Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-10

as Dorls bent her face toward the lamp,
with cigarette in her lips, her indiffcr-
ence seemed so much more dignificd more
delicate, than the others blatant bid for
his favors, that he answered half Grossly:
Il like to see women smoke when they
| smoke gracefully"
Doris, moving toward her straight chair
| again, smiled u little. He tried to meet
her eyes, to claim understanding with her,
but missed her glance as she passed. Her
smile puzzled him. There was something
strange in it, The other girl was speaking.
"Oh, dare say, when you don't care
for the woman very much. You wouldn't
like your wife or sister TO smoke, would
you?''
Linley looked quickly at Doris to sec if
she resented the stupid rudeness of the
speech. She did not appear to have heard
it. She moved her cigarette from her lips
| for moment to ask her guest, who was
lounging about in her chair in various at
titudes of ''girliSh grace" if she would
not like a cushion for her elbow. Linlcy
had to rise and hunt for the cushion. He
was exceedingly irritatcd; he wished Doris
would appeal to him to defend her habits,
but as she did not he spoke on his own
| account.
Il should have no objection to my wife
smoking or my sister, if l had one but
unfortunately l have not. "
| ooh, but l thought you and she, with
q gesture toward Doris "were u sort of
adopted brother and sister. thought you
| said so. >"
This was given with an air of childish
| righteousness, but it was the greatest
| mistake the poor girl could have made just
| then. She ought not to have implied that
| he had discussed Doris with her Very
| likely he had but she should not have re
| membered ii then.
II don't rocollect ever saying anything
of the kind, he answered.
Doris interpreted with n question as to
| the reported engagement of popular &C
| tor with popular actress. This was a
subject in which the other girl was really
Interested Actors We're her heroes. She
| knew u great deal that was not true and Il
| great deal that was tedious about thc1t
rical life and she chartered on this topic
until Linloy could haze shsEan her. What
| had formerly seemed artlessGess turned to
| irritating Stiffness as Doris listened and
| questioned courteously.
At last the Girl seemed to realize that
| she was not making a great impression.
| She stopped short ard flashed an angry
! glance at her hostess.
"You don't care word for all this
| you re only pretcnding-you'r too clever.
| dare say it is nice to be able to write, but
it makes people supercilious."
Doris laughed pleasantly and said: 81
| wish could get my editors to agree with
| you. They occasionally find l am not
clever at all. One of them has just sent
me book to review which is quite beyond
| me, Conflicting Conventionalitics. Have
| you read it?'
Miss Saunders had-as a matter of fact,
| Linley had lent it to her. She had thought
| it dull and ''scrmony," but she was able
| to talk about it, and for a little while con
versation went on pleasantly enough. Lin
| ley was very pleased with Doris. 1t seemed
| to him she was behaving kindly and with
| tact toward n girl she could not but CON
I slider rs a rival She might set her mind
| at rest on that point, if she did but know
| it. just when that last thought was in
| his mind, Miss Saunders justified it by
| breaking in rudely:
| ooh, yes But all your reading isn't as
| dry as that. You were reading a French
| novel when we came in. l saw it,
| "Ycs-I was reading it for the third
time, ~ said Doris simply.
| cob! I'm not allowed to read such
| things"
| Linley knew the book, and knew it to
| be as innocent as it was beautiful. He
was angry that Doris did not defend it and
| herself. Her fingers played with the leaves
| indiifcrcntly. He saw in the other girls
| eyes look of envy and of curiosity. He
| was startled and suddenly realized that if
| that other girl got hold of French novel
| it would not be for its beauty of style or
| artistic merit that she read it. Had he
| made the most common of all crrors-mis-
| taken chaperonage for innocence? He
| dropped out of the conversation. The two
women talked. Miss Saunders talked the
most and whenever she finished II sentence
| she gigglcd He disliked everything she
| said or did, her tone Jared. In the clear
| white light of Doris room, she seemed
| overdrawn, exaggerated Her waist was
| too small her coloring too brilliant; her
very youth was aggressive and tircsomc,
| When the sound of the door bell announced
| the arrival of her mother, he felt relieved
| from intolerable boredom.
"You will take Miss Saunders down
| stairsT" Doris was saying.
| The girl protested awkwardly. She
| would rather go alone-she didn't want
%
| and submitted with an ill grace. She
| seemed bewildcred, as if she did not quite
| know what had happened, and yet was
| crushed and Inundated by it, Humilia-
| ton was unbecoming to her. 1t made her
| beauty seem tawdry. Linley's adicu, as
| he gave her into her mothers charge,
seemed, even to himself, to suggest final
| ity. He hurried back to Doris.
Doris moved a step or two toward him
| in the white light. Every fold of the
| straight brown gown shook out memories.
"Dorish he cried Doris, what a
| strange girl you arel Why did you do it?
| Why did you have that tiresome girl here
| to spoil our quiet evening? Poor girlg'
| Nonsense She's all right; she has dozens
| Of men in love with her. Let her go to
| Them she shall not trouble u.s. Why do
| you look so sad2 Let us forget all about
| her. Don't ask her here again. You were
| very kind to her, but l never in all my life
saw any one so out of place as she was in
| your ROOM Did you want to teach me a
lesson? Well, it's taught. shan't need
another. Seeing YOU two together once