill and the mys-
terious girl.
They danced a few minutes and
then drifted toward two chairs
which they utilized for conversa-
ton. That's Helen Dawson" George
said. "She's the one Bill was en-.
gagged to. One of the boys was in
Wyoming a few weeks ago and told
her about Bill-how he'd never mar
ried and didn't like girls, so she de-
| oided to como and look him IN She