Argosy All-Story Weekly, January 21, 1922 — page 60: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

50 She gloried in her new role, now making one fad popular and then frowning upon it as too many folks took it up. She was laughing up her sleeve at them, and the one-time ugly duckling ruled the roost. Girls with bobbed hair regretted the fact that they could not entwine their tresses about their heads as Alice did. Women who were plump and well-rounded longed for a figure as slim and willowy and yet as athletic as hers. And the men found her more than attractive, not only as a charming girl, but as a thorough sports- woman. Bobby Trueman, who had been practical- ly engaged to Hallie when Alice had re-. turned to town, was now Alice’s most ar- dent suitor. It was obvious that he was completely fascinated by her, and society was curious to see whether he could break through the icy reserve in which she held herself. “Who ever would have thought that plain Alice Blake would have half the young eligibles in town dancing attendance after her?” demanded Pauline Thompson. “I suppose none of the rest of us will have a chance to marry until she accepts some man!” But there seemed no likelihood of Alice becoming betrothed. Disgruntled at the failure of his efforts to impress Alice, Bobby Trueman grew morose and sullen—except when he was in Alice’s society. And final- ly casting caution to the winds, he called at her house one evening, uninvited. Alice had put in a busy day at the shop, and she was rather weary, but it was a weariness softened by the satisfaction of accomplishment. She was wearing a wonder- ful, simple negligée of Nile green, with great Egyptian earrings dangling at her throat. She might have been some ancient Eastern princess as she received him in the soft light of her living-room, and Bobby, swept away by the attractiveness of her, pleaded his cause at once. “You know I love you, Alice!” he said eagerly. ‘I am rich enough to give you everything you can ever want, too. You can close the shop and—” “Close the shop!” interrupted Alice. “Not for worlds. I’m in business to stay. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. It’s the greatest thing in my life—the thing that enabled me to find myself and prove to my friends that a girl doesn’t have to be born beautiful to be popular.” “You ave beautiful!’ Bobby endeav- ored to take her hand. ‘“ You are simply wonderful to-night. Oh, Alice, do say yes!” ‘She smiled, reproaching him as a teacher might correct a naughty schoolboy. You're mot in love with me, Bobby,” she told him. ‘“ It’s the girl who has come back—the girl whose clothes and busihess success have turned the heads of the town— that is the girl who fascinates you. And it is pure infatuation. You want to bask in the limelight of my success—to be able to say that I am your wife. No, Bobby, boy, it isn’t love—it’s pure and simple vanity, and you’ll realize jit some day.” “ Alice!” he cried reproachfully. ‘“ You’re unfair!”’ “I’m not,” she insisted. ‘‘ You were en- gaged to Hallie when I returned. Go and marry her. You'll suit each other beauti- fully, and you and I would never hit it at all.” “Is there some one else—some one in New York, perhaps?” he asked. She shook her head. “No, Bobby. I’m not interested in marriage or even in men. I’m in love with my business—my books, music, with the world. I suppose it’s like everything else in life—when.one attains an ambition it usually fails to satisfy.. One seeks something more.” “Then why not marry me?” he persisted. “No,” she said gently, and a whimsical, good-humored smile crossed her face. “ But it’s pleasant to think you want me, Bobby. The ugly duckling you used to know would never have dreamed of such a proposal— and stripped of its fine feathers, the duck- ling would not be sought after now!”. “But you'll change your mind about marriage—some day,’ he insisted, “ even if you don’t change it with regard to me.” * Perhaps,” mused Alice dreamily. But she knew now that she could only love a man who would love her as she had been before she awakened. That was the tragedy of her triumph over East Morton. Would she ever have the courage to be- come an ugly duckling again? And if she COMmiclboo SS C©